The 140 Year-Old Nanomachine February 05, 2007

Read more Gadgets , Gizmodo UK

A nanomachine proposed by a famous scientist 140 years ago has finally seen the light of day, thanks to boffins at the University of Edinburgh. Inspired by the ideas of James Clerk Maxwell, who proposed an atom-sized device called Maxwell’s Demon in 1867 that could trap atoms as they move in a certain direction, scientists have created their own Demon.

It’s an atom-sized device designed to trap molecule-sized particles. Why? By harnessing light as power source, the trapped molecules can be used to push objects. For instance, a laser pen could be used to direct which way you want the trapped molecules to move, pushing an object around.

This new demon builds on earlier successes which included moving a droplet of water up a slope using molecular force.

[Red Orbit]

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