A team of neuroscientists and bioengineers from MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Center for Biomedical Engineering have been able to partially restore the vision of rodents whose visual neural pathways had been severed by injecting them with a tiny, biodegradable substrate on which brain cells were able to regrow and reconnect. The research marks the first time that nanotechnology has been used to heal a damaged brain region and restore lost functionality. The results could lead to major advancements in the […]

Every year New York scientific literary agent and founder of the Third Culture movement John Brockman poses a question to over 100 of the top scientists, philosophers and thinkers alive. The responses, which are usually unexpected, sometimes provocative, and always fascinating, are published on January 1st on the website Edge.org. Psychologist Steven Pinker suggested this year's question: "What is your most dangerous idea?" The responses are online and well worth the read. […]

Hugh Herr, director of MIT's Biomechatronics Group, has created the Rheo Knee, an artificial knee with an integrated microprocessor that both learns the user's walking style and is able to quickly react and adapt to changes in terrain. The microprocessor calculates the position of the knee and the load on the limb 1000 times per second, continually learning the wearer's gait and optimizing the proper resistance in the joint for each step. […]

NewScientist.com has a brief article today about the work done by Nicholas Kotov at the University of Michigan in developing a nanoscale spring thermometer. Traditional spring thermometers, also known as bi-metal thermometers, consist of two thin metallic layers, usually iron and copper joined together to make a strip that is often formed into a coil. Because the two metals have different constants of expansion, the coil will expand if heated and contract when cooled. The change can measured and calibrated allowing the coil to […]

Nobel prize winner Richard Smalley, co-discoverer of fullerene and one of the most prominent and well-respected nanotechnology researchers in the world, passed away today after a six year battle with cancer. He was 62 years old. […]

Only last week we learned about a nanoscale car developed by researchers at Rice University. Today BoingBoing points us to this news release from the University of California at Riverside about a molecule that scientists there have developed that can move in a straight line in a manner that mimics human walking. The research team, led by Ludwig Bartels, believe this discovery will help clear a significant hurdle towards the development of molecular memory that could be 1000 times more compact than that found in […]

CNET News.com published an article today about NaturalNano, a New York nanotech company that has taken the unique approach of using clay as a carrier in it's nanotube applications. Halloysite is a naturally-occuring clay mineral made up of primarily aluminum, silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Historically used for making porcelain, bone and fine china, researchers in the 50's discovered it's particles were tube shaped which is why NaturalNano is focusing on it as a relatively cheap yet effective alternative to synthetic, carbon nanotubes. […]

LiveScience.com is reporting that scientists at Rice University have invented the world's smallest car. At a mere 4 nanometers wide, the car is able to roll on it's buckyball wheels. While other teams have been able to make vehicle-shaped nano machines, this car is the first to actually roll versus sliding along the surface as was proved using STM analysis. The next goal for scientists is to build nano trucks able to carry molecules around in mini factories. […]

Nature.com has published an article about the work of Ravi Saraf, a chemist from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and his student Vikas Berry in integrating living bacteria into an electrical circuit that is part of a humidity-detecting device. While there have been other instances of circuits built to react to microorganisms, this "cellborg", as it has been dubbed, is the first time they have actually been built into the circuits themselves. This work has excited many biotechnologists as they see this as […]

CNET News.com is running an interview with one of my favorite authors, inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil to promote his new book "The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology." Kurzweil, whose previous books include "The Age of Intelligent Machines" and "The Age of Spiritual Machines," predicts that we will reach the Singularity, a time when changes to ourselves and our environment due to advances in computing, AI, nanotechnology, and biology will exceed the ability for pre-Singularity humans to understand or even predict, by […]