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Step towards building tiny molecular motors achieved by Hebrew University and UCLA scientists
March 22, 2004
A step towards building tiny motors on the scale of a molecule has been demonstrated by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). In an article appearing in the current issue of Science magazine, the researchers from the two institutions described how they were able - through light or electrical stimulation - to cause a molecule to rotate on an axis in a controlled fashion, similar to the action of a motor.
The consequences of such an achievement could lead to the design of molecular devices on a "nano" scale (one billionth of a meter), capable of operating industrial or surgical processes that larger equipment could not handle.
The researchers who wrote the article for Science are Prof. Roi Baer of the Institute of Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, along with his graduate student, Esther Livshits, and Prof. Daniel Neuhauser, Prof. M. Frederick Hawthorne, Dr. Jeffrey I. Zink, Johnny M. Skelton, Dr. Michael J. Bayer and Chris Liu of the University of California at Los Angeles.
Prof. Baer explained that tiny "machines" already exist in natural biological systems. For example, certain bacteria are equipped with a small molecular motor that rotates a flagellum and allows the bacteria to move and navigate in water. The "fuel:" driving these motors is energy-rich molecules, abundant in the living cell, that are programmed to release their stored energy.
The challenge for scientists is to design man-made molecular motors - not necessarily confined to living cells -- that can be controlled and powered using light or electricity. Such man-made motoric actions have been achieved in the past, but the Hebrew University-UCLA team says it is the first to achieve motion that can be halted. This is important because in order for a tiny molecular motor to have any practicality, it must be capable of being stopped or locked in position. This would enable molecular devices to be used, for example, as tiny switches or to perform other mechanical tasks.
Molecular machines are still a long way down the road, said Prof. Baer. But it is clear that once such a technology is available, it will be possible to design new materials and control their properties with extremely high precision. It will also be possible to manipulate and intervene in the most delicate processes in the living cell - with at present unimaginable benefits for medical experimentation and ultimately treatment.
The molecule used by the researchers was composed of four elements - boron, carbon, nickel and hydrogen. The nickel was the key to the process, since it is capable of bonding in several ways in molecules.
The model developed is composed of two spherical structures with a common axis. When exposed to light or electrical stimulation, the top sphere rotates with respect to the bottom one by an angle of 144 degrees. After this rotation, the molecule is locked into its new position.
By measuring the absorption, emission and scattering of light from the molecule and using detailed theoretical calculations, the researchers were able to study the intricate mechanism of the molecule's operation. They are now trying to find a way of chemically bonding one of the spheres of the molecule to a surface and attaching a molecular chain to the other sphere, capable of performing a rotary task on demand (a kind of mini-motor). Further, by attaching two molecules together along their axes, say the scientists, rotations other than 144 degrees could be achieved.
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Scientific Explorer's Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists
by Scientific Explorer
Mind blowing experiments to delight and educate young scientists! Erupt a color changing volcano. Mix up magic ooze with a mind of its own. Play with sand that never gets wet. Mix safe chemicals and watch colors change before your eyes. You'll amaze yourself and your friends as you explore the science behind these truly remarkable reactions.
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The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You! (Everything Kids Series)
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Science has never been so easy - or so much fun! With The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book, all you need to do is gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments. High school science teach Tom Robinson shows you how to expand your scientific horizons - from biology to chemistry to physics to outer space. You'll discover answers to questions like: Is it possible to blow up a balloon without actually blowing into it? What is inside coins? Can a magnet ever be "turned off"? Do toilets always flush in the same direction? Can a swimming pool be cleaned with just the breath of one person? Get ready to enter the laboratory and learn how to conduct cool experiments, understand scientific terms...
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The Science Book: Everything You Need to Know About the World and How It Works (National Geographic)
by National Geographic (Author), Marshall Brain (Foreword)
A delight for the casual reader, yet so complete and wide-ranging that science buffs and students will welcome it, The Science Book encapsulates centuries of scientific thought in one richly illustrated volume. Natural phenomena, revolutionary inventions, and the most up-to-date investigations are explained in detailed text, and 2,000 vivid illustrationsincluding 3-D graphics and pictogramsmake the information even more accessible and amazing to discover.
The Science Book offers both a general overview of topics for the browsing reader and more specific information for those seeking deeper insight into a particular subject. Six major sections, ranging from the universe and planet Earth to biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, encompass everything from microscopic life...
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Scientific Explorer's The Magic Science Wizard's Kit
by Scientific Explorer
Cast real smoke from your fingertips, make a wizard wand, and whip up color-changing potions in your test tube laboratory. Also included are laminated cards with wizard facts, an instruction booklet with 11 activities, lab equipment, and mysterious wizard powders that will mix together to mystify you!
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Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100
by Elenco Electronics Inc
Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products Winner We venture even Edison would be intrigued. Prepare to engineer 101 exciting, useful electronic gadgets & play lively electronic games with Snap Circuits Jr! This kit features a great collection of materials! The colorful and easy-to-follow format of the instruction manual makes circuit assembly stress-free and fun. All projects are simple to build and understand. Perfect for the novice engineer. All parts are mounted on plastic modules and snap together with ease. Leave the tools in the garage; everything you need for your electronics learning adventure is included. With Snap Circuits Jr. your understanding of electronics is a SNAP! 101 High Interest Projects Just a few: Flying Saucer, Music Alarm Combo, Pencil Alarm, Space...
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Science: The Definitive Visual Guide
by Adam Hart-Davis (Author)
This remarkable reference book tells the story of science from earliest times to the present day, taking in everything from ancient Greek geometry to quantum physics, and the wedge to the worldwide web. Exploring science in a thematic, highly approachable manner, each spread takes as its theme a specific event, discovery, invention, experiment, theory, or individual and explains why this subject was so significant in the development of scientific thought and what its impact on history has been. In addition to providing a broad-ranging and comprehensive history of science, the book also explains how science works, employing DK's trademark clarity and visual ingenuity to render tricky scientific subjects easily comprehensible.
Science is structured chronologically with five...
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Magic School Bus Journey into the Human Body Science Kit
by Young Scientist Club
The Magic School Bus and Ms. Frizzle take Young Scientists on a wild ride into the human body with these breathtaking experiments. Young Scientists bend bones, make joints, map taste buds, expand lungs, build a stethoscope, measure lung capacities and heart rates, perform the iodine starch test, spin glitter, simulate synovial fluid, create a human body poster, and much, much more! This exciting kit includes a life-size poster with eight sheets of body part stickers. So put on your seat belts, students, and get ready to discover The Human Body!
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The Complete Book of Science, Grades 5-6
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The Complete Book of Science for grades 5 to 6 teaches children important science skills! Children complete a variety of exercises that help them develop a number of skills in this 352 page workbook. Including a complete answer key this workbook features a user-friendly format perfect for browsing, research, and review. Over 4 million in print! The best-selling Complete Book series offers a full complement of instruction, activities, and information about a single topic or subject area. Containing over 30 titles and encompassing preschool to grade 8 this series helps children succeed in every subject area! ...
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