A Traffic Control System For Molecules

Roland Piquepaille writes "Our cells contain small protein factories which have to deliver materials inside the cell via a network of microtubules. And the transportation is carried out by biomolecular motors. Now, researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have built a traffic control system able to force individual molecules to choose between 'roads' by applying strong electrical fields locally at Y-junctions. This traffic control system can potentially lead to new nano-fabrication techniques. Read more for additional references and pictures showing how this traffic system works."

Right! This won't go wrong

[Quirk]

As anyone who has to make a long commute to and from work knows, we've got traffic control down and running smoothly. Nothing could go wrong here.

Troll!

[SEWilco]

Halt, troll molecule!
Get under that bridge!

The Next Step

[Umbral Blot]

All that's missing are tiny traffic cops who hand out tiner speed tickets.

OK....

[suv4x4]

Ok, so traffic control system for molecules, damn it this means nothing to me... What do I post, what do I post.. Heh a joke always works when you got not clue! I'll ask what the equivalent of traffic cops or talk how "that's the place you don't want a traffic jam to happen". Nah cheesy as hell.

No, wait... I'll voice a concern that's totally unfounded and blow it out of proportions. Nano technology omg, will take over people and turn 'em into zombies! No wait, I'll look more intelligent if it's a question: what if is malfunctions and turn us into zombies? Nah... I've no idea how it works I might come off as a moron.

So what do I say... what do I say. Ah to hell with it!

Microsoft sucks! Hi mom!

Damn it, I think today's not my day... I'll go watch my downloaded episodes of Star Trek and see later.

Re:The Next Step

[Anonymous Coward]

Ah, you mean nanotickets.

Maxwell's Demon now a possibility?

[retrosteve]

I always wondered when nanotech would get good enough to find out why (or if) Maxwell's Demon [wikipedia.org] was really impossible.

Now soon we'll know.

Re:yay for potential science fiction nightmares

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

no doubt once perfected this technology can be used to make the undesirables (of the week) of society productive citizens by manipulating their cellular function to emit consumer goods,

In case you hadn't noticed, the shops are already full of crap.