Pages

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Science Saturday IV: Nanotech Breakthrough

The march of nanotechnology from the fertile minds of scientists to the laboratory to practical applications is astonishing. A team of scientists in the U.S. and Hong Kong have now restored sight to blind hamsters by injecting a solution containing synthetic peptides - miniscule molecules measuring just five nanometres long.

Get this: Once inside the hamster's brain, the peptides spontaneously arranged themselves into a scaffold-like criss-cross of nanofibres, which bridged the gap between the severed nerves and enabled them to re-grow, restoring vision. The BBC has the amazing story here.


No comments:

Post a Comment