Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have successfully created the world’s smallest smiley face, measuring at the nanoscale—just a few thousandths of the diameter of the finest human hair (see image).
Dr. Paul Rothemund explained that the nanoscale smiley face is constructed from the assembly of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules, which are ideal materials for building nano-scale models. Besides the smiley face, the origami technique has also produced many other nano molecules in various shapes, including octagons and networks.
The successful construction of these biologically active molecular models opens up possibilities for developing nanoscale machines that can autonomously seek out and destroy disease-causing cells in the body.
TUONG ANH
