Scientists Build Nanocomputer

Posted on 2002-09-22 12:36:19 in Nanotechnology |

A group of scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have used biological molecules to build a "nanocomputer" in a test tube. The computer is so small that as many as one trillion (1,000,000,000,000) of the machines could fit into a drop of water. Together, the computers can perform a billion operations per second with greater than 99.8% accuracy. The computer is manufactured from DNA molecules and two enzymes that manipulate DNA in such a way that when they work together the molecules carry out a simple type of mathematical computing called finite automaton. The researchers believe that the discovery could, eventually lead to the development of nanocomputers capable of operating within the human body. Professor Zvi Livneh, one of the researchers behind the biological computer, speculates that the machines could be used to "sense an abnormal biochemical change in the body and decide how to correct it by synthesizing and releasing the necessary drug."

SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.weizmann.ac.il on the 22nd November 2001

Health Headlines MORE »

The Stress – Obesity Connection
Researchers from Norway suggest a mechanism by which stress may make a person fat, and being obese may create stress.
Lack of Sleep Triggers Hunger
Swedish researchers report that people who are short on sleep experience greater levels of hunger.
Knock Out Anxiety
Among women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), regular physical activity helps to reduce anxiety, irritability, feelings of tension, low energy and pain.
Magnesium Helps to Reduce Stroke Risk
For every 100 mg per-day increase in magnesium in the diet, stroke risk may decline by up to 9%.
Senior Runners Continue to Excel
The best male marathon runners over age 65, and the best female marathon runners over age 45, continue to consistently improve their performance.
Stem Cell Therapy Restores Vision
UCLA-led team safely uses human embryonic stem cells to treat macular degeneration.
Beware the Office Air
First-of-its-kind study reports that indoor air in offices is an important source of worker exposure to potentially toxic substances.
One in Five US Adults Afflicted with Mental Illness
Twenty percent of Americans ages 18+ experienced a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder in 2010.
Vitamin D Helps to Combat Vision Loss
In a lab animal model, vitamin D reduced the effects of aging in the eyes and improved the vision of older animals.
Cord Stem Cells Converted into Other Cell Types
For the first time ever, stem cells from umbilical cords have been converted into other types of cells, paving the way for new treatment options for spinal cord
Anti-Aging Forum Anti-Aging Forum Anti-Aging Forum Anti-Aging Forum
Anti-Aging textbook Anti-Aging Forum MLDP Anti-aging jobs Join A4M
ANTI-AGING TIP OF THE DAY
Exercise Your Anti-Cancer Option
Among women, regular exercise in their 40s slashes breast cancer risk. Among men, routine physical activity exerts a protective effect against prostate cancer.
    US National Cancer Institute(Maryland, USA) researchers have found that regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the ten-year period preceding menopause may help reduce the risk of breast cancer later in life. Studying 118,899 postmenopausal women...
» MORE