Nanoscience Discoveries

NSF's public investment in science, engineering, education and technology helps to create knowledge and sustain prosperity. Read here about the Internet, microbursts, Web browsers, extrasolar planets, and more... a panoply of discoveries and innovations that began with NSF support.

Showing: 1-18 of 18

		Nanoparticles Taught to Swim NSF-supported research team at Penn State creates nanoscale motors powered by catalytic reactions that convert chemical energy into motion Released  November 20, 2008
		How to Make Adhesive as Good as a Gecko Materials scientist Ali Dhinojwala and his team use nanotechnology to develop adhesive tapes that stick better than a gecko’s foot Released  October 16, 2008
		Natural Bio-Army Trained to Fight Cancer Bioengineer Tarek Fahmy and colleagues are engineering new nanoscopic and microscopic biomaterials to stimulate the body’s production of killer T-cells to fight infectious diseases Released  August 8, 2008
		Supercapacitors Could Be Key to a Green Energy Future John Chmiola, a doctoral student at Drexel University, is doing groundbreaking work on supercapacitors Released  July 30, 2008
		Brightest X-ray Vision at the Nano-scale Superconducting 'universal toolkit' for scientists, engineers will conserve energy, too Released  June 6, 2008
		Scientist Explores Invisible Environmental Helpers Researcher uses his expertise in catalysis to impact major environmental issues Released  April 25, 2008
		2007: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported advances and activities reported last year Released  January 30, 2008
		2006: Year in Review A look back at some of the NSF-supported activities highlighted last year Released  January 9, 2007
		Nanotubes Not for Toothpaste . . . Yet Researchers Squeeze Even Rock-Hard Materials Through Minuscule Carbon Tubes Released  July 25, 2006
		Purple Haze Ancient pigment reveals secrets about unusual state of matter Released  July 11, 2006
		Micro Pills Could Deliver Drugs on Demand Temperature-sensitive capsules release chemicals at tightly controlled rates Released  March 27, 2006
		The World’s Smallest Fountain Pen? New microscope tips use capillary action to print patterns tens of nanometers across Released  October 5, 2005
		The Tiniest Test Kits: A Medical Future for Carbon Nanotubes? Imagine if diabetics could read blood-glucose levels by reading a watch. Or if researchers could monitor hormone levels, in real-time, in their subjects. What sounds like science fiction today could be reality soon, thanks to carbon nanotubes. Released  May 20, 2005
		Vaults: From Biological Mystery to Nanotech Workhorse? Natural nano-capsules show promise for drug delivery, electrical switches and circuits Released  May 11, 2005
		Nano-engineered Powders Tackle Toxic Chemicals Thirsty grains act fast to clean up messes Released  April 28, 2005
		Molecular Self-Assembly Technique May Mimic How Cells Assemble Themselves Researchers have created tree-like molecules that assemble themselves into precisely structured building blocks of a quarter-million atoms. Such structures may help build nanostructures for molecular electronics or photonics materials. Released  July 30, 2004
		Researchers Solve 100-Year-Old Puzzle of How Layer of Particles Coats the Surface of a Sphere Researchers have discovered how nature arranges charged particles in a thin layer around a sphere. Understanding this theoretical problem may help reveal chinks in the armor of viruses and bacteria and guide engineers designing new molecules. Released  July 30, 2004
		Shining Light on the Nanoscale In 2003 researchers created the highest-resolution optical image up to that point, revealing structures as small as nanotubes just a few billionths of an inch across. The new method should shed light on objects as small as proteins in a cell membrane. Released  May 17, 2004