The promise and peril of nanotechnology
Scientists at Northwestern University have found a way to detect metastatic breast cancer by arranging strands of DNA into spherical shapes and using them to cover a tiny particle of gold, creating a "nano-flare" that lights up only when it finds breast cancer cells. At MIT, researchers are trying to boost the photosynthetic capacity of plants by embedding tiny tubes of carbon called nanotubes into chloroplasts. They hope to eventually develop plants with the ability to monitor environmental pollution, pesticides, fungal infections, or exposure to bacterial toxins. These are just two instances of ongoing research in nanotechnology, one of the fastest growing areas of science, engineering and industry that is used in more and more consumer products each day.