In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, the Numerical Aerospace Simulation Systems Division (NAS) of the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California is conducting research into molecular-sized devices known as Nanotechnology. This photograph, taken on Apr. 1, 1997, depicts two \"Fullerene Nano-gears\" with multiple teeth. <\/p>\n
The hope is that one day, products can be constructed made of thousands of tiny machines that could self-repair and adapt to the environment in which they exist. <\/p>\n
Researchers have simulated attaching benzyne molecules to the outside of a nanotube to form gear teeth. Nanotubes are molecular-sized pipes made of carbon atoms. To \"drive\" the gears, the supercomputer simulated a laser that served as a motor. The laser creates an electric field around the nanotube. A positively charged atom is placed on one side of the nanotube, and a negatively charged atom on the other side. The electric field drags the nanotube around like a shaft turning. <\/p>\n
Jie Han, Al Globus, Richard Jaffe and Glenn Deardorff are the authors of a technical paper detailing this technology which appears in The Journal of Nanotechnology. <\/p>\n
Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive). <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The rest is here:<\/p>\n
Space History Photo: Fullerene Nanogears<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, the Numerical Aerospace Simulation Systems Division (NAS) of the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California is conducting research into molecular-sized devices known as Nanotechnology. Continue reading