New Engineered Particles can assemble the same way atoms form molecules.

Scientists have engineered a new kind of particle that spontaneously self assembles in the same way atoms form molecules.

The team created chemically distinct "patches" on the particles' surfaces that could form directional bonds, sticking to other particles in specific patterns to spontaneously form "colloidal molecules" of the researchers' design.

www.livescience.com...

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!
SO AWESOME.

Originally posted by ubeenhad
Scientists have engineered a new kind of particle that spontaneously self assembles in the same way atoms form molecules.

The team created chemically distinct "patches" on the particles' surfaces that could form directional bonds, sticking to other particles in specific patterns to spontaneously form "colloidal molecules" of the researchers' design.

www.livescience.com...

THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!
SO AWESOME.

Very cool, and very applicable in future technology.

One key difference is in nature the bonds were set, and the universe learned how to use the effects to make other things. The flow was from bottom to top.

The researchers are going top to bottom here. The bonding matrix is designed to attract certain things rather than it being certain things are attracted to each other.

Hard to put it the way I mean. But it is a reversal from the way nature engineered the effect.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


I think the word you were looking for is 'chemistry'


But not exactally a polar opposite but I see what you mean.

This is amazing. Good find.

I wonder how this will impact particle/wave duality and if they can somehow utilize this process in relation to photons.

Kind of scary that they went to DNA manipulation first though.

reply to post by Noncents


Wave particle duality is an inherent property of all matter. Not just photons.

reply to post by ubeenhad


I know. That was two separate thoughts. Sorry if I made it sound like they were connected.

reply to post by Noncents

reply to post by ubeenhad


Hmmm.... that pic looks edited somehow.

reply to post by john_bmth


In nazi germany you could be gased for such bold accusations.

This is superb news. This means that material science is about to take some fantastic steps into a very interesting future! With the ability to engineer materials to this degree, you can expect to see much stronger, thinner materials, transparant matter with the same strength as steel, self assembling machinery, parts that self repair.

The possibilities presented by this level of control over the phsycial properties of materials at the particle level, are near endless, and all amazing. I cannot wait to see what advances can be made using methods such as these!

reply to post by ubeenhad


Hey, I'm no scientist, just a regular guy that started learning some physics stuff. I did get a chuckle out of your picture though.

To expand a little on what I was thinking earlier, what happens to the natural order of the cosmos (if there is one) when these modified particles revert back to potentiality and waveform? Is it possible that we might be able to affect that somehow now that we can essentially build custom atoms? And on the photon side... I'm still kind of fuzzy on exactly how they work but couldn't this process be used on them to attach new properties, like possibly mass?

I'm just thinking out loud here and if I'm far off base, give me a heads up. I'm always looking for more info on the subject. I know photons don't have mass so it's probably impossible to attach anything to them in this way but, what if?

reply to post by Noncents


As far as I understand it, only massless particles can travel at the speed of light, so one of a photons key capabilities would cease to be, if it were given mass.

This can aid in the development of a universal constructor, a machine which can build anything provided with proper input (chemicals) and energy (to aid transformation)

I suspect the use of this technology will first aid in medical sciences where doctors want to mass produce exotic expensive drugs.