The World's Smallest Car

starexplorer writes "Start your Nano-engines? LiveScience.com is reporting that researchers at Rice University have designed the world's smallest car that is no more than 4 nanometers across. It has a chassis, axles and a pivoting suspension. The wheels are buckyballs. Why do it? The team wants to build a fleet of nanotrucks to carry atoms and molecules around minature factories." So it's not exactly self-powered, but it rolls. It's a start!

Comments

Good idea, too small for me

[the-amazing-blob]

Sorry I'm late coming home, honey. I lost the car again.

Re:Good idea, too small for me

[operagost]

I'm pretty sure I can fit 19" rims onto it. And a fart pipe.

Only 4 nanometers across...

[d3ac0n]

And yet it still holds 10 clowns! Go figure.

Finally

[Anonymous Coward]

is this a perfect solution for men that have really large reproductive organs?

A great day...

[Aenema]

for the small people that helped make such a thing possible

Re:Rice U?

[bersl2]

Speaking of rice, where can you get Type-R stickers and spinning rims that small?

yeah, but the hard part is...

[bobalu]

...making a really small Midas muffler shop.

One question

[Auckerman]

How many microns/nanogram does it get?

I give it six months

[BandwidthHog]

Till they add an SUV to the lineup.

Uh huh

[connah0047]

I can see the science team going to the board of directors:

BoD: What's the problem?
Scientists: Well, we need to be able to move atoms and molecules around in precise ways.
BoD: How can we help?
Scientists: We need some funding to build little, tiny trucks to carry them around in.
[long pause]
BoD: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! No really guys, what did you need?

Re:I feel humbled

[forkazoo]

Hell, no. I feel like a giant super man that can pick up a million cars with his bare hands, and knock over thousands of cars with a breath. How the hell is that humbling?

Pic

[Anonymous Coward]

Here's a pic:

          .

I hope they don't make the same mistake Ford made, and only offer it in black.

-AC

Re:I feel humbled

[Dr Caleb]

Try changing the tire, super man. ;)

short-sightedness

[UESMark]

It is so typical that when developing the industrial nano-cities of the future they chose to develop nano-cars instead of a sensible atomic mass transit system. If this policy continues the consumption of nano-gas will raise nano-oil prices so high that soon we will have to invade nano-arabia. I for one will continue to endorse nano-carpooling and the use of nano-bikes whenever possible,

Re:Compact car

[ozmanjusri]

So how does this redefine the phrase COMPACT CAR?

You mean it's not an instruction. Whoops.