Nanotech Surprise: Shooting Lasers at Buckyballs Makes Them Bigger

SchrodingerZ writes "Since 1985, scientists have been trying to determine how Buckyballs (scientifically named Buckminsterfullerene) are created. They are molecules with the formula C60 (a fullerene) that forms a hexagonal sphere of interlocking carbon atoms. 'But how these often highly symmetric, beautiful molecules with extremely fascinating properties form in the first place has been a mystery.' For over three decades the creation of these molecules have baffled the scientific community. Recently researchers at Florida State University, in cooperation with MagLab, have looked deeper into the creation process and determined their origin. It was already known the the process for buckyball creation was under highly energetic conditions over an instant, 'We started with a paste of pre-existing fullerene molecules mixed with carbon and helium, shot it with a laser, and instead of destroying the fullerenes we were surprised to find they'd actually grown.' The fullerenes were able to absorb and incorporate carbon from the surrounding gas. This study will help to illuminate the path towards carbon nanotechnology and extraterrestrial environmental studies, due to buckyball's abundance in extrasolar clouds."

Comments

For one moment there

[Lord Lode]

While reading the first sentence, for one moment I thought it was going to end like this:

Since 1985, scientists have been trying to determine how Buckyballs (scientifically named Buckminsterfullerene ) are useful.

Re:For one moment there

[Anonymous Coward]

They probably don't have an use in this precise moment.

You can shoot lasers at them and they grow! How can that not be a use?

Re:For one moment there

[Anonymous Coward]

You forgot about the primary function of lasers in the modern era, cat entertainment.

Re:For one moment there

[backslashdot]

You can use them for a nano-bot soccer team.

Re:For one moment there

[Anonymous Coward]

They probably don't have an use in this precise moment.

You can shoot lasers at them and they grow! How can that not be a use?

Calm down. It won't work on your little penis.

Re:For one moment there

[DinDaddy]

No, but now we know what will happen when Buckzilla attacks and we attempt to use directed energy weapons against him.

Global warming no longer a problem

[turkeyfeathers]

I knew mankind would find a solution for the so-called "global warming" problem. Since buckyballs absorb carbon when lasers are shot at them, all we need to do is sprinkle buckyballs into the ocean. Then it's just a matter of finding some fish or other marine animal to equip with laser beams to activate them, at which point all the excess carbon dioxide will be incorporated into the buckyballs. Voila! I'll be patenting this idea when my lawyer gets into his office on Monday morning.

Re:Temporal Distortion

[flyingfsck]

Well, it is over three decades for small units of ten.

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Re:Laser Utility

[Samantha Wright]

You're still missing one: lasers can be used to calibrate sarcasm detectors to sub-micron accuracy.

Shooting it makes it bigger?

[Trogre]

Just let me be the first to say:
Evil begets evil, Mr President.