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DNA Makes Lifeless Materials Shapeshift (sciencemag.org)

Posted by yaelk on from the shapeshifters dept.

sciencehabit writes: Researchers have engineered tiny gold particles that can assemble into a variety of crystalline structures simply by adding a bit of DNA to the solution that surrounds them. Down the road, such reprogrammable particles could be used to make materials that reshape themselves in response to light, or to create novel catalysts that reshape themselves as reactions proceed.

2 of 26 comments (clear)

  1. hey, this may pan out to something interesting by swell · · Score: 3

    Goddammit this is important shit. Fundamental research can sometimes be even more important than an update to your linux software or the Kardashian news of the day. ...Or not...

    --
    ...omphaloskepsis often...
  2. DNA is not eternal by ITRambo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What happens to the shapes when the DNA disintegrates? I presume that real organic DNA is being used here and that its removal leads to a return to chaos for the gold particles.