The Nobel Prize in chemistry doesn't get nearly as much attention as the ones that go
out for peace or literature -- especially this year, when the latter was controversially awarded to songwriter Bob Dylan. Amidst all the Dylan hubub, what nobody noticed is that this year's Nobel-winning chemists pretty much just unlocked the key to immortality.
More specifically, this trio of scientists has developed "the world's smallest machines" -- molecules that can produce mechanical motions to perform specific tasks, like wipe out disease or damage from the body. It's a big deal, and great news for anyone angling to live forever.
These motorized machines arfe 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair
The scientists have spent three decades developing these nano-machines, amassing quite the diverse collection of super-advanced functional mini-bots along the way. They've engineered nano-sized versions of elevators, motors, and yes, even a four-wheel-drive car -- all constructed from individual molecules that are 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The chemical reaction that gets them to move is assuredly complex, but essentially all you need to do is add a little heat to excite the electrons inside each molecule. Easy peasy. https://www.thrillist.com/tech/nation/nobel-prize-winners-nanotechnology-molecular-machines/tech
