Reviews & Analysis

Large cargos stop protein filaments from rotating as they glide along a surface coated with motor proteins, but small cargos do not.

Thin films of redox-active molecules can be used to construct logic gates, which can then be linked together to create basic circuits.

A dislocation running through the trunk of a nanowire offers a new twist to the growth of chiral branched nanostructures, producing beautiful tree-like structures in the process.

Conventional atomic force microscopy probes only the surface of specimens. A related technique called scanning near-field ultrasonic holography can now image nanoparticles buried below the surfaces of cells, which could prove useful in nanotoxicology.

A superconducting detector can count photons and measure their energy with an accuracy that could be good enough for space-based far-infrared telescopes.

The unique electronic band structure of graphene has led to a number of exotic effects that have fascinated fundamental researchers and may also lead to improvements in the performance of electronic devices.

Cotton is an important raw material for producing soft textiles and clothing. Recent discoveries in functionalizing cotton fibres with nanotubes may offer a new line of tough, wearable, smart and interactive garments.

Understanding how nature's nanomotors achieve the assembly of complex molecules and the intracellular transport of cargo will enable their future application in non-natural settings and provide inspiration for the development of purely synthetic systems.

Direct injection of long multiwalled carbon nanotubes into the abdominal cavity of mice produces asbestos-like pathogenic behaviour. What does this finding mean for nanotube safety?

A stencilling technique for depositing arrays of nanoscale ferroelectric capacitors on a surface could be useful in data storage devices.

It will take a concerted effort for nanomachines to express themselves on a macroscopic scale. Could self-organizing helical polymers help?

The performance of metal electrodes used for studying brain function and relieving the symptoms of medical conditions can be significantly improved by coating them with carbon nanotubes.

Electron interferometry can be used to measure strain with nanoscale resolution in electronic devices by exploiting a simple idea found in physics textbooks.

Hybrid devices that rely on the movement of both electrons and ions might one day challenge conventional silicon electronics by exploiting both classical and quantum electron transport.

Rising production and use of engineered nanomaterials increases the likelihood of environmental exposure. A preliminary modelling study shows that quantitative risk assessment is possible but a large knowledge gap still exists.

The patterning of self-assembled monolayers can be controlled on subnanometre length scales by careful design of the molecular components.

Membranes made of manganese oxide nanowires can be used to selectively absorb oil from water through a combination of superhydrophobicity and capillary action.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes tend to be produced in polydisperse mixtures with different lengths, diameters and electronic properties. This review article surveys the various techniques that have been developed for producing monodisperse samples from these mixtures. Selective growth techniques are also covered.