back to article Boffins demo one-molecule DNA 'walker' nano-bot

American boffins say that they have created tiny robot spiders or "walkers", each one of which is a single complicated molecule fashioned out of DNA. They have managed to get the molecular nanorobospiders to follow a trail of DNA "breadcrumbs". DNA walker nanobot in action. Credit: Paul Michelotti The sticking-up bits are …

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  1. ShaggyDoggy

    Oh ...

    "nanobots would be able to attach to cells, tell if they were malignant, and if so kill them"

    Milspec version --> "nanobots would be able to attach to cells and kill them"

    1. Fizzl
      Alert

      We’re not unreasonable, I mean, no one’s gonna eat your eyes

      Zombie version --> "nanobots would be able to attach to cells, kill them and then perform basic tasks"

  2. frank ly
    Thumb Up

    The Next Stage...

    This is a wonderful achievement but lots of tricky work is needed to construct them. One of the next stages of research should be to find a way of making self-replicating constructions, using this DNA stuff, so they can build copies of themselves as they walk along.

    1. Chris 2

      The Next Stage...

      ...and thus, the Goo was born.

      Great. Self-replicating cell-killer nanobots. I'd like a cup for breakfast please.

    2. Count Ludwig
      Alert

      The stage after that...

      ... the world gets covered in a grey goo of self-replicating nano-spiders.

  3. Flugal
    Welcome

    Welcome

    I for one welcome our tiny new masters. May they penetrate each and every one of us many thousands of times.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Joke

      Indeed, but ...

      If that happens the Welsh police will be after you!

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    4 legged spiders

    http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Metal_spider

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Boffins

    The use of "Boffins" should be left to the likes of The Sun. Such a tedious and patronising word.

    1. Secretgeek
      Happy

      @Boffins

      You're new round these parts aren't you?

      (Translation: Lighten up, it's Friday)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Boffin

      Boffin is a badge of honour!

      This is The Register; you have to work hard to earn the right to be called a "Boffin".

      1. Paul A. Walker
        Alert

        Boffin

        Indeed! I aspired to be a boffin but had to settle for geek.

        http://www.exitmundi.nl/graygoo.htm

    3. Ed Blackshaw Silver badge
      Joke

      Quite right

      We should refer to them as 'greybeards' or 'Tefal men'.

  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    24 years to get to here

    That's when KE Drexlers "Engines of Creation" was first published.

    People are *still* concerned about gray goo. Did you *really* think you were the first to coin that phrase?

    Self replication is a pretty tough problem. However in chemistry and biology its *fairly* easy to make *lots* of copies of a component molecule (6x 10^23 parts of *anything* but molecules or bacteria is a *lot* of something. In biology and chemistry its a common number of manufactured "parts"). Making them self assemble (or creating an environment which *encourages* them to self-assemble) is *much* easier.

    BTW DNA is being use for several reasons a)Techniques exist to mfg a chain at will, roughly at £0.4/base pair then replicate it in very large numbers (PCR).2)DNA is *more* than a kind of molecular mag tape. Chunks of it can control interpretation of following sections. The ability to control the actions of the tool molecules which bond to it (which it can be exposed to in different sequences, add another degree of freedom to the process) make it akin to a physical Turning machine. c)The range of tool molecules is *extensive*.

    As for developments taking "100 years" I think 100 months is more likely.

    Mine's the one with Martyn Amos's "Genesis Machines" in the pocket.

    1. Chemist

      Re : 24 years to get to here → #

      "its *fairly* easy to make *lots* of copies of a component molecule"

      I'm glad you qualified it with 'fairly'

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just love that picture with the caption.

    Here's my version...

    X i i i i i i i i i i i O

    The sticking-up bits are the breadcrumbs, the "O" thing is the target

  8. Dodgy Geezer Silver badge
    Coat

    spelling pedant

    ...make it akin to a physical Turning machine... (sic)

    This would be Turing on wheels, I presume?

    1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Happy

      @Dodgy Geezer

      Quite correct. That should have been a Turing machine.

      Thought you might have gone with the pedantic grammar nazi. My apologies.

  9. Mips
    Jobs Halo

    This is really scary

    Never mind "the robots are coming to get you" Dr Who style. Now they are coming to get you "INSIDE".

    AARRGHHH!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      @Mips

      "Never mind "the robots are coming to get you" Dr Who style. Now they are coming to get you "INSIDE"."

      That also has been done by Dr Who.

      The story which introduces Capt Jack Harness.

      Not so much a coat, more an anorak

  10. Winkypop Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Rise of the nano bots

    Incredible Journey 2.0

  11. Yesnomaybe
    Pirate

    Virus

    ...perhaps soon we can accidentally start making something really dodgy. Hang on, a tiny molecule, that can chop DNA... Hmmm...That's already a bit dodgy, isn't it?

    Make it self-replicating, and release, "Accidentally" or not, into the wild...

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