Scientists build ‘smart’ material made of DNA
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UC Santa Barbara scientists Omar Saleh and Deborah Fygenson have created a dynamic gel made of DNA that mechanically responds to stimuli in much the same way that cells do.
The project has potential applications in smart materials, artificial muscle, understanding cytoskeletal mechanics, research into nonequilibrium physics, and DNA nanotechnology.
“The gel has active mechanical capabilities in that it generates forces independently, leading to changes in elasticity or shape, when fed ATP molecules for energy — much like a living cell,” said Saleh, associate professor of materials, affiliated with UCSB’s Biomolecular Science and Engineering program.
Now THIS is something to base some fiction on. It would work in so many genres, but look at the feature piece Colin wrote on Cyber-Horror Crossovers...this is perfect!
