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The idea of nano machines that can repair cells, deliver drugs and diagnose medical problems has been a mainstay of SF for decades, the shiny, happy twin of the idea that one day grey goo will surely destroy us all. It's also a concept that's taken one tiny step closer thanks to a team of scientists in Oxford, reports New Scientist .
The scientists have apparently perfected a prototype "walker", a nanonmachine made of two connected feet, in turn built of a short DNA sequence. The walker's DNA "plugs" into a complementary sequence on the DNA of the patient and the impetus for forward motion is provided, cleverly, by the feet "competing" for a foothold. Only one can be connected at a time so as one foot falls, the other is forced to lift, propelling the walker forward. Power is provided by nearby molecules, which release energy when a specific catalyst is present. That catalyst is the walker's feet themselves, triggering a chemical reaction and pushing the walker forward every time a foot lifts.
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