Tiny Tech #55 DNA Nanoturbines

Today from the world of Tiny Tech:

DNA is the blueprint of life – the genetic code that shapes every living organism. But beyond genetics, DNA can be used not just for making humans: it can also be used for making tiny machines, such as turbines.* Turbines are rotary machines that convert the energy of flowing air or water into mechanical work or electrical power.

Using a technique called DNA origami, scientists have recently built a prototype nano-turbine, in which three DNA strands were folded up to make the turbine blades. The whole machine is just 25 nanometers wide, or 10,000 times smaller than a grain of salt. When the nano-turbine is placed in a tiny tube containing flowing water, the turbine spins. The spin direction is set by whether the blades twist left or right, and the rotation speed is controlled by the speed of the flowing water molecules – just as in the big turbines used in hydroelectric power plants.

In the future, nano-turbines could be used to improve drug delivery inside cells, or to provide a source of power for other nanomachines. Yes, it’s true: in science – as in life – one good turn deserves another.

Tiny Tech is made possible by the National Science Foundation and WUFT. To learn more about Tiny Tech, go to tinytechradio.org.

* Usually pronounced TUR-bines (less commonly TUR-bins)

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