<p>Pál Ormos and Péter Galajda, biophysicists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, have devised an elegant way to construct microscopic machines that are both created and operated by light. </p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="mobile-desktop" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-0"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div><p>The researchers illuminate a sample of resin with a laser that hardens the material wherever it hits, forming it into a set of gears each less than 1/5,000 inch wide. When illuminated with another, lower-energy laser, the rotors spin up to 600 rpm as photons scatter off their flanges. Related devices could punch holes in cells for gene therapy or pump materials across miniature chemical arrays. Such arrays are aiding the study of DNA and the design of new drugs. </p><figure class="fr-image-container fr-full"><img srcset="https://cdn.discovermagazine.com/assets/image/19048/may01rd_cog-s.webp 480w, https://cdn.discovermagazine.com/assets/image/19048/may01rd_cog-m.webp 660w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 480px, 660px" src="https://cdn.discovermagazine.com/assets/image/19048/may01rd_cog-s.jpg" title="may01rd_cog.jpg" loading="lazy" data-id="19048"><figcaption class="fr-figcaption"><p class="fr-caption"></p></figcaption></figure><p>Courtesy of the Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre</p><div data-embedid="cade7ffa-0563-48de-839f-f84e596c0b94" id="insticator-embed-temp"></div>

May 2001

Can We Get to Mars Without Going Crazy?

Discover how microscopic machines operated by light are reshaping biophysics with innovative resin technology. Click to learn more!

Technology

A Tiny Motor with a Light Touch

Article

News

Fenella Saunders

Science

Pál Ormos and Péter Galajda, biophysicists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, have devised an elegant way to construct microscopic machines that are both created and operated by light. The researchers illuminate a sample of resin with a laser that hardens the material wherever it hits, forming it into a set of gears each less than 1/5,000 inch wide. When illuminated with another, lower-energy laser, the rotors spin up to 600 rpm as photons scatter off their flanges. Related devices could punch holes in cells for gene therapy or pump materials across miniature chemical arrays. Such arrays are aiding the study of DNA and the design of new drugs. Courtesy of the Institute of Biophysics, Biological Research Centre

Discover Magazine’s award-winning journalism inspires and informs, delivering thought-provoking content that sparks meaningful conversations. With a focus on groundbreaking developments in science, technology, and the world around us, Discover highlights the impact of these innovations on our daily lives.

轻巧的微型马达

新闻简报

费内拉·桑德斯

发表于

我们如何在不发疯的情况下到达火星？

鲨鱼皮和蝉翼启发了新型抗菌砧板

先进量子材料扭曲时空结构

智能手机需要变得更智能吗？

这艘电动船在水面上行驶

声纳技术如何解开水下之谜

色彩难题：科学家寻找最黑的黑色

可穿戴设备能挽救你的感情吗？

这就是为什么TikTok上的反转滤镜会让你的脸看起来很奇怪

有了5G，一切都关乎速度

变形材料可以彻底改变我们的世界

5G来了。它是什么以及如何工作？

认识Angus：自主农业革命的机器人田间助手

认识YuMi：一个旨在进行巡视的机器人护士

这款皮肤贴片可以为虚拟现实设备增加触感

这款设备通过一个浮动珠子，制作出真正的3D全息图

保持好奇

加入我们的列表

订阅杂志