Travels

to the

Nanoworld

Travels to the Nanoworld. Miniature Machinery in Nature and Technology
Hardback: Perseus Books, Cambridge, MA, May 1999,
ISBN 0-306-46008-4, $ 25.95 , 254 + xiii pp.
Paperback: Perseus Books January 2001, ISBN 0-738-20444-7, $ 16.00, 254 + xiii pp.

Table of Contents:

Preface: Of Nature and Technology





I.Introduction:




1. Welcome to the nanoworld!

   • Molecules: The building blocks of life

   • Interactions: The weakest are the best

   • Self-organization: Together we will make it

   • Catalysis: Chemical reactions fast and accurate

   • Compartimentation: Keeping your cells tidy

   • Evolution: Molecules to organisms

   • Technology: Back to molecules





II. The role model: The living cell as a nanotechnological factory




2. Proteins: The cell's nanomachines

   • Molecular motors: muscle research moves on

   • Ways & Means: Structure determination by X-ray crystallography

   • The enzyme that feeds the world

   • Protein movies: Snapshots of an enzyme reaction

   • Profile: Irving Geis -- the art of protein architecture

   • G-proteins: the cell's switchboard

   • Crystals made to measure: Proteins directing crystal growth




3. From genes to proteins

   • Five minutes for a vital mission: The short life of an insulin molecule

   • Profile: Dorothy Crowfoot-Hodgkin

   • The language of the genes: Linguistic methods help to make sense of DNA

   • Ways & Means: DNA sequencing

   • Death of a dogma: The genetic code is not universal

   • Round and round the ribosome

   • Skiing the energy landscape: The new view of protein folding

   • Ways & Means: Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

   • Safeguarding adolescent proteins: Molecular chaperones prevent dangerous liaisons

   • Recycling scheme in the cell: Understanding how the proteasome works




4. Amazing cells

   • Three kinds of cells

   • A different kind of bug: Methanococcus jannaschii

   • Knowing where you're going: Magnetotactic bacteria can tell north from south

   • Cells with a vision: The rods and cones of the retina

   • Cell wars (1): How taxol keeps cancer cells from multiplying

   • Cell wars (2): How bacteria get the better of antibiotics





III. Towards the nanoworld: Biotechnology, supramolecular chemistry, and colloid chemistry pave the way for nanotechnology




5. From molecules to supramolecules

   • The world's smallest tree: Dendrimers are not just pretty molecules/LI>

   • Writing the amino acid code: The surprising success of protein design

   • A tunnel through the cell membrane: Self-assembling nanotubes

   • Tying the knot: Topological chemistry

   • A few useful things to do with DNA

   • Be fruitful and multiply: Self-replicating peptides

   • Towards artificial enzymes: Synthetic supramolecules compete with catalytic antibodies




6. From Quantum Dots to Micromachines

   • Divide and discolour: Q-particles are different

   • Gold clusters shine brightly

   • Carbon nanotubes as electronic devices

   • Ways & Means: How to make molecular footballs

   • Carbon nanotubes as AFM tips

   • Ways & Means: Scanning probe microscopies (AFM / STM)

   • Wafer-thin patchwork: The rubber-stamp trick combines nano- and biotechnology

   • "Organic metals" as novel protective coatings

   • Small Wonders: The Era of the Micromachines Has Begun

   • Ways and Means: Photolithography




7. Biotechnology

   • How to tell right from wrong in genetic engineering

   • The quest for the blue rose: Trying to make a fashion of "blue genes"

   • The green spark: A fluorescent protein helps tracing gene expression

   • Squeezed eggs for breakfast: Why Pressure Cooks Better Than Heat

   • Sleeping Beauty in the glass state: How to preserve biochemicals





IV. A big future for tiny machines?




8. Which ingredients are needed for a technological revolution?

   • How to start a technological revolution

   • Materials

   • Production methods

   • Miniaturization

   • A definition of the buzz-word "nanotechnology"




9. Visions of the future

   • The prophets of nanotechnology

   • Propfile: Richard P. Feynman: "There's plenty of room at the bottom"

   • Drexler's brave new world -- a guided tour

   • Profile: K. Eric Drexler

   • Maxwell's demon -- a predecessor of nanotechnology?

   • The future of computation




10. Nanotechnology today -- nanotechnology tomorrow

    • The "top-down" approach: From micro to nano

    • The "bottom-up" approach: Self organization comes together

    • From old materials to advanced materials

    • A farewell to factories?

    • Nanotechnology -- the next industrial revolution?





V. Appendix




11. Glossary

12. Further Reading and Internet Links

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last update:

08.11.2002