NASA researchers working on biological nanobattery

We've seen nanotechnology used to improve on traditional batteries before, but NASA now seems to be taking a slightly different tact, developing an actual "nanobattery" to provide power to other nanoscale devices. According to a recent patent application, its idea is to make use of the iron-containing protein ferritin (seen at right), which apparently has the innate ability to carry either a positive or negative charge. In practice, one layer of ferritin would simply be stacked with another layer carrying the opposite charge, effectively forming a battery just a few nanometers thick. The capacity could then be further increased by adding more layers of ferritin, with the battery still remaining "stable and robust." What's more, NASA says the whole the whole process can be done quickly and easily -- relatively speaking, of course.

[Via NewScientist]

[Big @ Jul 16th 2007 12:08PM]

Just don't let SONY make those nanobatteries. No need to have people exploding inside out.

[KerryB @ Jul 16th 2007 12:09PM]

I hate to lead with a pedantic whine, but this is a big peeve of mine : "...NASA now seems to be taking a slightly different tact..."

TACT is having a sense regarding the appropriateness of your behavior, having social skills, etc.

To TACK, in sailing, is to change direction, in particular when cutting across the direction of the prevailing wind. This is the usage we've come adopted to refer to a change in direction, methodology, etc.

If we don't pay attention to language, it dies horribly, by a million scratches.

[KerryB @ Jul 16th 2007 12:11PM]

i guess it'd be better if i could speak myself when berating others...

for what it's worth, it was right when my food arrived, so my thought was interrupted. also, I'm not getting paid for this.

still, stupid of me, not proofreading.

[eric cumbee @ Jul 16th 2007 12:45PM]

it's not like it's rocket science or anything.

[Slvrgun @ Jul 16th 2007 1:56PM]

NASA can you please make an orbital MAC gun?

[Ramadan @ Aug 29th 2007 7:54AM]

hi i want to teach at NASA but i havent money so can you help me to make my visa and other dokuments my address is skopje virgino 1 Ramadan Aliti 5.5.1993 so im so im 14 years old.Thank`s

[bryan @ Oct 1st 2007 8:44AM]

well i certainly can send you spam mail..at the least

[Ramadan @ Apr 8th 2008 8:47AM]

Hello im Ramadan ALiti from Macedonia and can you NASA tell me hot to contact with Kledin Dobi because im albanian and i want to talk with him!!!
Answer me!?