Nanomachines which drill into cancer cells killing them in just 60 seconds, developed by scientists

The nanomachines are inactive til they get the light signal. Then they bore though the cancer cells. These machines are so small there could be 50,000 of them to cross a human hair.


Only 60 seconds to drill and kill cancer cells.

Nanomachines which can drill into cancer cells, killing them in just 60 seconds, have been developed by scientists.

The tiny spinning molecules are driven by light, and spin so quickly that they can burrow their way through cell linings when activated.

In one test conducted at Durham University the nanomachines took between one and three minutes to break through the outer membrane of prostate cancer cell, killing it instantly.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

Light activated nanomachines are the goal of Dr. Robert Pal and he feels they are moving toward this. He also hopes this will lead to nonevasive cancer treatments. The machines could also put medicine right into or onto the cancer cells.

Dr Robert Pal of Durham University said: "We are moving towards realising our ambition to be able to use light-activated nanomachines to target cancer cells such as those in breast tumours and skin melanomas, including those that are resistant to existing chemotherapy.

“Once developed, this approach could provide a potential step change in non-invasive cancer treatment and greatly improve survival rates and patient welfare globally."

The nanomachines sit and wait for the ultraviolet trigger to go to work, without the signal, they are "harmless".

Without an ultraviolet trigger, the motor molecules located target cells but then remained harmlessly on their surfaces.

When triggered, the molecules rapidly drilled through the cell membranes.

Dr James Tour, a member of the international team from Rice University in Houston, US, said: "These nanomachines are so small that we could park 50,000 of them across the diameter of a human hair, yet they have the targeting and actuating components combined in that diminutive package to make molecular machines a reality for treating disease.

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It's always good news to hear of possible cures. People will come in here and say over population this and rich people over pricing that but curing cancer doesn't equal eternal populated human life. We just worry to much and spread the nonsense that we hear from others.

Gee,

What could go wrong?

Wonder how many three letter agencies are funding this one.

a reply to: seasonal

My brother in law (wife's older brother)was just diagnosed with liver cancer last week...he gets his prognosis tomorrow morning.
It's not looking real good, from what the doctors have said so far.
My wife has been flipping out over this...I have been trying to calm her down the best I can.
Sadly millions will die from cancer before this type of technology will be perfected.

It won't be long now before everyone will willingly accept nanobots in their bodies in order to save themselves.
You swore you'd never take a chip before but that couldn't cure your diabetes, could it?
Get ready, I think they're about ready to inject us all with God knows what.
Maybe that should read only Satan knows.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
It won't be long now before everyone will willingly accept nanobots in their bodies in order to save themselves.
You swore you'd never take a chip before but that couldn't cure your diabetes, could it?
Get ready, I think they're about ready to inject us all with God knows what.
Maybe that should read only Satan knows.

If there were nanos that would cure my immune problems, and I knew it came with a chip, Id do it. Seems a fair trade.

a reply to: seasonal

so how is uv applied?

a reply to: seasonal

Fascinating technology.
It appears some will avoid out of doubt and fear and others will grasp it.

I would like to know how they stop those nanobots drilling once their job is done!?

I hope they have a pre-programmed lifespan as the outcome could be quite disastrous!

Warmest

Lags

I wonder if they can merge this tech with Li-fi in some way

but that is pretty amazing to see this happen after reading Engines of creation by K Eric Drexler
and for it to actually be reality

Nanobots are the ultimate Pandora's box.

We are not wise enough to mess with this technology.
Very bad idea.

seasonal

Linking a 3 minute video that shows the nanomachines at work drilling into a cell. If you would like to just view that part, it starts at the 1:30 second mark:


Pretty amazing honestly. But I don't think I would let them inject me with nanomachines...ever. lol. They also mentioned at the end of the video that they never expected the nanomachines to be found useful medically and that this would be a whole new way/field of treatment using therapeutic applications of molecular machines to interact with the body.

Also adding an online PDF link to the research:

Beyond the more common chemical delivery strategies, several physical techniques are used to open the lipid bilayers of cellular membranes1. These include using electric2 and magnetic3 fields, temperature4, ultrasound5 or light6 to introduce compounds into cells, to release molecular species from cells or to selectively induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) or uncontrolled cell death (necrosis). More recently, molecular motors and switches that can change their conformation in a controlled manner in response to external stimuli have been used to produce mechanical actions on tissue for biomedical applications7, 8, 9. Here we show that molecular machines can drill through cellular bilayers using their molecular-scale actuation, specifically nanomechanical action ...

Thanks for the thread!
blend57

a reply to: Phoenix

This tech could be used for a number of different things. Like "adjusting" certain parts of the brain, or hormone levels. Very early development, wonder how the machines will recognize the cancer cells?

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a reply to: RazorV66

With the cost of new treatments millions could continue to die because of the financial impossibility new treatments.

I would also like to add that I would be really really terrified to try this. But it does make sense that this mechanical immune system would be more accurate than the natural one. Cancer has a way of hiding in plain sight and fooling out immune system, wonder if it could do the same with the mechanical nano-machines?


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"What could possibly go wrong"?

Vampires! Reminds me of the movie Underworld. Ultraviolet bullets.

"I don't know what happened. He just stepped out in the sunlight and melted"!

Nothing could possibly go wrong. Totally safe!

a reply to: blend57

the weird part is that , these nano machines could already be inside every human on the planet and there is no way we can tell !

the what ifs would be enough to drive you mad if you were paranoid enough

I hope that our species is smart enough and can remain in the bounds of ethics when using these creations

originally posted by: muzzleflash
Nanobots are the ultimate Pandora's box.

We are not wise enough to mess with this technology.
Very bad idea.

easy to say when healthy, but i can imagine worth the risk when diagnosed with cancer.

glad to see the possibility of giving a chance to those that have exhausted all their pervious chances.

this is a good thing and what was hoped that would come from such nano tech research .

having said that i wonder how long they stay in the body and what damage do they donto good cells?

could a pissed of spouse come home with a new set of UV lamp and liquidfy the spouse for not lifting the toilet cover?

a reply to: interupt42

thats why I was wondering if they would use li-fi instead because it would allow for the transmission of encrypted information to the nanites meaning that not just any old light will do , it has to have the specific code in it , another level of security.

can they do the same with UV light ?

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
It won't be long now before everyone will willingly accept nanobots in their bodies in order to save themselves.
You swore you'd never take a chip before but that couldn't cure your diabetes, could it?
Get ready, I think they're about ready to inject us all with God knows what.
Maybe that should read only Satan knows.

Sigh> The mark of the beast eh? Sorry unless you swear a oath to Satan with your own mouth saying that specifically you arent going to hell. Unknowingly or being forced to get one or tricked isnt enough.

a reply to: interupt42

They can destroy every cell in the body. Guiding them will be a challenge. And of course, anything goes wrong and they go haywire and that's it.

My biggest concern with nanobots is the gray goo scenario.
Nanobots are like viruses but infinitely worse if they get outta control.
All you need is one big accident.

So is saving one person's life worth risking everyone else's lives and the entire planet?

I'm not saying this particular application can lead to a gray goo incident but just delving into the technology itself will lead to applications where that could become possible, maybe.

I don't see anything good coming from something this powerful and easy to make mistakes with.