We’re one step closer to making molecular computers, which would use
molecules to represent the 0s and 1s of binary code instead of today’s much
larger silicon transistors. A team from Hewlett-Packard and the University of
California in Los Angeles has created a logic gate that uses a single layer of
organic molecules as a switch. Applying a voltage to the switch causes the
molecules to change shape, breaking a connection and preventing current from
flowing (Science, vol 285, p 391). But so far the team can only stop
the flow—they cannot restore it.
More from 91av
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending 91av articles
1
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
2
Understanding anorexia’s grip on the brain could unlock new therapies
3
What is a ‘normal’ memory slowdown, and when should I worry?
4
Millions of fossil whale bones found in deep-ocean ‘necropolis’
5
Explore the mind-bending and paradoxical art of M C. Escher
6
Why we should all take quantum physics extremely personally
7
Toy universe shows that time could be a quantum illusion
8
El Niño has started and the weather could get weird
9
Unpicking endometriosis reveals how it affects more than the pelvis
10
Mysterious ‘cold blob’ in the Atlantic suggests the AMOC is weakening



