2. Space Elevator, Going Up
Carbon nanotubes are renowned for their superior strength, and in March researchers from the University of Texas manipulated that property to
create a material that is simultaneously strong, stretchy, and nearly as light as air. The researchers made an aerogel (a low-density solid) out of nanotubes, and found that in was as strong as steel. Meanwhile, applying voltage to the material made it stretchier than rubber.
What possible uses could the world find for such a material? One idea is to fashion nanotube ropes to act as cables for a
space elevator, which could lift astronauts, cargo, or even tourists into orbit. The
62,000-mile-long cables would have to be strong and flexible so they wouldn't break when buffeted by atmospheric storms and space debris, but light enough so they wouldn't collapse under their own weight.
1. Tumor Blitz
The tiny tubes could even end up as must-haves in cancer hospitals one day. In a recent
study, researchers injected carbon nanotubes into kidney tumors in mice, and then directed a near-infrared laser at the tumors. The tubes responded to the laser blast by vibrating, which created enough heat to kill surrounding tumor cells.
In the group that received the highest dose of nanotubes followed by a 30-second laser treatment, the tumors shrank and completely
disappeared in 80 percent of the mice. The procedure didn't appear to damage the animals’ internal organs, and left only a slight burn on the skin. But researchers haven't yet proven that nanotubes are safe and non-toxic, and say that much more research must be done before such procedures are ready to be tested in humans.
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