Makes hair less than 60,000 times hair

Microbiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found a way to make the wire a thousand times thinner than hair strands.

They call it "nanobacteria," which are produced from bacteria in the soil that have undergone genetic alteration . Scientists have replaced two types of natural amino acids in the bacteria Geobacter with tryptophan (a substance that makes people feel sleepy) and found that it conducts electricity more than 2000 times. This also makes the wires smaller and more durable. Even so, scientists say they can make wires with a diameter of about 1.5 nanometers, which is about 60,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Lead wires are very durable and are made from cheap materials, such as acetic acid, the main ingredient in vinegar, and can be found, says Derek Lovley, lead researcher. by bacterial fermentation.

Biowaste may also have other uses in the field of nanoelectronics.

"We are very excited about the ability to successfully produce bio-electric conductors," he said. The scientist hopes the new technology will soon be used for electronic devices and solar collectors.

In addition, biological wires may have other applications in the field of nanoelectronics, such as micro-organisms made from bacteria that can "receive data such as electricity , calculate and then generate a certain amount of power. " New technologies may also be useful in the health sector because they are sensitive to changes in pH levels and will be used in the monitoring of the heart rate or renal function.

The experiment is funded by the US Naval Research Office, so it would not be surprising if new technology was applied to military targets. The nanowires could be loaded with bacteria capable of producing butanol , which has the same properties as many ethanol. This could help US troops produce gasoline in battlegrounds like Afghanistan, where the cost of transporting fuel is high. In addition, the nanowires can also warn of signs of pollution, toxins and explosives.

Bio-electric wires can also meet the growing demand for memory in mobile phones.