Molecular machines
On the record
- What happened
Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for designing and making molecular machines. The committee said the molecular motor was at the stage the electric motor reached in the 1830s.
- Why it matters
They will most likely be used to develop new materials, sensors and energy storage.
Nobel Prize press release, 5 Oct 2016- How far from your life
Lab discovery
Molecular machines and motors is on step 1 of 5. Usually 10 years or more from products, and most never get there.
- Source
“In terms of development, the molecular motor is at the same stage as the electric motor was in the 1830s,”Nobel Prize press release, 5 Oct 2016
The bigger picture
More on Molecular machines
On step 1 of 5: Lab discovery. Everything we track on it