They won’t fetch the newspaper, but carbon-nanotube sensors might someday sniff out explosives with the same skill as our canine companions. Researchers have demonstrated that individual nanotubes, decorated with DNA, can rapidly detect several gases.
Carbon nanotubes make good sensors because their single layer of carbon atoms is available to interact with other molecules.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.