Materials Factory: RNA manufactures palladium particles

Editor’s note: On February 5, 2016, the journal Science retracted the research paper reported below. (See abstract of original paper.)

Cells employ RNA to make proteins, but now materials scientists have figured out how to use these genetic molecules for making metallic nanoparticles. The feat could open new avenues for producing inorganic materials, tailored on the nanoscale, for constructing such devices as fuel cells and quantum computers.