In the world of 3D printing, resolution is a big deal. The ability to create a three dimensional object with the same fine detail found in nature is the holy grail of additive manufacturing. Some printers have achieved very impressive degrees of resolution, but a group of researchers at the Swedish Karolinska Institute have found a way to craft prodigiously fine objects by harnessing nature’s own programming code.
The researchers accomplished this by programming strands of DNA to shape themselves into various figures. By mixing together the appropriate DNA strands and employing a sophisticated computer program, they have managed to manufacture microscopic coils, spheres, rods, and even figures that resemble rabbits or humans. Each of these shapes is roughly 100 nanometers in size, soundly shattering records for 3D printed resolution.
Potential applications for this technology are many. In the future, the team hopes to design sophisticated medication delivery structures, or create miniature gold-plated structures to refract light. This could prove to be a great boon for fields such as medicine, electronics, green energy, and more.
