Originally published in The Nano Newswire
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have discovered that a certain bacterium (Geobacter sulfurreducens) contains microbial nanowires capable of transmitting electricity as efficiently as synthetic organic metallic nanostructures. The bacterial filaments have been found to conduct electrons over enormous distances relative to the size of the bacterium. The research team, consisting of microbiologists and physicists, believes their discovery represents a major breakthrough in the fields of nanotechnology and bioelectronics, perhaps one day leading to less expensive, nontoxic nanomaterials for applications such as biosensors and electronics that interface with biological systems. These materials can be produced at a lower cost and in a more eco-friendly manner than their man-made counterparts, as the process would not involve the use of rare elements.
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