Scientists from universities in New York and Ningbo, China, have made a groundbreaking discovery, successfully developing tiny robots built from DNA that can reproduce themselves. These nanorobots hold immense potential for various applications, including targeted cancer treatment and environmental cleanup.

These nanorobots are created by manipulating DNA strands to fold and ‘weld’ together in three dimensions.

(Zhou et al., 2023)

The nanorobots are so tiny that 1,000 of them can fit into the width of a sheet of paper. According to researchers, these nanoscale industrial robots can perform repetitive tasks with precision and accuracy. They can handle and produce nanomaterials, making them ideal for manufacturing platforms.

The mechanism behind these nanorobots involves manipulating different parts of DNA strands and aligning them to be “welded” together. The research team has developed a novel method of folding DNA in three dimensions, allowing for limitless self-replication. This surpasses previous research in DNA robotics, which was limited to two-dimensional construction.

The potential applications of these nanorobots are vast. They could be used for targeted drug delivery, navigating a patient’s bloodstream to target cancer cells without invasive surgery. Additionally, they could be employed in environmental cleanup efforts, such as collecting toxic waste from the ocean.

While this development has raised concerns reminiscent of science fiction, the researchers ensure that their creations are not a “gray goo” threat. The nanorobots are programmable and can be controlled by external factors like light and heat, mitigating the risk of uncontrolled replication.