Focuses
2009
Organic semiconductors
Nature Nanotechnology Vol. 4, No. 10 (October 2009)
Organic semiconductors are easy to process and can be used to make devices that are transparent, flexible and cheap. However, they are also fragile and not particularly good at conducting electricity. Three papers in the October 2009 issue of Nature Nanotechnology show that careful processing can redress these drawbacks, without compromising those qualities that make organics attractive in the first place.
DNA nanotechnology
Nature Nanotechnology Vol. 4, No. 4 (April 2009)
The ability of DNA to self–assemble into a variety of nanostructures and nanomachines is highlighted in a growing number of papers in Nature Nanotechnology. The appeal of DNA to nanoscientists is threefold: first, it is a natural nanoscale material; second, a large number of techniques for studying DNA are already available; and third, its ability to carry information can be exploited in the self–assembly process.
Public perceptions of nanotechnology
Nature Nanotechnology Vol. 4, No. 2 (February 2009)
Research into public perceptions of nanotechnology is becoming more rigorous with social scientists developing and testing increasingly complex theoretical models. This is demonstrated by three papers in the February 2009 issue of Nature Nanotechnology that explore how the public's reaction to nanotechnology depends on cultural predispositions, religiosity and the specific application of the new technology. These papers confirm that increased public awareness of nanotechnology will not, on its own, automatically lead to widespread public acceptance.
2008
Computing power
Nature Nanotechnology Vol. 3, No. 1 (January 2008)
Theory and computation have important roles to play in driving forward new ideas in nanoscience and technology. Although the level of detail needed to interpret the results of specific experiments can make it difficult to draw more general conclusions, the best theory papers will stimulate researchers to try new measurements or revisit old experimental data in a significantly different light.
2007
First-anniversary highlights
Nature Nanotechnology Vol. 2, No. 9 (September 2007)
October 2007 marked the first anniversary of the launch of Nature Nanotechnology. To mark this occasion the editors collected some highlights from the first 12 issues of the journal. The selection reflects the diversity of nanoscience and technology, and includes contributions from chemists, physicists, material scientists, engineers, biomedical researchers and others. We hope that you enjoy it.
