What do you see in the picture above? Merely a
precisely-drawn three-dimensional picture of nanoparticles? Far
more than that, nanotechnologists will say, due to a new study
published in the journal Science. Whether a material catalyzes
chemical reactions or impedes any molecular response is all about
how its atoms are arranged. The ultimate goal of nanotechnology is
centered around the ability to design and build materials atom by
atom, thus allowing scientists to control their properties in any
given scenario. However, atomic imaging techniques have not been
sufficient to determine the precise three-dimensional atomic
arrangements of materials in liquid solution, which would tell
scientists how materials behave in everyday life, such as in water
or blood plasma.
