GENES could be switched on and off remotely, using magnetic fields. Joseph
Jacobson and his team at MIT鈥檚 Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, tagged
strands of DNA with gold crystals just 1.4 nanometres across. When a solution of
the strands was put in a magnetic field oscillating at 49 gigahertz, the
currents induced in the gold particles produced enough heat to break the strands
apart. When the field was switched off, the broken strands rejoined (
Nature, vol 415, p 152). The technique should work to control genes,
enzymes or proteins, says Jacobson.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles