Researchers now have the ability to manipulate single atoms of non-conducting materials.

[via Geek Press]

This will come in handy, so many of us have those pesky single atoms hanging around.

Nanotechnology became an interest of mine when PM reported that a nano tube string - the width of a human hair - could suspend a fully loaded 40-ton truck trailer! As a big fan of aerospace composites, I thought Wow! Another molecular machine exposed just the right combination of molecular links to attract any desired element. Like a filter, such a molecular machine could mine tons of gold or other exotic metals like titanium from each square mile of – seawater. Contaminated ground water could be pumped to eliminate heavy metals and so on and so on.

We’re becoming the masters of the material world. It’s high time we did something of value with it.