Caltech Researchers Weigh Individual Molecules 130
karvind writes "PhysOrg reports that physicists at the California Institute of Technology have created the first nanodevices capable of weighing individual biological molecules. This technology may lead to new forms of molecular identification that are cheaper and faster than existing methods, as well as revolutionary new instruments for proteomics. The Caltech devices are 'nanoelectromechanical resonators' -- essentially tiny tuning forks about a micron in length and a hundred or so nanometers wide that have a very specific frequency at which they vibrate when excited. Slashdot covered earlier the effort by Cornell for measuring attogram objects which also employs NEMS cantilevers."
Finally! (Score:5, Interesting)
Resolution (Score:3, Interesting)
If they can resolve down to one protein mass, then wouldn't that imply that at this point they can not find the difference between molecules?
Re:Finally! (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Cool tech. Some issues (Score:2, Interesting)