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Nanotechnology · Recorded milestone

Molecular motors

Recorded year1999

Ben Feringa builds a light-driven molecule that spins in one direction.

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Built on

Plenty of Room at the BottomRecorded · 1959enables

Led to

DNA-origami machinesRecorded · 2022enables
Medical nanorobotsForecast · ~2032enables
Molecular manufacturingForecast · ~2048enables
Molecular electronicsForecast · ~2085enables

Sources & evidence

Additional source

Dataset updated 2026-10-18. This individual record has not been separately re-reviewed.