2016诺贝尔化学奖:世界上最小的机器

AS IT IS 2016-10-05 Nobel in Chemistry Goes to Makers¹ of “World’s Smallest Machines” 2016诺贝尔化学奖:世界上最小的机器

Three scientists have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work in developing tiny machines.

The three men are Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir James Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa.

They designed extremely thin molecular² machines. The machines are said to be 1,000 times thinner than a single piece of hair and have parts that move when energy is added.

The Royal Swedish Academy³ of Sciences said the scientists’ work could lead to developments in new materials and energy storage systems.

The science of making things unimaginably small is called nanotechnology. Nanotechnology gets its name from a measure of distance. A nanometer, or nano, is one-thousand-millionth of a meter, about the size of atoms and molecules⁵.

Jean-Paul Sauvage of France is a retired⁶ professor at the University of Strasbourg. He began the work on a molecular machine in 1983 when he successfully linked together two molecules shaped like a circle or ring. It marked the first time chemists were able to make a molecule⁴ act in such a way.

Fraser Stoddart is a professor of chemistry at Northwestern University in the United States. In 1991, he built on Sauvage’s work. He found a way to move the molecular ring onto a molecular axle and was able to move the ring along the axle.

Bernard Feringa is a professor of organic⁷ chemistry at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. In 1999, he developed a molecular motor. It used a molecular blade⁸ that turned continuously in the same direction.

Sara Snogerup Linse explained the importance of their work to reporters in Stockholm.

"Maybe this morning you ground your coffee, maybe you used a motorized vehicle to get here - you used man-made machines operating on the centimeter to meter length scale. It's been a dream of scientists for over half a century to take this development all the way down to the molecular scale - that's nanometers. A nanometer is one million times smaller than a millimeter⁹..."

Snogerup Linse is chair of the Nobel Chemistry Committee.

Sauvage, Stoddart and Feringa will share a $930,000 prize for their work. They will also receive a medal and diploma at an award ceremony on December 10.

Words in This Story

tiny – adj. very small?

ring – n. an object in the shape of a circle

axle – n. a long, straight object on which a wheel or other wheels turn

blade – n. a flat, turning part that is used on some machines to push air or water

medal – n. a piece of metal often in the form of a coin with designs and words in honor¹⁰ of a special event, a person, or an achievement

diploma – n. a document given in recognition of something

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

3 academy   

n.(高等)专科院校；学术社团，协会，研究院

参考例句：

• This is an academy of music.这是一所音乐专科学院。
• I visited Chinese Academy of Sciences yesterday.我昨天去访问了中国科学院。

4 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

5 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 organic   

adj.有机的，有机物的；有组织的

参考例句：

• Organic farming is expanding everywhere.有机农业正在各地迅速发展起来。
• The organic fertilizer shall keep the soil in good heart.这有机肥一定会使土壤保持肥沃。

8 blade   

n.刀刃，刀片；叶片

参考例句：

• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。
• He is a good blade.他剑术高明。

9 millimeter   

n.毫米

参考例句：

• A millimeter is one-thousandth of a meter.一毫米是一米的千分之一。
• The product is only 0.1 millimeter thick.玻璃盖片的厚度仅0.1毫米左右。

10 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。