computer chips are virus poop

14 years ago
Benign Viruses Shine on the Silicon Assembly Line

Dr. Belcher's team uses the virus as a temporary scaffolding on which the crystals grow. The viruses are first altered by the insertion of a few amino acid chains, called peptides, so that they attract a particular material like zinc sulfide or cadmium sulfide.

It is all a matter of affinity, molecular recognition and genetic programming, Dr. Belcher said. "We programmed the virus to grow a particular material at a particular length," she said. "Then we burned off the virus and were left with single-crystal semiconductor wires."

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6 Responses:

  1. rin3y says:
    14 years ago at 6:04 am

    I for one etc. etc. semiconductor-making viral masters etc.

    This is all well and good until these bugs develop an affinity for growing little wires all through your brain. That'd be delightful.

    --riney
  2. baconmonkey says:
    14 years ago at 8:51 am

    I wonder if there is any potential for *really weird* things to happen if the viruses get loose.
    like a virus that infect a person and grows nano wires in their blood stream.