Can nature provide solutions for the next leap in IT?

With the push for smaller and smaller electronic components, researchers are turning to microbes as inspiration for the future generation of computers. An article on the BBC technology page discusses the work of a team from the University of Leeds and Tokyo’s University of Agricultural and Technology. Their work involved microbes that ingest iron creating tiny magnets similar to those used in hard drives. In their natural environment the microorganisms have been found to follow the Earth’s magnetic field lines. Elsewhere researchers have created ‘nano-scale tubes made from the membrane of cells’ which in effect make ‘tiny electrical wires from living organisms.’ Dr Staniland from the University of Leeds explained “We are quickly reaching the limits of traditional electronic manufacturing…as computer components get smaller... Nature has provided us with the perfect tool to [deal with] this problem” For more on the future of nano-computing and electronics read the full article here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17981157