[ExI] [tt] Molecular robot mimics life's protein-builder

[Eugen Leitl]

On Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 11:45:18AM -0800, spike wrote:

> Gene, is not this an example of a nano-machine creating a covalent bond?  

Creating or breaking bond is not scale-dependant.

> Is not a nano-machine creating a covalent bond exactly the mega-holy nano-grail the nay-saying crowd insists cannot be done?

I don't recall that particular objection.

Smalley mentioned the 'fat finger' problem, which
is real for soft, floppy enzyme-like systems,
but not relevant for rigid cages depositing
highly reactive moieties, which work
pretty much like today's numerically controlled
rapid prototyping.