Weighing molecules...

Do you know how to weigh microscopic quantities such as molecules? We just got a new set of kitchen scales but they're not quite up to the job. No, someone has come up with a new method using single carbon nanotubes. It's done by measuring the affect the material to be weighed has on the resonance of the carbon nanotube. When you add mass to the nanotube, effectively the frequency of it's resonance changes sort of like the change of tone you get from a plucked guitar string if you were to add mass by making it thicker.

To ensure that it isn't affected by any thermal vibrations, this whole thing is run at about 6 degrees above absolute zero. That's about how cold my head felt when I went down the first hill this morning at 27 mph with no under helmet hat. Aiiiiyaaaa, it wasney nice.

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