Super-thin membrane advances protein revolution

Scientists at the Max-Planck Institute and the University of Manchester have found a method to create a stable membrane that is one atom thick, the thinnest material on the planet. And they say that the carbon sheet may help revolutionize the way drugs are developed. At a thickness of .35 nanometers, the researchers say the membrane could be used to support molecules being analyzed by an electron microscope. The proteins illuminated in such a process are at the heart of a host of new advances in therapeutics. Some scientists had theorized that it would be impossible to develop a sheet this thin, as it would rely on a two dimensional structure that would immediately collapse when exposed to heat. But the team overcame that hurdle by coaxing the material to undulate, giving it a third dimension.

- here's the report on the new technology from The Times

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