Molecular Motor Inspired by Ancient Screw Achieves 100x Conductivity Boost
Researchers have engineered a single-molecule motor based on the ancient Archimedes screw, capable of rotating in either direction via electrical input. The device dramatically increases electron flow—up to 100 times—offering transformative potential for molecular-scale electronics. This breakthrough bridges historical engineering with nanoscale innovation.
In November 2026, researchers from the University of Augsburg, the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and the University of Copenhagen unveiled a single-molecule motor inspired by the ancient Archimedes screw, capable of rotating in either direction when subjected to electrical voltage. The device, built around a spiral-shaped molecule attached between two gold electrodes with atomic-scale precision, demonstrated a 100-fold increase in electrical conductivity during rotation—up to 100 times higher than when stationary. This breakthrough marks the first time a molecular motor has been both electrically driven and firmly connected to metal contacts while allowing controlled directional reversal via voltage polarity. The work builds on decades of research into artificial molecular machines, culminating in the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering efforts in this field. Earlier designs relied on scanning tunneling microscopes to manipulate motion, but this new system operates independently and dynamically within a functional circuit. Key contributors include Prof. Michael Pittelkow (Copenhagen), who synthesized the spiral molecule; Prof. Oren Tal and Dr. Anil Kumar Singh (Weizmann), who engineered the electrode setup; and theoretical physicists Prof. Fabian Pauly, Léon Martin, and Yuta Ito (Augsburg), whose quantum simulations revealed that rotation unlocks highly conductive molecular configurations otherwise inaccessible at rest. The mechanism hinges on angular mome
This development could significantly impact the future of nanoscale electronics by enabling dynamic control over electron flow at the molecular level—potentially leading to ultra-efficient, adaptive circuits that self-optimize based on motion. If scalable, such systems may reduce power consumption in microchips and pave the way for new types of memory or logic devices where information is encoded not just in charge but in mechanical state. The societal implications extend beyond computing: energy-efficient nanodevices could improve medical implants, wearable sensors, and low-power IoT networks. A comparable precedent is the invention of the transistor, which similarly transformed electronics by miniaturizing function—but unlike transistors, this motor introduces a new dimension: motion as an active component in signal processing. However, it remains unclear whether such devices can be manufactured reliably at scale or survive environmental stressors like heat and radiation. The next cr