Your cells rely on tiny machines to relay information, repair damage, repel invaders and tackle the many other challenges required for life. A decade-long collaboration between Professor Weiss and Professor Collins of the Department of Physics & Astronomy at UC Irvine has produced a new type of biology-electronic device, which reveals the otherwise hidden noises made by these machines during their operations. Using these nanometer-scale microphones allows highly detailed observation of the steps and speeds required for crucial events taking place in cells and living things. At a practical level, this research offers new tools for examining DNA, diagnosing diseases, discovering new therapeutic drugs and potentially many other applications. At the level of fundamental science, the approach uncovers new insights into the processes required for life itself. The motions and operations of life’s molecular machines surprise us with their clever abilities to harness tiny amounts of energy only significant at these infinitesimally small sizes.

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