The advance allows the particles to be placed deeper within biological tissue, which could aid with cancer diagnosis or monitoring.

SMART nanosensors are safer and less tedious than existing techniques for testing plants’ response to compounds such as herbicides.

Nanoscale devices integrated into the leaves of living plants can detect the toxic heavy metal in real time.

New method overcomes limitations of existing chemical procedures and may accelerate nanoengineering of materials.

Made of electronic circuits coupled to minute particles, the devices could flow through intestines or pipelines to detect problems.