The new brain cell spear is a millimeter long, only a few nanometers wide and   
   harnesses the superior electromechanical properties of carbon nanotubes to   
   capture electrical signals from individual neurons.   
      
   "To our knowledge, this is the first time scientists have used carbon   
   nanotubes to record signals from individual neurons, what we call   
   intracellular recordings, in brain slices or intact brains of vertebrates,"   
   said Bruce Donald, a professor of computer    
   science and biochemistry at Duke University who helped developed the probe.   
      
   He and his collaborators describe the carbon nanotube probes June 19 in PLOS   
   ONE.   
      
   "The results are a good proof of principle that carbon nanotubes could be used   
   for studying signals from individual nerve cells," said Duke neurobiologist   
   Richard Mooney, a study co-author. "If the technology continues to develop, it   
   could be quite    
   helpful for studying the brain."   
      
   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130619195129.htm   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)