Paul Rothemund: Casting spells with DNA

About this Talk

Paul Rothemund compares his work to "casting a spell" -- and it does seem akin to magic. By writing a set of instructions, he can cause bits of DNA to fold themselves into a smiley face, a star, a triangle. Sure, it's a stunt, but it's also a fascinating window into the possibility of self-assembly at the smallest of scales. In other words: today a smiley face, tomorrow a micro-microprocessor.

About Paul Rothemund

Paul Rothemund folds DNA into shapes and patterns. Which is a simple enough thing to say, but the... Read full bio »