Czech molecular tamers can slow down their movement with light. It is a path to molecular machines.

Czech scientists have developed a method to significantly slow down molecular motion using light, achieving a reduction in movement by five orders of magnitude. This breakthrough, led by Jiří Kaleta's team at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, allows for better control of molecular machines, which are essential for applications like drug delivery. By utilizing a light-controlled molecular motor and a rotor, they demonstrated that the random rotation of molecular parts can be effectively dampened. This advancement surpasses previous methods, achieving a slowdown of approximately 300,000 times, marking a significant step forward in molecular engineering.