Intro

This week we talk to one of the world’s leading pioneers in the field of nanotechnology, Sonia Contera.

Nanotechnology is the application of science at a truly nano scale. To put that in perspective, if a nanometre were the size of a cup of tea, a meter would cover the diameter of the whole Earth.

Being able to control the world at such an intricate level has the potential to revolutionise medicine - enabling us to target cancer cells, deliver drugs and fight antibiotic resistance – but how do we create technology to that size?

Sonia talks to our editorial assistant Amy Barret about how her work in nanotechnology began, building proteins unknown to nature, and why going nano is nothing like in the movies.

Her book Nano Comes To Life (£22, Princeton University Press), is out now.

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Listen to more episodes of the Science Focus Podcast:

• Sandro Galea: What is the difference between health and medicine?
• Jim Al-Khalili: Why should we care about science and scientists?
• Gordon Wallace: Is an implantable electronic device the future of medicine?
• Professor Catharina Svanborg: Is the cure for cancer hiding in human breast milk?
• Nessa Carey: Is gene editing inspiring or terrifying?
• Dr Lucy Rogers: What makes a robot a robot?

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