Rice University researchers have found a new way to spontaneously assemble nanoparticles into bag-like sacs. Their 'nanobatons' could be used to clean up oil spills by trapping oil droplets in polluted waters. These nanoparticles could even be more useful for delivering drugs. The researchers found that 'ultraviolet light and magnetic fields could be used to flip the nanoparticles, causing the bags to instantly turn inside out and release their cargo -- a feature that could ultimately be handy for delivering drugs.' This is still a lab project and it's hard to know when real applications could appear. But read more...