Molecular machines won a Nobel prize nine years ago, but we still can’t decide what one is

A new project aims to define the key terms used in the field of molecular machines. It is hoped that the new definitions will allow researchers to avoid semantic debates, and could help provide clarity in any future legal battles involving the technology.

Molecular machines are generally understood to include an array of nanoscale pumps, switches, motors and ratchets. The field emerged in the early 1980s, and three of its pioneers – Ben Feringa, Jean-Pierre Sauvage and Fraser Stoddart – shared the 2016 Nobel prize in chemistry for their groundbreaking miniature creations.