Proof of ferroelectricity in simplest amino acid helps close gap between technology and biology

A research team led by Andrei Kholkin of the University of Aveiro, Portugal found ferroelectric properties in the amino acid glycine. The team used a combination of experiment to identify and explain the presence of ferroelectricity, a property where materials switch their polarization when an electric field is applied, in the simplest known amino acid. The discovery of ferroelectricity opens new pathways to novel classes of bioelectronic logic and memory devices. This new research will build towards the future for memory devices made of molecules that already exist in our bodies. Making use of the ability to switch polarization through tiny electric fields may help build nanorobots that can swim through human blood. This may be a long way in the future, but it is a start as the the gap between technology and biology is gradually closing.