# gst: nano entities that are both twisted and untwisted at the same time

<< Scientists who study the nanoscale-with molecules and materials 10,000 smaller than a pinhead-need to be able to test the way that some molecules twist, known as their chirality, because mirror image molecules with the same structure can have very different properties. >>

<< Recently, a new class of nanoscale materials have been developed to help distinguish the chirality of molecules. These so-called 'nanomaterials' usually consist of tiny twisted metal wires, that are chiral themselves. However, it has become very hard to distinguish the twist of the nanomaterials from the twist of the molecules they are supposed to help study. >>

To solve this problem AA << created a nanomaterial that is both twisted and it is not. This nanomaterial has equal number of opposite twists—meaning they cancel each other out.  >>

<< Using a mathematical analysis of the material's symmetry properties, the team discovered a few special cases, which can bring the 'hidden' twist to light and allow very sensitive detection of chirality in molecules. >>

Chris Melvin. Scientists create a nanomaterial that is both twisted and untwisted at the same time. University of Bath. Sep 13, 2019   https://m.phys.org/news/2019-09-scientists-nanomaterial-untwisted.html  

Christian Kuppe,  Xuezhi Zheng, et al. Measuring optical activity in the far-field from a racemic nanomaterial: diffraction spectroscopy from plasmonic nanogratings. Nanoscale Horizons.  Issue 5, 2019.  doi: 10.1039/C9NH00067D.   https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/NH/C9NH00067D