Prof Michel A Van Hove, Director of the Institute of Computational and Theoretical Studies and Head of Physics at the Hong Kong Baptist University, awed the audience at the SEE Colloquium with the design of molecular machines.

Prof Van Hove, an authority in the field of surface science, explained the working principles of molecular vehicles. Measuring just in the nanoscale, these molecular machines were assembled carefully and painstakingly by covalently linking organic molecules to form the engine, chassis and the wheels.

Just earlier, the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry were awarded to three scientists for their pioneering efforts in designing and synthesizing molecular machines.

Peeking into the more distant future, the realization of molecular machines may one day allow the construction of nanoscale power plants for the harnessing of very low intensity energy sources!