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We’ve all heard that pasta can brighten your mood, but could it also heal your body? Scientists may have just cracked the code. In late 2024, researchers unveiled a revolutionary creation called “nanopasta”—spaghetti so small it’s invisible to the naked eye. Published in the journal Nanoscale Advances, this groundbreaking discovery isn’t about indulging in carbonara; instead, it’s paving the way for futuristic medical innovations.
What is nanopasta?
Nanopasta is a strand of tungsten disulfide measuring just 370 nanometers wide—that’s about two hundred times thinner than a single human hair. To put that in perspective, even a basic microscope struggles to make it out, requiring the power of an electron microscope to detect its delicate structure.
Unlike your favorite homemade spaghetti, this ultra-micro creation isn’t kneaded and rolled. Instead, researchers used an electrospinning technique. According to lead researcher Adam Clancy, "To make spaghetti, you push a mixture of water and flour through metal holes. In our study, we did the same, except we pulled our flour mixture through with an electrical charge. It's literally spaghetti but much smaller."
What’s even cooler is the ingredient list. The scientists utilized starch, a naturally abundant, biodegradable, and renewable resource. As Clancy explained, “Starch is a promising material to use as it is abundant and renewable — it is the second largest source of biomass on Earth, behind cellulose — and it is biodegradable, meaning it can be broken down in the body.”
Why nanopasta matters
Far from being just a curiosity, nanopasta is packed with potential. The nanofibers made from this microscopic spaghetti could be a game-changer in the medical field. Researcher Beatrice Britton highlighted its versatility, saying these fibers could be used in bandages to aid wound healing, scaffolding for bone regeneration, and even drug delivery.
But this isn’t just a win for medicine. Greg Ziegler, a food scientist from Penn State University, suggested these starch nanofibers might someday play a role in cultured meat production, acting as scaffolding to support lab-grown proteins. (According to Scientific American)
Can I eat it?
This is probably the question on everyone’s mind. The short answer? You could, but it’s not recommended. That didn’t stop Clancy from sneaking a bite. “I know you’re not meant to self-experiment, but I’d made the world’s smallest pasta,” he admitted to Scientific American. “I couldn’t resist.”
So, while nanopasta probably won’t be gracing your dinner plate, it might just be saving lives in the near future. Whether it’s patching up wounds or helping scientists grow sustainable meat, this is one culinary breakthrough that’s hard to wrap your head—or fork—around.