From Pink Tentacle:

Scientists at Japan’s Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) have succeeded in creating 1-nanometer-thick electric wires with a layer of insulation. According to a January 2 RIKEN press release, the researchers grew the insulated nanowire crystals through a process involving a mixture of conductive and non-conductive organic molecules that organized themselves into the desired configuration.

What this means is that scientists are organically growing conductive wires that are the width of one nanometer. For a little perspective, pluck one of the hairs from your head. Look at it. Ok? Now, one nanometer is approx. 1/80,000th the width of that single hair.

Kind of small, no?

RIKEN’s insulated nanowires have the potential to be used as a basic component in superdense 3D storage media that rely on molecular memory arrays, say the researchers, who indicate that memory devices built on this technology would be able to store up to 100 petabytes (100 million gigabytes) of data per cubic centimeter, or about 400,000 times more than today’s typical desktop PC hard drive (250 GB) in a device the size of a sugar cube. If used in logic circuits, this type of wiring technology would revolutionize the electronics industry as we know it, the researchers add.