In 2000, we reported on new research on buckyballs, spherical forms of carbon that were first discovered in 1985. In 1991, physicist Sumio Iijima discovered related structures called nanotubes. These tubular forms of carbon seem to have even greater potential as conductors, superconductors, semiconductors, reinforcing fibers in building materials, and other uses. In fact, Richard [...]

Most students of chemistry are familiar with the common allotropic forms of carbon: diamond and graphite. The 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to Robert F. Curl and Richard E. Smalley of Rice University [...]