Researchers in Turkey have manufactured the longest and thinnest nanowires ever produced by using a novel method to shrink matter 10-million fold. The new method, developed by researchers from Ankara University at the Bilkent University’s National Nanotechnology Research Center, could provide advancements in many fields, including more effective cells for solar panels, electronics, and medical imaging technologies. According to Mehmet Bayýndýr, an associate professor who led the research team, “At this moment, we may not even be able to predict what things will be produced [in the future] using this method.” Bayýndýr said the new technique includes a thermal size-reduction process that can produce indefinitely long nanowire and nanotube arrays with various materials. “We are enjoying [the fact that] we are getting higher amounts of projects than scientists in developed countries, despite the global economic crisis,” he said. The team plans to obtain a patent for their invention.