08/19/2025
https://www.facebook.com/100077251093632/posts/801102522474777/
Scientists have just achieved a stunning breakthrough in cancer research: destroying 99% of cancer cells using only near-infrared light—without drugs or surgery.
The technique relies on special molecules called aminocyanines, long used as dyes to highlight cancer cells. Researchers at Rice University discovered that when exposed to near-infrared light, these molecules vibrate in perfect unison, acting like “molecular jackhammers.” This vibration tears apart the membranes of cancer cells with extraordinary precision—over a million times faster than earlier molecular machines.
Because this method works through physical force rather than chemical action, it could bypass the problem of drug resistance that limits many current cancer treatments. In experiments, it not only wiped out lab-grown cancer cells but also shrank melanoma tumors in mice, leaving half of them cancer-free.
The use of near-infrared light also means it can pe*****te deep into body tissues, offering the potential for non-invasive treatments in the future. While still in early stages, this discovery could mark a major shift in how we fight cancer—moving away from chemotherapy and scalpels toward light-driven, highly targeted destruction.
đź“„ Source: Ayala-Orozco, C., Galvez-Aranda, D., Corona, A. et al. Molecular jackhammers eradicate cancer cells by vibronic-driven action. Nature Chemistry, 2024.
