A UC Berkeley press release describes a new nanotechnology motor built by Alex Zettl, leader of Berkeley's Zettl Research Group and a nanotech researcher specializing in applications of multi-wall nanotubes. The rotor is 500 nanometers across, 300 times smaller than a human hair and smaller than many viruses. The shaft is less than 10 nanometers (just a few atoms) thick. Berkeley claims this is the smallest synthetic motor ever made. A new Nature article includes an artists rendering that gives a good idea of what the motor looks like and an animated GIF of the motor in action was also released today.