NANOTECHNOLOGY OF CARBON AND RELATED MATERIALS PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS A OCTOBER ISSUE Nanotechnology of carbon and related materials - a theme issue compiled and edited by Mauricio Terrones and Humberton Terrones This century has started with an increasing interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The idea of creating novel functional materials via miniaturization into a molecular level is becoming a reality. However, a big effort is still needed in order to achieve the fabrication of efficient and novel nano-machines in which quantum mechanics laws are dominant. This issue, contributed by experts in the field, is the first of its kind and overviews the recent advances of Carbon Nanoscience and Related Systems. The account includes the synthesis, characterization and applications of nano-structures, especially nanotubes composed of carbon and/or other elements. This will certainly stimulate further experimental and theoretical research that is needed in this new and fascinating area. The 12 papers in this issue will appear on FirstCite®, the Royal Society's new rapid online publication service: http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk/openurl.asp?genre=issue&eissn=1471-2962&volume=preprint&issue=preprint Table of Contents Preface M. Terrones and H. Terrones Introduction H. Terrones, M. Terrones, F. López-Urías, J. A. Rodríguez-Manzo and A. L. Mackay Shape and complexity at the atomic scale: the case of layered nanomaterials M. S. Dresselhaus, G. Dresselhaus, J. C. Charlier and E. Hernández Electronic, thermal and mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes R. Tenne and C. N. R. Rao Inorganic nanotubes R. L. D. Whitby, W. K. Hsu, Y. Q. Zhu, H. W. Kroto and D. R. M. Walton Novel nanoscale architectures: coated nanotubes and other nanowires R. Vajtai, B. Q. Wei and P. M. Ajayan Controlled growth of carbon nanotubes R. Ma, D. Golberg, Y. Bando and T. Sasaki Syntheses and properties of B–C–N and BN nanostructures V. Meunier and P. Lambin Scanning tunnelling microscopy of carbon nanotubes F. Banhart Formation and transformation of carbon nanoparticles under electron irradiation M. Endo, T. Hayashi, Y. A. Kim, M. Terrones and M. S. Dresselhaus Applications of carbon nanotubes in the twenty-first century N. de Jonge and J.-M. Bonard Carbon nanotube electron sources and applications Source: Royal Society ___________________ The full version of this story is available online at http://www.physorg.com/news822.html