These are crystals of a type of chemical called a platinum complex, viewed under an electron microscope. This type of platinum is called "cancer penicillin" since it is effective against many different types of cancer, but it often comes with toxic side effects. Nanoscientists at Argonne are using special nanoparticles to help send platinum complexes directly to the cancer cells so that they can release the drug in a controlled manner, which would reduce the toxic side effects. Nanotechnology (nanotech) is the manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale.