A molecule of carbon expected to have use in a variety of applications, especially in the medical field. Also known as "Fullerines" because the 60 atoms that make up their spherical molecule resemble Buckminster Fuller's geodesic domes, they are lighter than plastic and stronger than steel. They can also conduct heat and electricity. Buckyballs were identified in 1985 by three scientists who later received a Nobel prize for the discovery. Buckyballs are used as a building block for many experimental materials. See nanotube and nanotechnology.