In 1997, the 5th carbon form, carbon nanocones, was discovered by T. Ebbesen and co-workers in the so-called Kvaerner Carbon Black & Hydrogen Process. This process produces a carbon material composed of flat carbon discs (70%), carbon cones (20%) and carb on black (10%).It is important to improve our understanding of the carbon nanoparticles due to their unique properties and potential practical applications as functional material in areas such as hydrogen storage and engineering.We propose here a fund amental study of the 5th carbon form. The properties of the carbon nanocones and discs will be studied by different experimental techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, X-ray scattering, transient electric birefringence and differential scanning calorimetry. These measurements give information about geometry, crystal structure, and electrical and thermal properties of the carbon nanocones and discs.The overseas fellowship will be dedicated to experimental studies of f unctional bionanoparticles. Bionanoparticles includes a wide range of soft condensed matter such as proteins, polysaccharides, DNA, colloids and liquid crystals. Their physical and chemical properties are sensitive to a change in the environment such as t emperature, pressure, electric field, magnetic field, optical wavelength, and the pH value. By utilizing these properties, the system achieves an intelligent action. Understanding bionanoparticle function, structure and dynamics is important in industry a nd technology in connection with processing of food, movement of biological fluids, medicine, advanced material, pharmaceutical, cosmetics etc.Næss has been invited to stay 18 months at the Biological and Soft Systems Sector of the Cavendish Laboratory (BSS), Department of Physics, University of Cambridge (UK). She will be working with Professors Athene M. Donald, Eugene Terentjev and Sir Sam Edwards on experimental and theoretical projects.