Memristors--the fourth passive component type.

memristors are the "fourth" basic building block of circuits, after capacitors, resistors and inductors.

memristor--the "missing link" in electronic circuit theory

HP's 12-year-old Information and Quantum Systems Lab,

http://www.hpl.hp.com/news/2008/apr-jun/memristor.html

The memristor first appeared in a 1971 paper published by Professor Leon Chua, a distinguished faculty member in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences Department of the University of California Berkeley.

news:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7377063.stm

http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/04/30/hp.memristors/

http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207403521