System and method for implementing a high-sensitivity sensor with improved stability

A system comprising:

• means for sensing an item of interest, the sensing means including a first nanostructure having a property that changes responsive to sensing said item of interest;
• and
• means for signifying whether a change in said property of the first nanostructure is because of sensing said item of interest, said signifying means including a second nanostructure shielded from exposure to said item of interest.

A system comprising:

• nanostructures whose electrical properties change responsive to changes in environmental factors, wherein at least one of said nanostructures is shielded from an environmental factor of interest (“shielded nanostructure”), and at least one of said nanostructures is not shielded from said environmental factor of interest (“non-shielded nanostructure”);
• and
• said nanostructures are arranged such that exposure thereof to a common environmental factor results in similar changes in their electrical properties, and exposure of the non-shielded nano structure to said environmental factor of interest results in dissimilar a change in said electrical properties in said non-shielded nanostructure relative to the shielded nanostructure.