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 Nanotechnology, while growing by leaps and bounds, isn’t that new. The idea has been around since the fifties, in theory, but it hasn’t been until the last decade or so that the science has caught up with the theory. Basically, how it works is that atoms are rearranged to create complex structures. This can be in the form of particles that make existing materials stronger, lighter, and more durable. It can also be applied to the medical field, helping to deploy medicines like cancer drugs without damaging healthy cells in the process. It can also be used to make wounds heal faster, repair damaged tissues and nerves.

Over the next few decades, there are going to be many different strides in nanotechnology. In just a few years, as much as $1 trillion will be contributed to the world economy, just from products that incorporate this technology. This means that nanotech industries will be hiring over two million new employees that are directly connected with nanotech, and as much as three times that will be employed in supporting roles.

At one time, the thought of computers being small enough to put in the palm of your hand were thought to be science fiction, only seen on shows like Star Trek, but now you have iPads, personal PDA’s with payment processors such as Crescent Processing, iPhones, and so much more. With the help of audio visual integration, educating the business world and the public about the potential of nano technology is quite easy. Nanotechnology, while just a theory just half a century ago, is already being seen in the medical, military, and other scientific worlds. What does this mean for the future?

For military and law enforcement, this means stronger lighter bullet proof materials. It also means that one day soldiers will be able to inject themselves with this technology, to heal the wounded on the battle field, or to allow them to be more agile, stronger and faster than normal. It will allow law enforcement to be able to do their jobs better, and not worry so much about getting injured or even killed in the line of duty.

For the medical community, soon genetic defects may be a thing of the past, with unborn children getting a boost before they’re even born. It could make the blind see again, eliminate many diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, heart disease, the list goes on.  People will live longer, and have more productive lives. Clothes won’t wear out, camping equipment will be completely waterproof, and vehicles will be lighter, stronger and more fuel efficient. Diseases such as cancer can be fought with microscopic robots that seek out mutated cells. Even treatments for obesity and internal cleansing can exist - imagine a detox diet performed with the aid of nano bots? Fuels will be able to have more out put, lubricants will be able to get into the tightest of spaces, or engines and other parts will be able to lubricate themselves.

What does this mean for space exploration? It means that terra form plants can be erected on Mars or other planets, without risking human lives. Bases can be set up on the moon, self repairs for space stations, and satellites. While the shuttle program is and was a great idea, tragedies that happened will be a thing of the past. Nanotechnology can be employed automatically when any kind of fault or anomaly is detected, preventing accidents and deaths. Nano bots could also be used in equipment to repair water damage orlando or to rebuild houses after devastating tornados in kansas. Nano technology can be utilized in creating stronger and more termite resistant woods which would make an enormous difference to industries such as the building industry or flooring Garland or carpentry in any area of the US or even the world. These are just a few of the many things that nanotechnology is going to help with in the future, and although to some this seems like science fiction, so did space flight, instant global communications and many others just a few hundred years ago.

What Is Nanotechnology?

When most laymen think of nanotechnology, thoughts of Star Trek appear in their heads, little robots being injected into the body, or used in areas where a person can’t get too, like in radiated areas, like the nuclear power plant in Japan. Fat Loss 4 Idiots While this is partially true, it isn’t the building of tiny robots to do tasks we can’t do. This technology is fast becoming mainstream, is being talked about a lot in the scientific and academic communities, and has many different applications in the real world, today.

Those that are reading this may not be scientists, so here is an explanation that just about anyone can understand. Here are the basics of what nanotechnology is. Conversational Hypnosis Put simply, it is building on an atomic level, taking atoms and arranging them into tiny structures. In fact, many of these structures are being used today, in many different applications, in engineering, the medical field, and many others. Elpotosi They can be used to help map DNA, to diagnose and fix genetic defects. They can also be used to help heal the body, from more rapid healing after an operation, an accident and injury, as well as to help correct problems such as glaucoma, heart disease, and even for mental health.

Nanotechnology can also be used in areas of alternative energy. Nanites can be used to keep wind turbines in working order, can help to repair problems with solar panels, and even be used to speed up the production of algae and other components of biodiesel. Nano technology can even be used to embed microscopic solar panels in paints that can be used to generate electricity from the sun shining on the walls of homes or offices or even to make cheap rugs that are stronger and more dust resistant. While this technology is fairly new, the capabilities and original theories of this technology were envisioned by Richard Feyman, a renowned physicist, back in 1959.

What does this mean for the regular person? Soon we will be able to do many of the things that were mentioned in the beginning of this article, as well as many more. Nano technology will certainly revolutionize the world of computers and internet making processes faster and the user experience more enjoyable. Doing research for search engine optimization used to be a long and slow process but faster computer chips will make analyzing backlinks and other SEO processes much faster. It will also be easier to target location specific results such as SEO Dallas. Maybe one day, sometime soon, nanotechnology can be utilized to help those in impoverished countries grow more food, produce clean drinking water, store it in stronger water tanks and improve their lives greatly.  In situations like the earthquake in Japan recently, instead of a nuclear power plant having a melt down, nanites can be used to rebuild the structure immediately, without the release of deadly radiation.

In the military, they will be used to help soldiers heal faster on the battlefield, allow them to move faster, have more strength, and be able to go longer periods of time without fatigue. They will be able to make their armor better, and be able to withstand bullets and shrapnel better. Sometime in the future, nanites may even be able to be deployed behind enemy lines, taking down infrastructures such as power plants and supplies, making wars shorter. For war torn countries, they can help build new infrastructure, faster and safer than we can.

These are just some of the possibilities that nanotechnology can be applied to. The more advances in this field the more things that can be done. Maybe, someday soon, we can send these nanites to the moon, Mars, and beyond, the build bases, and even to terraform. While this is happening, this same technology can also be used to help repair our environment at home. This can be in the form of repairing the holes in our ozone layer, removing pollutants from our atmosphere, as well as many others. To find out more about this fascinating technology visit What Is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology Being Used Today

There are many ways that nanotechnology is being used today. Even common household items have some kind of nanotech in them. In the form of consumer products, there are a number of applications being used right now. There is even nano technology in the electronic payment processors used to take the payments for these consumer products such as those used by the Crescent Processing Company and in the computer chips used in Data Management devices. Let’s take your common everyday sunglasses for an example. Did you know that nanotech is being used in the coating on your glasses? These actually make the glass stronger, light weight, and able to block harmful UV rays much better than ever before. Sunscreen and cosmetics are other products that incorporate nano particles, letting light pass through but blocking out harmful UV’s. Clothing is another area where this technology is being used, making clothes last longer, be resistant to wear and tear, as well as being more water and wind proof. Tennis balls are also being constructed with cores that have a nanocomposite core, making them have more bounce, and lasting longer than older types of tennis balls. Packaging, like milk cartons, use nanoparticles to help keep the milk fresher longer, as well as in plastic wrapping. These are just a few of the many different ways that nanotechnology is being used in common products we buy every day. Stl Speed Limit

Breakthroughs are being done in the field of medicine as well. There are a number of drug delivery systems, allowing medicine to go directly to affected areas of the body. Organic nanoparticles that are infused with cancer drugs have been used to target cancer cells in mice already, and soon these can be used in humans, to target cancer cells, without harming healthy cells. Nerve regeneration is also being studied, to restore sight in hamsters. How it works is that nanites create a link between optic nerves and the eye, allowing nerve cells to re-grow across this bridge. This can also be used to help stroke victims recover, to help with Alzheimer’s patients, those with dementia, as well as many others.

Nanotechnology is being used in electronics as well. They are being incorporated into Light Emitting Diodes, or LED’s and are right now being used in the display screens of digital cameras, small PDA’s as well as many others. Imagine how attractive an LED ad would be and how it would revolutionize the marketing for anything from medical services such as chiropractic marketing to the marketing of homewares with the help of nano particles. While this is small scale at the moment, it opens the door to better lighting, solar panels that are flexible and can be applied as paint to homes, businesses, and even as a photovoltaic membrane on boats and planes.

In the automotive industry, nanites are added to fuel, oil and other liquids to make fuel more efficient, and other liquids to be better able to lubricate moving parts, allowing engines to last much longer than ever before. They can also be added to metals, making them stronger and lighter, which can also help with fuel economy as well as making our vehicles last longer.

These are just a few areas where nanotechnology is being used and researched. We may soon be able to put whole structures on the moon, make terraform plants on Mars and other planets, without having to actually go there ourselves and risk lives. The applications for the military and law enforcement are endless, and are making bulletproof vests lighter, stronger, and easier to wear. This technology can also be used to help injuries heal faster.

 Nano Technology In Medicine

Nanotechnology is the greatest form of technology that has ever come about. This type of technology can be used in various fields; mechanics, computers, weaponry, medicine and so on. Leswamp For now, let us look at nanotechnology in medicine. When it comes to medicine, nanotechnology provides various possibilities. Although some techniques are only imagined, there are others that are in various stages of testing and others in practice.

The national US nano technology initiative seeks to improve the quality of life of people all over the world by continuing research in nano technology – click here to visit their site.
Let us first look at the practice of nanotechnology in drug delivery. This practice involves using nanoparticles to deliver drugs, light, heat or other substances to specific types of cell for example, cancer cells. These particles are created in such a way that they are attracted to diseased cells thus allowing direct treatment of the cells. Apart from that, this technique lowers damage to healthy cells in the body and makes it possible to detect diseases early. Now I am sure that you can see that these nanoparticles are useful when it comes to chemotherapy. The whole body does not need to be targeted. Instead, the cancer cells are worked on directly. I am certain that most people hate needles or getting shots. In nanotechnology, the drug is encapsulated in a nanoparticle that helps it pass through the stomach to deliver the drug into the bloodstream. In short, you do not have to get a shot, just take the medicine orally.
Now let us look at its application in therapeutic techniques. Nanotechnology can help in the creation of nanoshells which in turn can be used to concentrate the heat from infrared light so as to destroy cancerous cells with mitigated damage to the healthy cells in the environ. This kind of technology is being used in the place of radiation therapy which has been known to destroy or damage healthy tissue. There is also a type of nanoparticles that can reduce bleeding in trauma patients by absorbing water thereby bringing about quick clotting. Another thing is that, nanoparticles, when inhaled, can stimulate the immune response to respiratory diseases.
When it comes to medicine, nanotechnology can also be used in diagnostic and imaging techniques. It is being discovered that there is a possibility of quantum dots being used in the near future to locate cancer tumors in patients and also to perform diagnostic tests in samples. They may be harmful and for this reason, quantum dots containing silicon are being contemplated since they are less harmful than the ones composed of cadmium. Nanoparticles can also be used in the improvement of MRI (magnetic resonance imagining) images of cancer tumors. This is of course when it is mixed with iron oxide.
Another technique where nanotechnology can be applied in medicine is anti-microbial technique. This is mainly in the treatment of wounds. There are nanoparticle creams that are being used to fight staph infections. Finally, it can be used in cell repair. Nanorobots are being programmed in order to repair sick cells. These nanorobots actually work in a way that resembles how antibodies work in our natural healing processes.
Despite the dangers associated with nanotechnology, the benefits far outweigh them and if used in a controlled manner, nanotechnology may actually lead us to the promised land of health.

The ways in which nanotechnology is being used are many and various and continue to grow at a remarkable pace. Nanotechnology is the science of producing sub-microscopic components which can be combined into useful products that can then be used in every imaginable way. Nanotechnology is found in manufacturing, plastics, aerospace, food processing, packaging, electronics, clothing and medicine to name just a few.

Nanotechnology is used in the production of batteries and energy storage systems. The nanotechnology materials provide high power output coupled with longer life while at the same time being lighter in weight and occupying less space than traditional products. And once the battery has reached the end of its useful life it is less of an environmental hazard because the nanotechnology parts are built to be chemically inert.

Ultra-thin membranes manufactured using nanomaterials are used in desalination plants. These have been demonstrated to produce up to 70% more water than traditional membranes and require up to 20% less energy to do so. The technology is used in creating a wide variety of filters which have many applications in environmental projects such as sewage treatment plants, water and gas purification.

Nanoparticles are used in coating solar panels. These particles can be created in the form of an ink and as such can be painted on to surfaces without needing to use a clean room, thus reducing manufacturing costs. They also have properties which makes them more efficient at generating electricity.

Nanotechnology is widely used in the automotive industry. One of the big problems facing manufacturers of cars, trucks, planes etc is reducing weight without compromising safety. Much progress has been made in developing lighter-weight metallic compounds and carbon fiber components. Nanotechnology provides even better weight to strength performance. Windscreen manufacturers also use nanotechnology. Nanoparticles integrated into the windscreen can become activated by the weather and actively dislodge dirt and insect debris from the windscreen. The particles can also influence how water spreads across the screen making the wipers more effective. Nanoparticles are also added to paints to make them scratch resistant.

Ever since the clothing industry existed its three big goals have been to produce clothing that is stain proof, water resistant and easy iron or crease proof. Several of these goals are being achieved by nanotechnology. Nanoparticles are sprayed onto the garments providing an effective shield against stains and water. And because the particles are actually rigid objects, they prevent garments from creasing.

So far the products we have looked at have functioned essentially as inert. But one of the most exciting areas of nanotechnology is in creating materials that will be designed to latch on to other materials. If this area proves successful we can expect to see nanoproducts being designed to mop up pollutants by attaching to specific chemicals or to mop up oil spills by attaching to the oil atoms. Similar technology could be used to create drugs which will attach to specific viruses and bacteria rendering them ineffectual.

Nano technology has had some major advances in science and chemistry. Scientists are able to work with nano materials smaller than strands of DNA. Nano technology is used to make materials or even micro computers that can be used for very specific tests.

It is used for mini consumer products ranging from aerosol cans to seat cushions as well as several other items.
Military nano technology is now used to create new and better equipment along with new innovations that will help and increase productivity. These advances will be very helpful for the military because they provide solutions to many problems that previously seemed impossible to solve.

Pinpoint targeting helps to make the military more efficient. Invisible communal armor is one of the many newer creations of military nano technology. It uses temperature to allow soldiers to blend in with their surroundings.

Hopefully this armor will have the ability to receive signals of harmful attacks. Interestingly this military nano technology has the ability to make armor and helmets 60 % lighter than they are currently. It also gives the protective gear the ability to not get ripped, scratched or torn.

Scientists hope that this smart armor will be able to help the common soldier to fight more safely on the battlefield. With greater advances in science every day there will be even more in store with the future of military nano technology.

In the desert of New Mexico there is a weapon that you can’t see or that you can’t hear. It travels at the speed of light and it’s objective is pain. This weapon is in its final test phasing on human targets. Actif da Nile is a milimeter wave transmitter. It emits a beam that is very concentrated and makes its target the human being. It is also known as the pain beam and used as deterrent weapon that will stop people in their tracks.

This advanced military nano technology transmitter is like a wall of flame that you don’t see or hear. It comes around you and your brain will tell you to react. No matter how hard you try and resist it. Your brain thinks it is a wall of flame.

Controlled by a simple joy stick and beamed by antennae, the pain beam can be pulsed, swelled , or swept. It can strike well beyond 800 yards. It penetrates their clothing and impacts on their skin. It heats the very outer layer to intolerable pain levels and causes a reaction. It does this without burning or causing internal damage. The antennae can be mounted on all military hardware.

To get even further information on the advances made within the military using nano technology,  it would be good to consider attending an event that is being held in conjunction with the ‘Modern Infantry Exhibition 2011’ on
9-11 November at the National Shooting Centre, Bisley, UK. Registration is free. It will be worth your while to attend this exciting exhibition for free and meet leading technology organizations. They are dedicated to military equipment, target acquisition, surveillance and night observation systems.

Nanotechnology may prove to be what some experts describe as the new industrial revolution. Already we are seeing the impact of nanotechnology on many everyday objects and in many manufacturing processes. The technology permits the making of more compact, cheaper, more efficient components across the world of commerce and as yet we are only touching the surface of what may be achievable.

Toyota uses nanotechnology to make its car bumpers lighter, stronger and more resistant to dents. The paint with which it sprays its cars probably has nanoparticles to make the paintwork more resistant to scratches. But nanotechnology is about more than making cars more cosmetically efficient. It may prove to be the greatest technology ever devised by man in ways that will improve our standard of living, our environment and our health.

One of the exciting prospects for nanotechnology is the development of nanoparticles with open-ended bonding surfaces. These will act like chemical glues which will attach themselves to specific atoms. These might be used in pollution control, for example, where nanoparticles which attach themselves to oil changing its viscosity could be deployed to clean up massive oil spillages quickly and efficiently. They could be designed so that the new bond would cause clumping, making it easy to remove spilt oil at sea and making it easier to prevent the slick from spreading and breaking up.

The medical world too is looking to nanotechnology for revolutionary new procedures and drugs, or rather a better way to deliver drugs to the patient. One of the biggest problems with many medical procedures and treatments is collateral damage. Even the most routine procedure using key-hole surgery will have some collateral damage in that there will be an entry wound, albeit small, which exposes the patient to an increased risk of infection. Nanotechnology offers the intriguing prospect of being able to introduce self-assembling nanoparticles into the body where they can be programmed to go straight to the area to be operated on and do the work required, all without having to make an incision. Think of it as having miniature robotic surgeons working inside the body.

The bonding properties of nanoparticles could also be used in the battle against infectious diseases. With just a few exceptions, medical research has yet to come up with drugs which are effective in the treatment of viral infections. And while antibiotics continue to be used in the battle against bacterial infections, they are becoming less effective against new bacterial strains which have evolved to be immune to them. They also have the disadvantage of being indiscriminate, wiping out both harmful and beneficial bacteria. Nanotechnology offers the hope of being able to develop nanoparticles that can be built specifically to attach themselves to viruses or harmful bacteria turning them into harmless compounds. Nanoparticles are smaller than cells and there is the possibility of them being able to enter cells and work from within.

Traditional cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, surgery and chemotherapy will also cause damage to healthy tissue. Experiments are now being carried out on the development of nanoparticles designed to target and destroy only cancerous tissue.

Many people have never even heard of nanotechnology and of those who have, most of them are not really clear about what the technology involves. This has quite probably got something to do with the fact that nanotechnology development is taking place in almost every area of science, medicine, healthcare and manufacturing so quite a confused picture can emerge of what it actually means. What is almost certain is that every person in the developed world will have used or be using one or more products that incorporate nanotechnology.

In this article we are going to look at the uses and potential uses of nanotechnology in building materials. Because the technology is relatively new, only in modern buildings are we likely to find many of the nanotechnology components we will be referring to, but as the application of the technology becomes more widespread, repairs and renovations to older buildings will see them join the nanotechnology revolution.

Pilkington is one of the largest glass manufacturers in the world. It has launched a self-cleaning glass which will require less human intervention to maintain. The glass is developed using a nanoparticle coating which will use sunlight to cause a reaction with organic dirt it comes into contact with, preventing the dirt from becoming fixed to the glass. The dirt will be removed by rainfall or can be simply rinsed off. The glass is also designed to stop raindrops from splattering, instead turning rainfall into an evenly spread sheet of water which makes the cleaning even more effective. And it blocks uva and uvb radiation, beneficial to health and useful in managing internal temperature.

Nanotechnology is being deployed in the manufacture of exterior paint. Exterior paint has a really tough job having to cope with the worst the elements can throw at it. It has to able to withstand snow, rain, blazing sunshine and everything in between. Even the most durable paints will be overcome eventually, necessitating a repaint of the building. The application of nanotechnology in paint manufacturing has resulted in paints that are far more durable then traditional paints and that actually assist in insulation.

You will also find nanotechnology used in the manufacture of solar panels. While solar panels are clearly beneficial as an environmental protector and energy cost saver, the purchase cost of the panels is sufficiently high enough to deter the majority. Many panel manufacturers believe that the cost savings achieved by using nanotechnology will bring the price of panels down enough to make them affordable to a lot more people.

Most new buildings will have environmental control panels for heating, air and water filtration and so on. Most modern panels used will incorporate nanotechnology making them more sophisticated yet cheaper control devices. And for houses being built in remote areas and not connecting to municipal sewage disposal systems, nanotechnology offers greatly improved filtration and breakdown systems.

There are many more products in the pipeline which will revolutionize the way modern houses are designed and built. And the nanotechnology revolution will affect not only the building materials, but also in the future everything inside the house from furniture to electronics to utensils.

The possibilities are endless. The applications of nano technology are so diverse and speak to us from every angle.  The career opportunities are expanding day by day. You can work within various fields like nano medicine, bio-informatics, stem cell development, pharmaceutical companies. Then there are fields available within space research, academics and even teaching.

Are nano technology jobs available worldwide might be another question people may ask? Unfortunately it was discovered that nano technology is not developed to its full potential in countries like India.  It is not available at all in certain countries. Then where do we find countries that have jobs available within this field?

Here is the expected breakdown – up to 0.9 million jobs in the United States of America – 0.6 million jobs in Japan.
0.4 million jobs within Europe. 0.2 million jobs to the Asia Pacific which excludes Japan. Then lastly 0.1 million to other regions.

Just looking at the nano science and technology sector you will find career opportunities exist within areas such as:
Electronics industry, Materials science including textiles and packaging, Auto and aerospace industries, Sports equipment, Pharmaceuticals including drug delivery and cosmetics, Biotechnology.  Also within the medical fields, Optoelectronics, environmental control and monitoring, Food science which includes quality control and packaging, Forensics and many more.

It is absolutely mind boggling to think of all the nano technology jobs that will be created as the areas listed above keep on growing and growing. To re-iterate the following fields will undergo explosive developments and create more nano technology jobs:
Medicine: Diagnostics and therapeutics like drug delivery
Energy : Fuel cells and batteries
Environmental remediation in conjunction with GM microbes.
Manufacturing: Self assembly, fabrication of novel materials.
Commerce:  RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) used in watchman clocks.

These are just some of the many that are not even listed here. Potential fields of study include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental science, Agriculture science, Engineering, Forensic science, Law, Business, Ethics and Medicine.

Will I need formal education in order to qualify for a career in nano technology? Certain education levels are required such as: A Two year associate degree to doctorate level.

You may also ask as to what can I expect to get paid with nano technology jobs? Depending in what area you will be working, you can expect to earn between $30,000 to $100,000 US per year.

Some interesting points to take note of about nano technology:
Nano technology has been in existence in one form or another since 8000BC.
The width of a human hair is about 80,000 nanometers.
Nanotechnology is seen in information technology, manufacturing and national defense.
Texas A&M has cloned more species than any institution in the world, including cattle,swine,goats,horses and so forth.

In order to understand how nanotechnology works or is intended to work, it is first necessary to actually understand the term itself. Nanotechnology refers to assembling extremely small components into useful objects called nanostructures. These in turn will be assembled to make nanomachines. It is the size of these components that is perhaps their most remarkable aspect. They are so small it is virtually impossible to imagine. The prefix nano- means one billionth so a nanometre is one billionth of a metre. If you had a collection of objects that were one nanometre wide, you could fit 100,000 of those objects across a single human hair.

The basic building blocks of the universe are atoms which themselves are smaller than nanostructures but as yet science has not discovered how to manipulate and control atoms other than through chemical reactions. If you consider atoms to be akin to cement powder, then nanostructures are akin to concrete blocks. A concrete block on its own is not of much use but if you can manipulate concrete blocks into different sizes and shapes and combine them with other concrete blocks then you can make countless useful objects from a simple straight wall to a building like the Pentagon.

Scientists and engineers from many different disciplines are experimenting with nanotechnology and their belief is that they can create nanomachines which can be useful in many areas. The microchip industry is forever trying to condense the size of chips more and more and has had remarkable success in doing this. It is sobering to think that when IBM launched its first AT PC in the early 1980’s the hard disk that accompanied the machine was physically about half the size of a shoebox and had a storage capacity of 20 megabytes whereas just thirty years later disks not much bigger than a credit card can store thousands of times more data. But there is a limitation to how small chips can be made using standard technology. The hope is that nanotechnology will be the way forward in miniaturization.

On the medical front, nanotechnology is seen as a possible way to deliver extraordinary advances in disease treatment. The vision is of creating miniature components that can be introduced into the body via the bloodstream. The components would be programmable and assigned the task of perhaps seeking out cancer cells and destroying them without causing any damage to healthy cells. But the practical application currently in this area is a long way in the future.

Of more practical interest at present is using carbon atoms to build useful products. Carbon is the most versatile of all the elements in that it can form bonds with other elements in a unique fashion and can vary its own molecular structure. Carbon’s uniqueness amongst the elements is such that an entire branch of chemistry, organic chemistry, is devoted to carbon and its compounds. It is hoped that nanotechnology could produce carbon that will be as strong as steel but a fraction of its weight.

Nanotechnology is still in its infancy but already some experts are expressing concern about the potential risks of using nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is concerned with manipulating matter almost at the atomic level. What that manipulation is designed to achieve depends very much on the area in which the technology is being applied. It may involve trying to make components that are microscopically small to be used in the manufacture of computer chips and integrated circuit boards. It may involve trying to give an object a property comparable to the same property of a rarer or more expensive item. Or it may involve trying to manipulate products in the food or medical industry.

Since nanotechnology works with material slightly above the atomic level, it is essentially concerned with creating new matter, or at least matter that is different in some way at the molecular level. What worries skeptics is that not enough research will be done into all of the properties of created objects and that may lead to harmful effects on the public.

To understand the safety concerns, it is necessary to have a little knowledge about how things work at the atomic level. Atoms are made up of molecules of elements which bind together to create a new product. Everyone knows that the chemical symbol for water is H2O which means that an atom of water consists of two atoms of the element hydrogen bound to one atom of the element oxygen. Water has its own unique properties which make it water and which are not shared by any other compound (although many will be very similar). We know that humans can ingest uncontaminated water without doing themselves any harm. But what if the manner in which the hydrogen and oxygen atoms bonded could be deliberately manipulated to form a slightly different type of bond? Would this alter the properties of the water possibly making it harmful to humans?

There are genuine reasons for this type of concern as can be demonstrated by examining carbon.  Graphite (which is what makes pencils work) and diamond are both forms of pure carbon but bear no similarity to each other. Diamond is one of the hardest natural substances known, while graphite can be crumbled between the fingers. Graphite is a completely opaque dark color while diamond is shiny. As an electrical conductor diamond would be useless whereas graphite is a good conductor. What makes graphite and carbon so different from each other is down to the way the carbon atoms are joined to each other.

It is estimated that the current annual spend on nanotechnology is almost ten billion dollars yet virtually nothing is being spent on research into safety. Nanotechnology is set to influence every factor of human life in the future so safety is a vital issue especially in areas such as food, medicine and cosmetics where we will be ingesting this material. For example, experiments are in place to use nanotechnology to detect contaminants or spoilage in packed food items. When the food is ingested, so too will the detector.

When you look at history, you come across inspiring names. You come across people that have changed the world with their speeches, actions and inventions. You come across people you want to be like but you envy at the same time. People all over the world like knowing who is responsible for what in a specific area. Technology is not left out. People like knowing who is behind the computer, who is behind the vehicle, who is behind the cure for small pox and so on. Technology has improved so much that we can now manipulate atoms and molecules the way we want. We can manipulate the universe. This form of technology is nanotechnology. I know what you are going to ask. Who invented nanotechnology?
When you stroll through history, you will realize that there is no single name behind this kind of technology. In short, there is no single name that we can point out as the inventor of nanotechnology. However, the word itself was coined by Norio Taniguchi in 1974. He was a professor. The idea on the other hand, was first thought of by Richard Feynman in the year 1959.  He first talked of the idea while giving a lecture at the American Physical Meeting Society. He discussed a process through which molecules and atoms could be controlled using instruments that were specially designed. Obviously at this time the word nanotechnology had not yet emerged. However, his lecture was an accurate description of the science.
Interesting facts about nanotechnology came about with Taniguchi’s work. He further described the procedure as the consolidation or separation of atoms or molecules in his 1974 paper. The man who completely popularized nanotechnology was Dr. K Eric Drexler in his book “Engines of Creation” which came out in 1986. It was the first book in history to give a detailed concept on the subject.
The creation of the scanning tunneling microscope and the discovery of fullerenes further propelled nanotechnology’s popularity in the mid 80s. Its evolution was catapulted by the emergence of semiconductor nanocrystals which consequentially led to an increase of metal oxide nanoparticles. Quantum dots also grew from this. These quantum dots help a lot when it comes to applying nanotechnology in medicine.
By 1988, courses on the subject were being offered in universities. Since knowledge was being distributed, the atomic force microscope came into existence in 1991 and further down the same decade, there was increased use and manipulation of carbon nanotubes. Of course when you talk about a new phenomenon, there has to be benefits and risks. One of its major benefits is that it can create pure and clean water. It can also help in producing cheap energy and efficient drugs and medicines. The major risk is that people still do not know how much it can affect the environment and human health.
Every time you ask who invented nanotechnology, remember Richard Feynman, Professor Taniguchi and the inventors of the scanning tunneling microscope and fullerenes. These are the names that you should envy. These are the names that you should forever store in your memory.

One of the most interesting types of technology is nanotechnology or if you like nanotech. I know what your question is right now, what is nanotechnology?
Nanotech is the study of manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Quite intricate right? In more familiar terms, nanotech deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures that possess at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. Nanotech is a very diverse type of technology. It ranges from extensions of conventional device physics to new approaches that are based upon molecular self assembly. It also ranges from developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale to examining whether one can directly control matter on the atomic scale. Nanotechnology requires the application of sciences such as surface science, molecular biology, organic chemistry, semiconductor physics, and so on.
People who are involved in this technology are in constant debate on the future implications of nanotechnology. This technology may be able to create new materials and devices with a vast range of applications. It can be used in medicine, biomaterials, electronics and even energy production. Just like other types of technology, this technology raises concerns among the conservatives. Concerns such as the toxicity and environmental impact of nanomaterials and their latency on global economics and speculation about different doomsday scenarios, rise. This debate has led to conservatives and advocacy groups to approach governments asking that its application be regulated.
For us to know more about this technology, we should look at its origins. Nanotech is kind of a recent development in scientific research but the development of its central concepts occurred over a long period of time. The conception of nanotech in the 1980s was caused by the union or if you like, convergence of experimental advances. Examples of such experiments were the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope and the discovery of fullerenes in 1981 and 1985 respectively. The illumination and popularization of the goals of nanotech took place in 1986 owing to the publication of the book, “Engines of Creation.”

Let us look at a few names behind this technology. We mentioned the scanning tunneling microscope, right? It is an instrument for imaging surfaces at the atomic level and was developed by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer in 1981. This propelled them to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986. Harry Kroto, Richard Smalley, and Robert Curl are the names behind Fullerenes. They discovered this in 1985 and won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996. Just around the same time, Eric Drexler developed and elucidated the concept of nanotechnology and founded the field of molecular nanotechnology. He is actually the writer of “Engines of Creation.” By the early millennium, governments moved to promote and fund research into nanotech with programs like the National Nanotechnology Initiative coming into place. This is because the government saw the endless possibilities of nanotechnology. With nanotechnology, one can create anything but it may have severe environmental implications.

Nanotechnology is growing by leaps and bounds, especially in the fields of medicine, electronics, space and even the automotive industry, just to name a few. There are many different applications for nanotech. One of the fields that hits close to home is in the field of medicine.

Nanotechnology is simply the rearranging of atoms to make other things, or to improve what is already available. For and example, organic nanotech is being researched and used to infuse cancer medications with atoms to attach cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells intact. Imagine those people with cancer, going in for just one or two treatments, and having their cancer cells destroyed, without harming their immune system. This way, those who are on chemotherapy now and are suffering from other problems, anemia, their hair falling out etc, and staying healthy but cured of the cancer they may have.

This is just the start, nanotech can help in many other ways, including correcting genetic defects, or healing ailments. For another example, let’s look at people who have eye problems, especially nerve damage causing blindness. With nanotechnology, a bridge can be built across the gap between damaged nerves and the eye, that can get new nerves to grow and bridge this gap, allowing those that are blind to see again.

Nanotechnology is also growing in many travel areas. Building materials will be lighter, and stronger, making planes, boats and even space ships easier to build, longer lasting, and able to consume much less fuel. Road construction will also be cheaper, and roads and bridges lasting much longer than ever before. This will cut transportation costs across the board, make traveling easier and much safer. This will also make the building of power plants safer as well, and soon we won’t have the problems that we are faced with today, such as the explosion and melt down of the nuclear power plant in Japan after the recent earthquakes. Building will be stronger in general, and able to withstand natural disasters much better. This include fires and floods as well, whether natural or man made.

Nanotechnology has applications for law enforcement and the military as well. Bullet proof vests will be lighter, yet better able to absorb or deflect bullets. The same holds true for military and law enforcement vehicles, Humvees, tanks and other vehicles stronger, and better able to withstand attacks. Also, with new advances in nanotech, soldiers will be able to heal their injuries faster, be stronger and more agile.

For the automotive industry, with the use of nanotechnology, metals will be stronger, yet lighter. Fuel will be more effective, oils and other lubricants able to get into even the smallest parts. This will make vehicles last longer, be more fuel efficient, and cheaper than ever before. These are just a few of the many benefits that breakthroughs in nanotechnology can provide. Imagine sending nanotech to the moon or other planets, setting up habitats without the risks to mankind?

You can find out an abundance of information about nanotechnology online. There are numerous resources available.