What is Nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is the science of engineering machines at the molecular level. It has permitted the restructuring of some matter at the atomic level. It will eventually permit the restructuring of any matter at the atomic level. Nobel Prize Winning Physicist Richard Feynman forwarded the earliest theories of modern day Nanotechnology. True Nanotechnology where we can basically make anything out of nothing is predicted to be here anywhere from 5 to 15 years. As R&D progresses exponentially, it will probably be here in 3-4 years. You will be able to use a unit similar in appearance to a microwave to produce any material thing out of thin air.
What are its most recent ground breaking discoveries in Nanotechnology?
One easily comprehended and appreciated device made possible by Nanotechnology is the Nanotube. A Nanotube is stronger than diamonds but thinner than the human hair - fifty thousand times thinner than the human hair to be exact. This particular Nano-creation is being considered for a multiplicity of uses including but not limited to flat screen TV and computer monitor tubes and a cable to outer space to run vehicles on.
From the Nanotube technology is being developed to help write circuit boards to create the Nano-computers that are eagerly longed for.
The Nanobelt is a discovery which will enable microscopic conductivity, speeding the arrival of miniature everything (everything electrical anyway). Made of oxide dust particles, these are the purest, cleanest uniform wires yet developed and highly praised for their possible applications.
Nanofilms have been developed with properties that increase the durability and versatility of films and coatings for various microscopic uses yet to be determined.
Nanoparticles are a discovery that will enable direct absorption in the body of many medicines which could not hereforeto be so absorbed. We also now have the ability to send electric signals through molecules and measure amounts sent.
The existence of biological engines (molecular level biological machines that are naturally occurring) and their use in non-biological sciences has also been discovered. There are literally small machines occurring naturally in living organisms that do things; these machines are being adapted.
What does this mean to you and your future?
In the simplest terms, we will have control of this life beyond all levels of imagination in every facet of it. Here is some of the breakdown.
Electronically
Conductivity will be sent through anything, to anything, for any imaginable or unimaginable purpose. Much smaller computer chips working together in and with every part of our bodies, minds and environments will be common place. Note the commercials for the imbedded computer chips already available.
Mechanically
Together with other sciences Nanotechnology will make things far beyond that of Star Trek possible and even common place. Beam you up? Beam you anywhere, absolutely.
Biologically
DuPont has already designed and built a unique protein that is not a duplicate of an existing protein. Eventually catalysts will be developed to speed many common or uncommon chemical reactions making manufacturing infinitely more time and cost effective. Customized DNA already exists thanks to chemical divisions of Nanotechnology.
Plants (living organisms) will be developed which will in and of themselves be producers of wholly complete medicinal drugs. The plants themselves will be complete pharmacological manufacturers.
Eventually we will have available something close to immortality. The immune system itself will be able to be rebuilt from top to bottom, as will you. If there is time to restructure your cells before you die then you can live on. Only some accident or fate that leaves you dead before anything can be done would conceivably end your life. Otherwise your cells from top to bottom could be renewed again and again. And even then, if one day it is built in to humanity to replace ones own cells automatically, one would have to be utterly destroyed for ones life to end.
Any imaginable plant or animal life species could also be invented, altered or replicated.
As one science of Nanotechnology crosses over into another, we will have DNA level computers, the potential for genuine Cyborgs that replicate themselves (such as in Star Trek's The Borg) and countless other possibilities. Obviously the potential for evil use as well as good is as much there as with atomic power and atomic bombs. We survived the one; we should survive the other.
Future developments in the lifetimes of those now 40 years old and younger will likely include removing all pollutants from any manufacturing process, curing all diseases, and making all of us extremely wealthy by comparison with today's economy.
In the future we will be building Nano devices from the bottom up instead of from the top down. Where before we have tried to build machines smaller and smaller, we will look at the molecular machines already in existence in nature and adapt them.
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