Advantages of Nanotechnology

To enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology, let us first run through the good things this technology brings:

• Nanotechnology can actually revolutionize a lot of electronic products, procedures, and applications. The areas that benefit from the continued development of nanotechnology when it comes to electronic products include nano transistors, nano diodes, OLED, plasma displays, quantum computers, and many more.
• Nanotechnology can also benefit the energy sector. The development of more effective energy-producing, energy-absorbing, and energy storage products in smaller and more efficient devices is possible with this technology. Such items like batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells can be built smaller but can be made to be more effective with this technology.
• Another industry that can benefit from nanotechnology is the manufacturing sector that will need materials like nanotubes, aerogels, nano particles, and other similar items to produce their products with. These materials are often stronger, more durable, and lighter than those that are not produced with the help of nanotechnology.
• In the medical world, nanotechnology is also seen as a boon since these can help with creating what is called smart drugs. These help cure people faster and without the side effects that other traditional drugs have. You will also find that the research of nanotechnology in medicine is now focusing on areas like tissue regeneration, bone repair, immunity and even cures for such ailments like cancer, diabetes, and other life threatening diseases.

Disadvantages of Nanotechnology

When tackling the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology, you will also need to point out what can be seen as the negative side of this technology:

• Included in the list of disadvantages of this science and its development is the possible loss of jobs in the traditional farming and manufacturing industry.
• You will also find that the development of nanotechnology can also bring about the crash of certain markets due to the lowering of the value of oil and diamonds due to the possibility of developing alternative sources of energy that are more efficient and won’t require the use of fossil fuels. This can also mean that since people can now develop products at the molecular level, diamonds will also lose its value since it can now be mass produced.
• Atomic weapons can now be more accessible and made to be more powerful and more destructive. These can also become more accessible with nanotechnology.
• Since these particles are very small, problems can actually arise from the inhalation of these minute particles, much like the problems a person gets from inhaling minute asbestos particles.
• Presently, nanotechnology is very expensive and developing it can cost you a lot of money. It is also pretty difficult to manufacture, which is probably why products made with nanotechnology are more expensive.

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Many people have never even heard of this cutting-edge science, but it’s quite simple: nanotechnology studies and modifies elements at the particle level, so it can be applied to almost anything you can imagine. And when you apply it to mattresses, you get an extremely pleasant result.

Scientists at the University of Florida and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a mattress built on flexible nano-engineered carbon microtubes. In form and appearance this material will basically resemble foam.

The two schools published their findings in Journal Science in 2006 and essentially revealed that by using nanotechnology they were able to create a thin film of multiwalled carbon tubes. These tubes were then combined into large groups to create the foam-like structure, which behaves quite similarly to the famous memory foam employed by high-end luxury companies like Tempur-Pedic.

There is one key difference: nanotube foam recovers its shape much faster than conventional foam and doesn’t collapse or fracture under weight. Thanks to some brilliant engineers, the nano-foam is able to compress to approximately one-sixth of its normal size and still rebound completely as if it had never been compressed.

Researchers have even taken cosmetic appearance into consideration. They have designed and patented small fibers known as “nano-whiskers” that measure only 1/1000th the width of a human hair. These are then attached to the individual fibers that make up fabric.

They act as a protective shield over the fabric because substances bead up and wick off the whiskers before they ever get through to the fabric itself, thereby allowing it to repel stains. Almost every mattress manufacturer who produces the memory foam mattress also equips the fabric surface of that mattress with nano-whiskers so that the mattress is not only softer and more comfortable for your body, but also easier to clean.

Some companies don’t produce mattresses that are completely composed of nano-foam, but almost every serious contender in the mattress industry is now providing at least one model that incorporates nano-foam elements in one way or another. They are tapping into the technology that will revolutionize our generation: nano-materials can “do it themselves.”

We are already beginning to see Eddie Bauer khakis that can’t be stained, shirts that “eat” odors or self-clean, and household cleaning chemicals that require only a quick spray-on application and then keep surfaces clean for weeks. And, of course, the nano-mattress, which is made of the same molecularly engineered carbon tubules that NASA plans to use for its infamous space elevator.

NASA needed a material that was strong enough yet also light enough to handle the forces that would assail a cable strung from Earth into space orbit, and out of all the available materials at their disposal they chose nano-carbon tubules, the same substance used in a nano-foam mattress.

The more you learn about nano-mattresses, the more you want to replace your creaky old innerspring. And if you find out more about that old innerspring mattress you’ll become even more eager to update.

The traditional innerspring mattress uses what is known as a “Bonnell coil,” which was directly adapted from late-19th century buggy seats. It has almost nothing to do with the human body and sometimes causes adverse effects, as anyone who’s ever woken up with a sore back can attest.

But now you have miraculous modern materials like nano-foam, which can resist stains, conform to your body more effectively than any other substance, and won’t tear, collapse, or indent.

All of this is remarkable, but it’s even more impressive when you consider how much comfort the researchers were able to achieve using such a limited amount of material. The nano-foam ratio they developed for use in these mattresses is 85% air, giving new meanings to the phrases “Lighter than air,” and “Less is more.”

When you crush a traditional innerspring mattress during testing, each of the coils reacts individually—this means that as the weight of your body pushes on such a mattress, you will have an uneven surface putting stress on your joints and muscles. Nano-foam fixes these issues because each of its tiny tubes moves in unison with the others.

During its crushing test it showed unanimous movement throughout the mattress body, which translates directly into comfort that conforms to your every move.

These nano-materials, with their unprecedented levels of springiness and luxury, are also extremely strong. Researchers are continuing to find varied uses for this wonderfully versatile new foam, including high-tech cushioning pads, energy-absorbent coatings, and various accessories that will probably be used by NASA in space-flight.

This harks back to tempur, also known as memory foam. Tempur revolutionized the way people sleep when it was introduced into the public market back in the late 90’s. Looking at how memory foam has so drastically and positively affected our quality of life gives you some idea of the incredible nature of nano-foam, which is basically the new tempur.

Nanotechnology has effectively outdated memory foam in the same way that memory foam outdated the innerspring, all thanks to some brilliant scientists. And after all, I don’t know about you, but those are the people I want working on my mattress.

As we investigate the new realm of nanotechnology, it becomes necessary to realize that this new field offers both miraculous potential and also nightmare effects.

The issue is pressing because economic concerns often win out over health considerations. Nanotechnology is no exception; products that have been submitted to scanty research are already making slow but steady breakthroughs into the marketplace.

Billions of dollars have already been spent on development and advertising. Far less has been spent on investigating the ways in which these nano-products interact with humans and their environment.

It’s easy enough for quality control experts to make a mistake here. Nanoparticles behave much differently than do their larger elemental counterparts; for example, graphite is classified as having a certain level of toxicity, but nano-carbon, although technically graphite renders none of the same effects.

The problem is that this can also work in the opposite way. A seemingly harmless element is broken down and engineered on the molecular level until it has become more dangerous than its original parent material, without anyone suspecting that such a drastic transformation has taken place.

One chilling example of this phenomenon involves fullerenes. Tiny nano-elements, they were once believed to be relatively harmless. Research conducted in 2004 with ongoing ramifications indicates that the opposite is true; researchers exposed fish to a dose of fullerene at 0.5 parts per million for a mere 48 hours and found that the fish sustained extensive brain damage.

More than this, their entire physiology was changed the fullerenes had changed the reproductive code as well as key genetic markers in the livers of the fish, indicating that future generations would be susceptible to hereditary handicaps. And just to make sure that the test results really were as horrific as they seemed to be, researchers then applied the fullerene dose to water fleas, a key link in the marine food chain. The water fleas died almost instantly.

Fullerenes are present in many innocuous products, one of which is fertilizer. This is especially concerning in light of the fish research results, since fullerenes travel freely through soil and can be absorbed and magnified in the bodies of earthworms. Earthworms affect the soil in which vegetables are grown, meaning that fullerenes have a free shot at entering the human food chain.

While we may not be as easily warped as fish, it is certain that if exposed to enough trace amounts of any harmful nanochemical such as fullerene our brains would suffer some form of damage.

This potential danger is one of the factors that has spurred researchers to call for better investigation of nanotechnologically-produced substances before they are allowed to enter our everyday lives. Unfortunately, some elements of society regard the short-term monetary benefits as more important than long-term societal ramifications.

It stands to reason that nanoparticles can penetrate cells—they are much smaller and more active than the cellular material they seek to penetrate and can literally slip through the cell wall in many cases. Apart from entering our bodies directly in this manner, which they would have no trouble doing, nanoparticles could also get there indirectly by infiltrating the food chain in a number of ways.

This includes not only the aforementioned example with the earthworm, but also the fact that nanoparticles could “piggyback” on bacteria and protozoa that naturally occur in our food sources. (Have you ever looked at your bologna or your hot dog under a microscope?) We would then be ingesting these particles in large numbers. Since a nanoparticle could be a molecular manifestation of almost any element, including poisons, this is a very serious consideration.

And with little to no regulation in place, there is nothing preventing nanotechnology from unleashing either the next accidental epidemic or failing to prevent the next tool of mass biological warfare.

Nanotechnology dangers, however, are not limited to what we are unknowingly putting into our systems. They also include nano-substances that are being deliberately placed there. One of the foremost of these is nanoblood, also known as respirocytes.

The respirocyte was developed by nano-theorist Robert Freitas and essentially acts as a super-blood cell. It is an artificial, nano-engineered substance that functions like a red blood cell but also gives its host superior abilities because it is made of pure diamond, which enables it to withstand unnaturally high pressure.

It has been estimated that because of the superior performance made possible by its rigid diamond shell, 5 cubic millimeters of respirocytes could replace all the blood in your body.

Those 5 cubic millimeters would also do a better job than your 5.6 liters. Putting large amounts of respirocytes into the body would enable you to hold your breath for hours or sprint for 15 minutes straight. It can improve any natural human function a million times over, extending our ability to see, smell, react, stay awake, and reproduce.

While this may seem fantastic at first to some people and indeed, the military finds it particularly fascinating it ultimately could result in massive problems for the human race. There are preliminary indications that injecting an organism with respirocytes causes hereditary changes and may even magnify the supernatural abilities in its offspring.

You would therefore be creating a generation of supercharged, out-of-control creatures. Tampering with human beings in this manner gives rise to so many ethical violations that it becomes impossible to list them all.

The military has already anticipated implementing a systematic widespread injection of respirocytes into their soldiers at some point between 2010 and 2025, but doctors anticipate that these artificial blood cells could cause overheating and possibly even bio-breakdowns. It also appears that nanoblood, when excreted through the bodily system, has a negative impact on the environment.

All of these considerations are only a taste of the many dangers inherent to nanotechnology. We are on the verge of life-changing discoveries, but whether these are for the betterment of society may be entirely up to how responsible our nanotechnology decisions are.

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Any substance in existence can be broken into molecules and tampered with in order to give it different properties and abilities.

The universality of nanotechnology means that it is being applied to almost every facet of modern life. Miraculous effects can be achieved by engineering nanoparticles; for example, researchers have already developed wool and silk that can clean themselves because their altered particles “eat” stains.

Self-cleaning household products are also being developed. The time is not far distant when you’ll be able to spray a nano-chemical onto the grime in your kitchen and watch it disappear and practically never come back, since many nano-chemicals also prevent grime from accumulating.

Researchers have also developed “nanocomposites,” a cluster of nanoparticles from different elements that can, among other things, solve the pollution problem. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for example, has discovered how to alter silica particles so that they attract and capture toxic particles in water.

Known as Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (SAMMS), they can de-toxify extensive bodies of water in a matter of hours.

This could go a long way towards removing and reducing water pollution in several ways, and since water pollution is one of mankind’s most pressing modern problems, that’s saying a lot.

It also appears that the same technique might be extremely helpful when applied to copper. Micro-engineering copper particles may allow them to soak up radioactive waste materials.

On a lighter note, one of the characteristic features of nanomaterials is their ability to be both lightweight and extremely strong at the same time. Chicago-based Wilson Sports noticed that strong and light is the perfect recipe for a good golf club, and acted accordingly.

Wilson offers a line of three drivers, a fairway wood, four types of golf balls, and even a golf bag made entirely from nano-engineered materials. Back in 2004, they also toyed with nano tennis rackets, which are now touted for their superior qualities.

Other sports goods manufacturing companies are trying to follow suit but have been struggling to catch up with Wilson’s massive head start; most competitors are still in the research stage when it comes to nanotechnology.

You might be surprised to find that you’re putting nanoparticles on or next to your body every day. Certain sunscreen brands have seen fit to incorporate nanotechnology into their products; the use of molecularly-engineered materials means that these sunscreens are many times more effective at absorbing light than normal brands.

Nanoparticles are especially good when it comes to UV rays. Their minute particle size enables them to cover more skin with less cream base and since they spread more easily, you use less of the sunscreen and theoretically save money.

Also, for those who like to get picky about their sunscreens, nanomaterials are transparent in nature rather than having that sticky white consistency we all know and love.

Preliminary nano-sunscreens have been in circulation since early this century; in 2001 they had taken over 60% of the Australian sunscreen market. So the next time you are wondering what is Nanotechnology used for today? remember that when your putting on the sun block!

Soon, other sunscreen makers will be virtually compelled to employ nanotechnology in their sunscreen production, or watch as the market leaves them behind.

This light-repelling ability can also be used for packaging. After all, in many cases UV rays and other forms of light are responsible for a great deal of spoilage during transportation and storage.

When it comes to food and other sensitive products, plastics and packaging industries aren’t blind to the fact that a healthy dose of nanotechnology will do them a lot of good.

They can enable their products to last longer and perform better in many ways by simply tweaking the molecules around a little bit, thereby saving both themselves and their consumers a lot of money.

Nanotechnology will also revolutionize the medical field, and has begun to do so already. Scientists have developed a type of synthetic bone based on nanoparticles simply by engineering the components that real bone is made of. AngstroMedica has taken calcium and hydroxyapatite, a phosphate composite, broken them into their molecular components, and then made minor adjustments to those components.

The resultant growth is identical to natural bone in both structure and composition and makes an excellent synthetic substitute in areas where natural bone is missing or broken beyond repair.

Medical personnel anticipate that it will be widely used for treating fractures and soft tissue injuries. A variety of other nanotechnology applications are making similar inroads in the medical community.

The energy arena is also seeing radical new techniques evolve thanks to nanotechnology. The Shenhua Group constitutes China’s largest coal company collective.

They recently purchased a license from Hydrocarbon Technologies that will allow them to liquefy coal and turn it into gas, consequently revolutionizing the way the energy industry functions.

Many countries, including China and the U.S., possess large natural reserves of coal that have never completely paid off for their economies because of the superior popularity and performance of gasoline.

Now the balance of power may be poised to shift. This stunning new technology employs a gel-based nanoscale catalyst. Before the invention of this catalyst it was possible to turn coal into gas, but it the cost outweighed the benefit. Nanotechnology has furnished a faster, more efficient, and less expensive version of this process.

Even companies like NASA have found a direct application for this emerging science, as they anticipate using nano-engineered carbon tubules for the creation of the epic “Space Elevator,” scheduled to be up and running sometime in the next 30 years. This elevator would change our world forever by creating a permanent link to the solar system around us.

One end would be anchored to a large station in the ocean, and the other end to an asteroid already in orbit. The cable running between these points needs to be made of the strongest yet lightest material possible and nanocarbon fits the bill perfectly.

With this elevator, mankind will be able to send passengers and cargo into space on a regular basis at greatly reduced cost. Thanks to nanotechnology, conquering the final frontier is going to be one wild ride.

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Electricity is one of the most recent examples, heralding the development of both television and computers which have changed the entire neurological function of modern generations.

The first and most natural instinct of society is to turn new technology into marketable products. In this sense, nanotechnology’s sociological effects may be primarily economic.

Most new technology finds its outlet in the marketplace under an array of brand names; the invention of computers was quickly followed by the branding and marketing of Microsoft. Sociological history has taught us that mankind’s number one incentive is monetary, and nanotechnology is already following this pattern.

Nanoscientists in America find that, per usual, the main marketplace for cutting-edge technology lies with the government and will either be used for research leading to military concerns, or for direct military applications.

Anytime a new technology becomes a tool of war, society has a big question to ask itself. What are the possible effects of the new technology on the quality, or lack thereof, of human lives?

The adaptation of military technology may rightly be viewed as a barometer for society in general, since the way we behave on the battlefield is often a primal indication of our basic beliefs and attitudes. Society will usually be an echo of or a response to these military behaviors.

When it comes to sociology in particular, concerned parties have pointed out that some types of military nanotechnology may pose health hazards or result in widespread environmental pollution.

Military applications from 2005-2010 and their sociological implications include:

Nanomaterials. Also known as “nanotubes,” these microscopically-developed fibers are being considered for their extreme strength and lightness. They could potentially be used to develop military uniforms and equipment that weigh far less than contemporary standard issue, yet are many times stronger than the same.

Sociological concerns include the current tendency of such materials to shed small amounts of nanofibers. These nanofibers are still being studied, but preliminary research indicates that they are highly capable of entering the body (when used in uniforms) or the environment (when used in equipment) and may tamper with the natural processes of both, causing harm.

Nanoparticle coverings. Certain substances have been engineered on the molecular level to provide a coating for military equipment, including tanks and fighter planes as well as smaller weapons.

This coating allows the equipment to have a harder shell, become smoother or more aerodynamic, and in some cases provides a stealth illusion for purposes of subterfuge. Sociological concerns include the possibility of gradual erosion, which could lead to particle inhalation.

Military staff would therefore be highly exposed to an unknown inhalation risk and this could spread to the general population.

Nanomaterial filters. The military is considering usage of nanomaterials as filters for a variety of liquids. While they have demonstrated the ability to remove impurities from said fluids, sociologists worry that once they become a universal feature of military life the quality of production and the monitoring system may become lax, resulting in small amounts of toxic impurities that could accumulate over time to cause damage to both humans and their environment.

Anticipated military applications from 2010-2025 and their sociological implications include:

Nanoblood. Nano-engineers have successfully replicated blood cells on the molecular level. Also known as respirocytes, they not only function as a normal blood cell but in some cases have also been dramatically enhanced through nanotechnology.

These performance-enhancing blood cells give soldiers unprecedented abilities, but their effects have not been fully studied. Both doctors and sociologists have pointed out that these nano-blood cells have the potential to dangerously overheat the human body and lead to bio-breakdowns. Furthermore, excretion of nanoblood appears to have negative effects on the environment.

Smart weapons. The “self-activating” nature of many nanotechnologies is not only their miraculous power but also their curse. The best-case military scenario for smart weapons is an array of miniaturized robotic weapons and target-seeking ammunition that would lessen the need for direct human involvement in a combat situation.

The worst-case military scenario involves malfunctioning of equipment that could lead to a nightmare scene of unexpected civilian casualties, injury or death incurred amongst military personnel, unintended destruction of valuable infrastructure, and mass pollution of the environment.

Nanoreceptors. Like nanoblood, these small receptors are poised to interfere with human function on the battlefield. They would allow the nervous system to function in overdrive, increasing soldiers’ alertness and reducing their reaction time.

Concerned parties have pointed out that nanoreceptors could easily lead not only to severe addiction, but are extremely likely to cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. CFS commonly leads to sudden physical weakness, extensive neural damage, and eventually death.

With all of these considerations in mind, it behooves society to make responsible decisions about which nanotechnologies will be allowed on the battlefield and how they will be employed.

A panel of researchers has investigated the matter and prescribed a number of further studies to ensure that before any of these nanotechnologies are applied in the military, they have been studied. Their recommendations are as follows:

• Investigating the way in which a human body absorbs nanoparticles, including all possible means of entry: eyes, ears, alimentary canal, lungs, and skin.
• How the immune system responds to and handles nanomaterials, including the ability of said nanomaterials to evade the immune system’s detection entirely.
• Potential airborne and waterborne exposure routes of nanomaterials.
• The ability of nanoparticles to infiltrate bacteria and similar protozoa, accumulate in their bodies, and enter the human food chain.
• How nanomaterials enter the human environment and whether or not they have the capacity to shift characteristics when transferred from one medium (say, air) to another medium (water.)
• How humans can effectively identify and then safely dispose of nano-litter.
• Possible usage of nanotechnology to rectify its own damage. In particular, the potential for nanotechnology to provide a comprehensive post-battlefield cleanup by removing not only negative effects caused by nanotechnology, but also chemical, biological, and nuclear wastes.

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With materials like these we may be able to find ways of launching into orbit that don’t involve costly rockets (and their costly fuel.) Researchers are particularly excited about the possibilities for a space elevator.

Carbon nanotubes are the perfect choice for such an elevator’s cable, since nanotechnology is able to create carbon-based material that is light in weight yet strong enough to withstand the forces it would face in space.

A space elevator would make all kinds of pioneering efforts possible by dramatically reducing the cost of sending things into orbit.

This becomes painfully obvious when one considers that 95% of a space shuttle’s takeoff weight is entirely devoted to fuel storage.

Despite the amusing and whimsical idea of an elevator that reaches all the way into space, scientists are perfectly serious about this endeavor and have already anticipated such practicalities as how and where the two ends of its cable will be anchored, the Earth end will be affixed to a sea anchor that is similar to a drilling rig, and the space end of the cable will be attached to an asteroid.

The elevator cars would be powered by a laser on the Earth-side anchor station. Each car would be equipped with solar panels that could convert the laser’s light into energy that would then drive the car up the cable in much the same way that a monorail operates, except vertically.

Carbon nanotubes are also slated for use in the development of solar sails. These lightweight devices use the pressure of the sunlight’s reflection to push the spacecraft forward. They would solve the issue of having to pack extra rocket fuel aboard the craft before launch, making these new sails a very weight-restricting and cost-effective prospect.

With such sails at their disposal once in orbit, people would be able to travel almost fuel-free from the moon to distant planets and back (hypothetically.) Nanomaterials are perfect for this purpose because the sails will need to be thin yet extremely strong so that they can stretch for several kilometers without tearing.

Scientists are also hard at work on developing supplemental spacecraft material using carbon nanotubes, which has a double benefit: it can, by replacing parts of the spaceship that are traditionally heavier, make the craft lighter and easier to put into orbit (and therefore less expensive.) At the same time, these nanomaterials are often of a higher quality than those they are replacing, so the spacecraft actually becomes stronger as well as lighter.

Even the thrusters of the spacecraft may soon be composed of nanomaterial. Instead of traditional chemical rockets that consume costly rocket fuel and expel hot chemical gasses, these new engines would use MEMS devices to accelerate nanoparticles, thereby creating an electric field that would push ions away from the spaceship in order to propel itself.

This would dramatically simplify and lighten the standard thruster systems that NASA uses for missions between planets. One cost-effective benefit of this would be the universality of the modified thruster unit. Instead of having to build different thrusters for various sizes of spacecraft, NASA could simply use the same thruster system for all.

Even delicate technology could soon be regulated by nanoparticles. Nanosensors could potentially monitor the life support system inside a spaceship, ensuring that even trace chemicals and elements in the interior environment are at a safe level for passengers.

Researchers are also in the process of producing “bio-nano-machines” that essentially deploy a range of nanosensors that can perform a variety of functions.

Specifically, they might be used to conduct intensive searches of remote planets Mars will most likely be the first candidate and their main function will be to track and report trace amounts of water and other important chemicals so that the astronauts themselves have time for more important work.

Bio-nano robots could also provide vital help to astronauts in case of emergency. Scientists anticipate two types: an outer robot layer and an inner. The outer bio-nano robot layer would function separately from the astronaut’s spacesuit but possibly be stored as a part of the suit when not in use.

These robots could respond to dangerous spacesuit issues like tears or ruptures and fix them before they harm the astronaut. An inner layer of robots could administer directly to the astronaut himself, operating inside the spacesuit and tending wounds or administering medication.

Both waves of bio-nano robots would be extremely useful in protecting astronauts, since operating without such emergency considerations leaves them open to all kinds of dangers. Space debris is a common problem; it often flies at several hundred miles per hour (if not thousands) and even pea-sized particles travel fast enough to pass completely through an astronaut’s body at any location, just like a bullet. Bio-nano robots could save lives in such a situation.

Several institutions are now working on these possible technologies and their ramifications. The Center for Nanotechnology at NASA Ames is investigating how nanotechnology could be applied to make a spacecraft lighter and more cost-effective. One of their main considerations is how the craft’s various technological systems including sensors, propulsion, navigation, and communication could be improved on many levels using nanotechnology.

The Johnson Space Center Nano Materials Project is working on a similar collection of issues as they strive to produce an extremely lightweight spaceship.

The LiftPort Group is dedicated entirely to the production of the long-anticipated space elevator, with a target date of October 2031. Nanotechnology, in the form of carbon nanotubules, is the entire basis of their project.

MIT’s Space Nanotechnology Laboratory is using nanotechnology to develop unprecedented high-performance instruments that will greatly improve astronauts’ abilities on spaceflights.

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Practical problems can include everything from the need for mass produced forms of nanotechnology that may or may not be possible.

Ethical problems can include everything from the potential direction nanotechnology might take to the problems with the possible effects of the products created.

One of the potential disadvantages of nanotechnology includes the potential for mass poisoning over a period of time. While nanoscience can produce all kinds of new and improved products, the particles that are created are so incredibly small that they may very well cause eventual health problems in the consumers that use them.

Since almost everyone uses a product that has been touched by nanotechnology it is possible that the eventual health effects could be large scale.

Mass poisoning could only happen if the coatings that nanotechnology has the potential to produce include poisonous microparticles that can cross over into the brain. There is a barrier between the blood stream and the brain known as the blood—brain barrier.

Coating all of our products with particles that are small enough to cross over this barrier runs the risk of creating a mass poisoning. Fortunately, the scientists that are able to study nanotechnology have already considered this possibility and there are very strict guidelines that will help detract from this potential risk.

Another potential problem with nanotechnology is the lack of our own knowledge. We know that we can create materials with nanotechnology but we still have to stop and understand the impact of the creation of these products will have on the nanoscale.

If we change the structure of material on the nano level without understanding the potential impact on the nanoscale, we risk creating a whole world of materials that have atoms that actually do not fit together cohesively.

There are some potential disadvantages of nanotechnology that fall in the realm of both the practical and the ethical. If nanotechnology can help the human body recover from illness or injury then it is quite possible that nanotechnology can create an altered human state.

We could potentially be able to create a human race that is engineered and altered to become hyper—intelligent and super strong. The serious complications with such issues include the idea that the scientific technology would only be available to those who can afford it. That would mean there would be an underclass of people; the people we are now.

Should nanotechnology actually be able to procure an honest and true molecular manufacturing machine for every household how would the world’s economy survive? What would we do with all those jobs that are lost in the manufacturing fields and how would we calculate monetary concerns when it comes to this type of on demand manufacturing?

There is a host of potential weaponry that could be produced on a molecular level. For any scientist, the potential to engineer diseases and create lethal weaponry that can’t even be seen is an ethical quagmire. Even more distressing is whether or not other countries that have nanotechnology capabilities will create these weapons.

While it sounds as though the disadvantages of nanotechnology will be the end of the world, this is not really the case. With all the good any science can do, there is always the capability of engineering evil potential. There is a system of checks and balances in place to help prevent the mishandling of scientific research and capabilities.

There is also not a great likelihood that most of the potential disadvantages will come to fruition. Rather, it is more likely that the ethical questions and concerns will be addressed as the potential for actual development and practical use comes into play. Most of the concerns that scientists and ethical experts are concerned with will not be a realistic potential for a long time to come.

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There is the possibility that the future of nanotechnology is very bright, that this will be the one science of the future that no other science can live without. There is also a chance that this is the science that will make the world highly uncomfortable with the potential power to transform the world.

Even positive changes can make world leaders and citizens alike very nervous. One of the top concerns regarding the future of nanoscience includes molecular manufacturing, which would be the ability to bring materials to life from the simple molecular reconstruction of everyday objects.

This technology could end world hunger. At the same time, this process could lead to experimental molecular manufacturing with live beings.

The future of nanotechnology could improve the outlook for medical patients with serious illnesses or injuries. Physicians could theoretically study nano surgery and be able to attack illness and injury at the molecular level. This, of course, could eradicate cancer as the surgical procedures would be done on the cellular base.

Cancer cells would be identified, removed, and the surgical implantation of healthy cells would soon follow. Moreover, there would be an entire nano surgical field to help cure everything from natural aging to diabetes to bone spurs. There would be almost nothing that couldn’t be repaired (eventually) with the introduction of nano surgery.

While this sounds like a promising future, the natural process of life and death would be completely interrupted. Without death, the world would become overpopulated and leave no place for the ecosystems that we rely on for our survival. We could potentially end up in a world that requires the personally controlled delivery of oxygen through tanks and masks.

The future of nanotechnology could very well include the use of nanorobotics. These nanorobots have the potential to take on human tasks as well as tasks that humans could never complete. The rebuilding of the depleted ozone layer could potentially be able to be performed.

Nanorobots could single out molecules of water contaminants. We could put these tony robots to use keeping the environment cleaner than ever since they could break it down to each atom of water pollution. These nanorobots could also take over human jobs, especially those in high tech positions. If we wipe out too many human high paying, high tech positions then we threatened the world economy.

The future of nanotechnology rests in the hands of the current scientists that are ready and able to help guide this very young science into the next realm. There are those who fear the future of nanoscience and there are those who are ready to embrace it. Walking a careful line in cohesive junction with human interests is going to be a tricky but worthwhile accomplishment.

There is a possibility that the future of nanotechnology could also be the end of the science. There is a great burden on the scientists of nanotechnology. These men and women have to be able to keep the progress in play while keeping the interest in nanotechnology alive despite the potential limitations.

Nanotechnology is already quietly expected within the scientific community to be the answer to the world’s problems. Just like the previous answer to the world’s problems the human element cannot be factored in until the future becomes the present.

Much of the funding for nano—research may very well require something amazing in order to continue. The funding that keeps nanotechnology alive is invested in the potential future progress that this technology promises.

If it fails to deliver at least some of the potential, funding and interest might vanish right before the eyes of the scientists who spend their lives trying to increase life’s wonders through the manipulation of atoms and molecules.

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However, once it’s explained, it makes perfect sense. Many everyday products are the direct result of nanotechnology applications.

The manipulation of particles that are smaller than most people can imagine is able to create products that enrich our everyday lives.

Nanotechnology involves the creation of material derived from the manipulation of particles as smaller than atoms. Manipulations of these microscopic particles allow scientists create all kinds of products that we use on a regular basis.

Nanoemulsion is one form of nanotechnology that produces liquid products like cleaners and disinfectants for swimming pools that are not harmful to humans. Liquids that kill the bacteria in pools are mixed with drops that are about a million times smaller than the head of a pin in order to spread toward the bacteria.

This means that nanotechnology has produced highly effective pool antibacterial liquids that require a lesser amount of chemical in the water. This product makes swimming pools safer for people on two levels. Bacteria is controlled more effectively and exposure to harsh chemicals that have the potential to cause health problems.

Over the counter bandages are effective at killing germs and protecting cuts thanks to nanotechnology. Originally bandages and antibiotic ointment were sold separately because the technology to blend the two didn’t exist. However, nanoparticles of silver ions are now added to the bandages in order to create an inhospitable environment for bacteria.

The ions literally smother or suffocate the bacteria. The infusion with bandages is simple technology when compared to the technology that prevents infection around cuts and abrasions.

Sports benefit from the products of nanotechnology as well. Tennis rackets now come with the strength of steel buildings but weigh less than the tennis ball in some cases. A carbon nanotube infused graphite has been compounded in order to produce the lightest possible tennis racket.

Wilson Nano Tennis Racquet - Made With Nanotechnology

The tennis rackets created with this type of nanotechnology are stronger than the steel used to build weatherproof buildings. The tennis balls benefit as well as one of the applications of nanotechnology.

To make the core of the tennis ball stronger scientists have created a coating of nanoparticles of clay which means that air can not escape from the core of the ball. This helps the ball maintain its bounce and thus does not have to be replaced as often.

Technological applications of nanotechnology include the creation of nano—batteries, tiny capacitors, and nearly microscopic microprocessors. This type of nanotechnology brings smaller computers with heartier capabilities.

This will help decrease the replacement rate for the world’s smallest computers that are sent into space, down to the depths of the sea, and those we plop on our laps on a daily basis.

Nanotechnology has additionally produced a digital screen that can be flexed and bent without losing resolution. As an application of nanotechnology there is a while host of practical applications that can be thought up using a flexible high resolution screen.

With these smaller, flexible screens humanitarians will be able to take outreach projects to the jungles with more efficiency, human safety will increase by reducing household accidents, and of course we can have a lot more fun on long road trips with take anywhere flexible screens for our electronic devices.

There is a company using the application of nanotechnology to create something known as “self cleaning glass.” The nanoparticles used in the process are photocatalytic, which means that the sun engages the nanoparticles.

Additional nanoparticles are used to make the glass hydrophilic, which means that the rainwater that touches the glass will spread out evenly. Thus, self cleaning glass uses nanotechnology to encourage the sun to loosen the dirt particles and the rain to wash it away.

There are many additional applications of nanotechnology. It is the heart of things that we surround ourselves with everyday. Our wrinkle free fabrics which we pull from the dryer on our way out the door, LCD screens that make our entertainment clearer, and skin care products that provide deep penetration to help keep skin cells healthy are all part of the applications of nanotechnology that make our lives better.

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Others have found evidence that the history of nanotechnology can be traced back to the year 1959.

Either way, as scientific development goes, nanotechnology is still a relatively fresh and new arena of scientific research.

Still other scientists hold the belief that humans have employed practical nanotechnological methods for thousands of years, perhaps even longer.

Nanotechnology is the development of progress, as many like to put it, and progress has included the vulcanization of rubber and the introduction of steel into society. These advancements count in the history of nanotechnology according to many well known scientific experts.

Perhaps it might be safer to acknowledge that the basics of the history of nanotechnology have been implemented for thousands of years or longer, but we as a scientific society did not put a name to it until somewhere in the mid 60s.

In order to accurately document the history of nanotechnology, one could argue that it began when we developed the ability to determine particle size, which is indicated to be around the turn of the 20th century.

It was during this time that particle size became a constant factor in scientific exploration. These measurements were recorded at smaller than 10nm, which in lay terms translates roughly into less than microscopic.

The nanometer came on the scene before the onset of the 1960s. The nanometer, for many, is the beginning of the history of nanotechnology. After all, once it could be measured, it would be considered to be an acceptable frame of reference, right? Almost..

The mid 19 teens produced the ability to recognize particles via the use of an ultramicroscope that could detect particles as small as 1/1 millionth of a millimeter. This is a particle smaller than most lay people can not truly visualize accurately. Thus, there are yet even more critics that state the history of nanotechnology actually began in the mid 19 teens when the documented case took place.

Of course, the term itself comes with history. The word assigned to this type of scientific advancement is known to have come from a paper that was released in 1974 written from the Tokyo Science University. There, a student coined the term “nanotechnology” in his paper and the name stuck firmly from then on. This is one area of this science’s history that is not readily disputed, or disputable.

During this time, nanotechnology truly flourished, and as early as 1974 there were numerous break throughs that led scientists to continue to develop this science with fervor. Discoveries such as the famous Finns’ process of atomic layering helped to put nanotechnology on the map when it came to being recognized by the rest of the scientific community.

The idea that one could actually in some sense “touch” atoms and molecules came about in the 1980s, when famous nanotechnological scientists backed up the theory proposed by Dr. K. Eric Drexler, who was responsible for the eventual ability to manipulate atoms and molecules.

This was rather controversial at the time as the mishandling of molecules and atoms were feared should the any scientists with deadly intentions get their hands on the process. The fear was well founded, as molecular manipulation would have certainly been a way to sabotage just about anything, including humane structuring of the natural world.

The 1980s and early 1990s saw a significant increase in the popularity of nanotechnology. This is the science that can figure out how to power our lives with nothing more than molecules and atoms. This is the science where advancements are always happening and being tested.

It won’t be long before we look to nano—scientists to attempt to fix some of the world’s larger social problems with the implementation of technology and progress.