Nanotechnology: A Key to Unlocking Possibilities

An international renowned and wanted criminal has just been apprehended. "Bring project 1246z-2 ASAP", the army general yells at his men. This is a dose of a gray gooish substance that was injected into the criminal's neck via a syringe. Try to escape or move within a hectare of your restricted area, and your head blows off: The General whispers into the criminals tympanic membrane. This may just be one of the sci-fi movies, but it is actually changing into realities. The substance code named "project 1246z-2" is known as nanites - tiny explosives of near atomic level sizes.

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The term nanotechnology was coined by Professor Norio Taniguchi of Tokyo University of science in 1974. It refers to the science of creating, developing or researching on/of technologies at atomic and molecular levels. The world is a field of atomic and molecular structures and nanotechnology deals with the study and application of these structures. It can be applicable in various fields which are chemistry, physics, biology, engineering and material science.

The prefix "nano" means one-billionth of any measurement which can be the second (as in nanosecond) or the metre (as in nanometre). The potential of nanotechnology seems almost limitless. Tiny 'nanobots' smalll enough to walk on the tip of a needle could one day be used in many, very useful ways. They might rebuild amputated body part, disarm bombs, perform micro operation on intricate body parts and even self replicate when needed.

Advancement in nanotech have seen researches able to lift individual atoms from one material to another, an achievement illustrated by their arrangement of several atoms to form the letters IBM and the creation of nanogears (which can be up to 100 times thinner than a sheet of paper).

At the beginning of the 20th century, only a 'nanofraction' of the world's population may have believed that such amazing achievements could be possible, but if atoms themselves could be moved, could they be combined with other atoms or molecules to produce unimaginable products, materials, robots and even perfectly replicate an object? The sure answer is 'yes'.

CURRENT AND FUTURISTIC APPLICATION OF NANOTECH

In Computer Science and Technology
The most complex first generation computers which were built out of vacuum tubes were the size of school buses and houses; but less than a century later, an ordinary laptop the size of a notebook is just as possible. With the ability to design and construct and construct chips and IC's that is Integrated Circuits only a few molecules wide, it seems just a matter of time before the mightiest computer can be carried in a wallet.

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In Electronics
Nanotubes(a roll of a few atoms of carbon) have been used to construct tiny transistors since 2004 and are already used to manufacture chips thousands of times smaller and more efficient than the previous generation.

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In Health(Treatment of Cancers)
When nasoshells(balls of silica coated with gold) are injected into cancerous tumous/growths, then flashed with near infrared light, their gold shells burn at high temperatures, destroying cancer cells. When cancerous mice were treated with these nanoshells and infrared light by researchers, the mice were cancer free few days later.

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Nanotech holds huge promise for the future. With nanotech, nanovessels and nanofibres can be made to replace damaged tissues and blood vessels, and can serve as antibodies and rapidly heal broken bones.

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Treatment of Brain Disorders
Electronic nanobots or devices can interface and combine with the human nervous system, aiding brain functions in mentally disoriented patients such as Alzheimer's patients.
Nanodevices can revolutionize the creation of computers, modify and alter DNA and genetic data.

In Textile Production (Fabrics)
Nanotech could also be use in the textile industries. Fabrics could be created using nano technology, making clothing that could mend itself and adjust to different weather conditions.

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In Metal Industries
Nanomachines could be made to eat rust in metals and prevent it from recurring.

Some Movie Suggestions Where Nanotechnology was applied
The following movies used the application of nanotechnology, you may see these movies to grasp fully the extent and possibilities that can be unlocked using nanotechnologies.
These movies are:

• Ant man
• The Arrow (Seasonal)
• Lucy and
• Transcendence. There may be more but these are the few I have seen that uses the nanotechnology.

THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Self replication will surely reduce the cost of production in industries, but if not properly tested and handled, it could change from a good servant to a bad master, leading to a possible global infestation and unwanted creation.

Engineered carbon atoms were discovered to interfere with the nervous and coordinating systems of fish when released into the water, compromising their immune system and probably altering genetic data. A mistake in the programming of nanobots could alter their required functions, creating fake chips, destroying body tissues or even unwanted self-destruction.

Should the technology of nano operation fall into the wrong hands, it would certainly be catastrophic as self-replicating nanobombs also known as nanites could spread like an epidermic, killing people and destroying properties. A handful of nanites could be more powerful than a hundred armored tanks.

All these demerits just like the futuristic capabilities of atomic level engineering are still mainly hypothetical or like a wild bear waiting to be unleashed. But there is no doubt in the minds of researchers, chemist and even physicist that there is so much for the exploitation of nanotech and that the future holds more than what we see. Our achievements as regards to nanotech is just a tip of the iceberg, as the best is yet to come.

Through this, technology may be only restricted to the western world. Right now, one thing is sure: in decades and scores of years to come, some of the biggest achievements and discoveries will ride on the back of micro and nanotechnology.

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References:

1. What is Nanotechnology
2. How Nanotechnology Works
3. The New Book of Popular Science
4. An Introduction to Nanotechnology
5. Wikipedia: Nanotechnology

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