Nanotechnology Ahead!

How small can you think, it’s much smaller than that.

We have heard of things at the atomic and sub-atomic levels, and we also know that at these very small levels, general rules of physics don’t work and we have new rules, which we call quantum mechanics.

The word ‘nano’ is a Greek-originated word that means ‘very small’, so now you know we are talking about the technologies at a very small level. To imagine this level let’s think of a nano-computer which is the size of an ant and you are the size of the Earth, that’s so small! The technology is not new in the market, the importance is increasing day by day. Now, if you are a science nerd here is the definition, ‘Nanotechnology is the field of science that deals with the manipulation and control of matter at the nanoscale, usually which ranges from 1 to 100 nanometers.’ If the concept is new to you let’s understand it more through some possible applications of it.

Nano-doctors :

How better it would be if our treatment of any disease would be possible without actually cutting or harming our body parts. Yes, there are some nano-virus that are designed to treat diseases like cancer, neurological disorders, paralysis, infectious diseases, etc. They perform the task of targeting infected or non-working tissue in our body and curing it. If they reach our bodies they can also help us in early disease detection. Scientists have also tried to regenerate some of the body cells through these nano-viruses, which means if this technology is successful enough, then a person with any lost body part can regenerate itself again. They can also be good drug delivers, on specific points, which will overcome the effects of side effects of a medicine. We have come so far that we can also alter a person’s DNA(deoxyribose-nucleic acid) through these small doctors.

Nano-environmentalists :

The increased pollution on our planet, the garbage here and there, the dirty air, all that can be improved by the nano-environmentalists. These are the synthetic organisms that are made in laboratories that can clean our environment. We can use them to purify the air around us and decompose the unwanted bacteria and viruses that surround us. We can even use them to purify water and use it for drinking.

Nano-computers :

There was a time when we had computers the size of a room. But the decrease in their size is the fastest technology advancement we have ever seen. They can revolutionize computing power by storing much data in just a small scale. They are capable of solving complex problems with more speed. And also they do not consume much electricity and are cost-efficient. This is how we are moving towards a better world.

Nano-materials :

As we talked we arrange the atoms of a system to make it according to our needs. Nano-materials are very relevant to electricity production, we have made such materials that will absorb more light energy to convert it into electrical energy. Another use is in space exploration, we can make materials that are strong and lightweight. You might also have heard of carbon nanotubes, they are the first nanomaterials made by Japanese physicist Sumio Iijima, and they exhibit fantastic thermal and electrical properties with exceptional strength.

These are some of the uses that we can imagine right now, but we don’t know how many possibilities are there, we are just working to find one!