Nanotechnology: The future?

Every single thing in the universe - galaxies, oceans, turnips, playmates of the year and so on – is made from an assortment of the atoms produced in the fi rst few moments of the big bang, billions of years ago. There was the same number of atoms then as there is now and that will never change.

Outside of science, we don’t pay them much attention. They’re far too small really, and apart from being everything in existence, what have they ever done for us?

Things are changing. Recent developments in nanotechnology have led to the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level, and soon atoms will be working for us in a myriad of previously inconceivable ways. The implications for medicine, industry and communications are enormous, to put it mildly.

When we speak about something unimaginably tiny, like bacteria, we tend to describe them in terms of millions, or even trillions. The human body alone has around 1000 trillion of them, ten times the number of cells. At this level, measurements are made in nanometres (nm). To put one into perspective, a nanometre is to a metre what a marble is to the earth.

I recently watched a clip of a prototype nanobot, programmed to navigate along the human bloodstream. Demonstrating through a microscope how it is propelled by magnetically sensitive bacteria, the scientist was asked how many were in each bot. “Sixty” he replied.

This particular type of nanobot will be used to deliver drugs to precisely the correct location in the body and in the exact amount required. It may also be able to repair damaged tissue and aid doctors in diagnosing illness and genetic irregularities.

Such developments are not far from being exploited for use on a commercial scale; nanotechnology is not something confi ned to a vague future date. It is happening right now, invigorating disciplines as diverse as computing, aerospace and cosmetics. There are parts of your computer’s CPU and RAM which measure only 50nm, and the chemical process of nanofi ltration has been in use for several years to filter or desalinate water.

In terms of energy, nanotechnology has many potential uses. For example, in 2005 Canadian scientists devised a spray-on nanoparticle substance that, when applied to a surface, instantly transforms it to a solar collector. Batteries, screens, magnets and bulbs are just some of the items likely to be advanced as a result of developments in the atomic field.

The possibilities for industry are some of the most exciting, with the fabled “Space Elevator” allegedly to be constructed from carbon nanotubes. Vastly stronger and lighter materials for all kinds of vehicles will revolutionise travel, leading to greatly enhanced speed and safety. Bridges, sports’ equipment and concrete are all undergoing radical changes thanks to this astounding science.

In the household, the life of foodstuffs will be extended by coating the packaging with anti-microbial agents. Self-cleaning glass is one example of the 500+ nanotechnology based consumer products currently on the market.

Interestingly, there seems to be little fear or opposition towards this burgeoning scientifi c pursuit. Religious zealots can’t find any moral discrepancies, conservatives value its contribution to industry and consumers eagerly await a new era of products. There are perhaps only two concerns, and those come from the possibility of military misuse (no surprise there, really) and in the more distant future, the creation of a “post-scarcity” society.

The US Military has nearly doubled its spend on nano-research every year, reaching $600m in 2007. Plans outlined for 2010-15 include artificial blood cells that dramatically enhance human performance and nano-smart weapons, invisible to the human eye. Were such technologies to get into the wrong hands, or even stay with the US, if we see another Bush, the consequences could be disastrous.

Regarding the possibility of “post-scarcity”, this will require the development of an oft-mooted machine known as a Molecular Assembler (or to sci-fi fans, a replicator). As we know, everything in the universe is made from a particular collection of atoms. Therefore, to over-simplify, we should in theory be able to build anything from anything, or in this case, from reactive molecules.

Should such a device ever be created (and the UK has been funding such an endeavour since last year), it is not likely to be for several decades. However, the thought of being able to create virtually anything using your living room replicator is too good to forget.