Predicting the next technological invention is admittedly difficult. We can make our best guess in light of current tech trends, but sometimes the forces that be either throw a wrench in our guesswork or technology simply changes and it's on to something bigger and better. So given that disclaimer, let's take a close look at an emerging technological invention that is already been seen in the marketplace: nanotechnology.
According to the National Nanotechnology Initiative, nanotechnology is "the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale."(1) The Initiative describes the scale of a nanometer as one billionth of a meter. As a reference, they cite the thickness of a piece of paper at one hundred thousand nanometers. That's pretty small. But just what is so miraculous about this field?
In manipulating particles at this micro level, scientists believe they can create "smart" objects and materials that perform a variety of mind-blowing feats. Even tiny, self-replicating nano-robots could be created whose applications could include our previous scenario of a simple pill or injection to clear the arteries in the event of a heart attack. But that's only the beginning.
Remember the 1986 film, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, when the U.S.S. Enterprise crew discovers that transparent aluminum hasn't been developed yet in the twentieth century? Aluminum in its native state is opaque and silvery-white. You can't see though it. How then does one make it transparent? The only way to accomplish this feat is to get down to the atomic level and do some rearranging, which can only be accomplished through a high-magnification device such as an electron microscope. And there you have it; a brand new material.
This creating and rearranging of matter at the molecular level is nothing short of miraculous, notwithstanding the fact that electron microscopes power up to two million times magnification. Amazingly, nanotechnology isn't just in our future; it's here today and growing as we speak. The development and commercial application of the carbon nanotube (and more recently, the NanoBud) is a testament to the efficacy of this incredible new field of science.
To be fair, of course new materials have always been created; just look at plastic and nylon. But the real difference today is how they can utilize powerful electron microscopes to get down to the atomic level in order to create and manipulate materials with simply mind-bending properties. Consider just a handful of potential nanotechnological applications:
* Your car has a scratch, dent, or ding? You'll probably never know it. Self-healing nanotech materials are in our future.
* World oil supplies declining, even running out? No problem; nanotechnology may hold the key to providing new forms of (renewable) energy.
* Cancerous cells in your body? Detection at the earliest possible time via nanotechnology will literally cure you for life.
* Your data storage systems not up to par? Nanotech promises to dramatically increase storage capacity, thus enabling advanced computing.
* Need to create a heretofore unknown custom material for your specific needs, or alter existing materials? No problem; with nanotech it's a cinch.
* Chemicals leaking into rivers, streams, and reservoirs? Clean it up quickly and easily with pre-programmed nanobots.
* Global warming causing environmental chaos? Perhaps self-replicating nanobots could be placed in the atmosphere to reduce the worldwide level of greenhouse gases.
But even more incredible is the futuristic concept of morphing; objects that actually change shape. Could your car one day fit in your pocket, assembling on the street when you need to drive somewhere? Or maybe your couch could instantly change into a wide variety of styles, colors, and fabrics depending on your mood? Or, perhaps instead of houses having a static exterior facade and landscaping scheme, homeowners could opt to instantly change them periodically with the flick of a switch. Imagine going from Italianate to French Chateau to Caribbean all in one week!
The list goes on ad infinitum. Nanotechnology really does have the potential to revolutionize our world like no other time in history. It is not a futuristic novelty. It is a very real field of research that is literally rocking the core of science itself. And soon, nanotechnology will become more prominent in the marketplace and will rock your world, too.
SOURCE NOTES:
1. http://www.nano.gov/html/facts/whatIsNano.html