What is nanotechnology?
If you have heard of nanotechnology at all, it is probably from science fiction but what is the reality? Conventional technology takes large pieces of material and moulds them or cuts them to shape to make what is required. The idea of nanotechnology however is to build things atom by atom. If 'small is beautiful' then this is the ultimate in beauty, certainly there's no waste!
Atoms are small, very small
The biosphere of the planet is an example of 'natural nanotechnology'. Genetic engineering and the tailoring of retro-viruses are examples of nanotechnology carried out by mankind. So we know that the technology is possible but we lack the tools to easily manipulate atoms. Atoms are small, very small. Biology uses enzymes as a primary tool but these evolve over millions of years and are pretty specific to each job. We have to develop our own tools and we don't want to wait millions of years.
How do we develop it?
One approach to manipulating individual atoms is the use of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) a kind of electron microscope where a fine point as scanned across a surface at a distance of a nanometer (billionth of a meter) or less. Normally a current between the probe-tip and the surface is used to build up an image. However a current through the probe can be used to push atoms around. Needless to say this is a bit tricky and things like vibration and quantum effects do not help.
Method 2
Another approach is to make small tools with which you make smaller tools and so on. A working steam engine with a piston half the diameter of a red blood cell has been made! This was done using similar technology as that used to make microchips. Again, there are problems as you still have to be able to control such tools.
Method 3
Yet another approach would be design our own enzymes using computer simulation in place of evolution. The DNA coding for this enzyme can then be synthesized using existing technology and the enzyme then produced in quantity!
Ultimately a viable nanotechnology will probably result from a mixture of all these approaches and maybe more.
There is a lot of research being done all over the world. The rewards are potentially astronomical for whoever wins the race.
What do we do with it?
Ever since man first picked up a stone there has been the choice of using it as tool or weapon. Nanotechnology is no exception.
It could create a new industrial revolution or restore the ozone layer. It could be used as a programmable virus. It could be used to cure genetic diseases and heal the ravages of time. It could be used to repair massive cell damage.
