Small Wonders

I've always been obsessed with Nanotechnology. Not only because it kind of promises to make products lighter, stronger, cleaner, less expensive and more precise, but also because, potentially, it could bring new solutions in a myriad of fields such as water treatment, transportation and even medicine.

The concept of Nanotechnology is still quite new, reason why many still have no idea where it could lead us. But what's clear is that it is rapidly becoming an interdisciplinary field where biologists, chemists, doctors, physicists and engineers are all involved in the study of substances at the nanoscale. All with the goal/hope to develop a common language that allows these disciplines to communicate with one another.

But, regardless the language, at the core of Nanotech there is a quite simple premise that shows us the small wonders. At the nanoscale, objects are so tiny that we can't see them - even with a light microscope. Nanoscientists have to use tools like scanning tunneling microscopes or atomic force microscopes to observe anything at the nanoscale. It is amazing something so small can be so powerful and multifaceted.




Now, in theory, when applied to fields such as medicine, nanotechnology could potentially make humans smarter, stronger and even give them other abilities ranging from rapid healing to night vision. And I don't know about you but that certainly makes me raise ethical questions such as should we fear a future where this type of technology is accessible?

I would dare to say the answer is no. The truth is that while it sounds awesome, there is still a long way to go. Many nanotechnology experts feel that these applications are well outside the realm of possibility, at least for the foreseeable future. A lot is just theory and whatever could be reality will surely live hidden to the public knowledge for a while.

In the meantime, let's just enjoy the small wonders it could bring us.