Nano Technologies: Homo-Sapiens 2.0; Tell me more; (October 22, 2009)
First, a few applications such as unpolluting earth soil, cleaning underground water sources, flat screens, light weight batteries with high energy density, observation of each cell and molecule in the body, miniature medical instruments, prosthetics controlled by the brain, butterfly controlled by remote control and used as a living drone, powerful portables computer, photovoltaic paints that can be applied on roads and buildings, solar generators that may produce one thousand gigawatts (terawatt).
For example, nanoparticles of gold combined by strings of AND are fixated on a tumor; with low level of infrared light we got very clear and precise picture of the organ; then with an appropriate higher level doze of infrared light nanoparticles of gold fry the tumor. Silver has properties of killing 150 kinds of viruses and bacteria; nanoparticles of silver applied on patches can disinfect surgical instruments, hospital bed sheets, drapes, and clothes; cold water is then enough for thorough disinfection and thus saving energy. Nanotechnology permits the control of auto-replication in living systems in order to execute precise and fixed tasks.
There is one drawback: health consequences are not known. For example, seven Chinese female workers died within 5 months when the nanoparticles of (oxides of zinc, copper, and titanium) were used in the paint for added properties. Each one of the patients had just about 20 nanoparticles due to lack of appropriate ventilation; that number of nanoparticles was enough to destroy the lungs and spread rash to the face, and arms.
The military is very hot on nanotechnology and invests heavily. For example, a single microgram of nano-antimatter has the power of 44 kilos of TNT, miniature thermonuclear bombs (almost impossible to detect and easy to manufacture), nano-robotics that can travel in the body and be used for many tasks such as imagery, diagnostic, and targeted treatment; there is this nano pathogen “grey goo” that can infect planet earth within 24 hours. Russia and India are actively developing the nano technology toward military applications since 2007.
The USA created the National Nanotechnology Initiative in 2001 during Clinton; the budget of this research institute is 1.5 billion in 2009. Europe created its own nanotechnology research centers in 2002; the budget of 3.5 billion Euros is earmarked for the years (2007-2013); priority is given to nano-sciences, nano-materials, nano-medicine, and nano-metrology, and studies of the impact of these new technologies on society.
A nano particle is smaller than one thousandth the width of paper cigarette or 10 at the power of (-9) of a meter. It is not that small: just bigger than atoms and much smaller than molecules.
The rational for quantum mechanics or physics is understandable; the manipulation and interpretation of the corresponding set of equations are not. It requires warpy minds, slightly worse than computer programmers. The fundamental idea of quantum physics is that we cannot measure accurately both time and location of a nano-particle. That is how physicists interpreted the consequences of the fundamentals of Heisenberg; a new theoretical science that generated newer philosophies.
A UN report warned that soon we might end up with two kinds of homo-sapiens; the normal kinds (mostly the poor and the non-elite) and a variation of homo-sapiens 2.0 endowed with aptitudes and capabilities not enjoyed by the normal kind. The nano-medicine is mobilizing funds from the rich and leaders of multinational institutions to extending life expectancy to 150 years. The power of nano-sciences resides in the convergence of many disciplines such as biology, computation, genetics, cognitive, electronics, and robotic sciences. Nanotechnology is integrating all these sciences.
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