Micro-Science, Macro-Solutions

Imagine a medical device that travels through the human body to seek and destroy small clusters of cancer cells before they can propagate, Or a box no larger Than Sugar cube That contains the Entire contents of the Library of Congre much lighter materials than steel but have ten times their strength or microrobots able to build buildings. This is not science fiction, but nanotechnology, whose application to industry, transport or health could become the engine of the next industrial revolution.

Nanotechnology encompasses all fields of science and technology to study and manipulate materials in a controlled manner and substance of dimensions 'nano'. That is, 80,000 times lower size than the diameter of a human hair. Without realizing it, most biological and chemical reactions that occur around us occur at this level. From imitation to nature and thanks to advances in science, nanotechnology is based on the possibility of building machines that influence the order of the atoms, so precisely that emulates the process of creation. In this way, are achieved materials, devices and systems with inexpensive and unique properties.

There is growing interest by various branches of scientific knowledge because of their potential applications in society. Some experts say nanotechnology seen in a new era for humanity, which involves social, economic and political issues.

The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology U.S. claims that many current problems could find a solution thanks to the advances that science has achieved over the past decades. The scarcity of water, for example, could be mitigated through molecular manufacturing. Of all the water consumed in the world, 67% is used for agriculture and 19% for the industry. With this new method will replace a large percentage of industrial production and would move much of the agriculture greenhouses. In addition, domestic water can be treated and recycled by nanoscale physical filters can remove 100% of bacteria and viruses. Thus, water consumption would be reduced at least by 50%. The molecular nanotechnology manufacturing equipment allow less expensive and more powerful for medical research and could regulate the taking of drugs through continuous and intelligent administration of the dose.

Applied to transport, this science will achieve the use of lighter weight vehicles by nanomaterials, lighter than today.

Computers and mobile phones could be economically affordable for the poorest people in the world. They could also be embedded enough processing power to create speech interfaces for illiterate users. Nanotechnology would facilitate the digital connection throughout the world, which would be a huge step toward correcting the digital divide.

One of the main keys to understanding nanotechnology is that it offers not only quality products, but a manufacturing process that improves the current level of cost, pollution and space.

However, there are only advantages. The enormous impact of nanotechnology can be a double edged sword if humanity is not prepared to address these major changes or prevented for the risks they entail: increased production of weapons and surveillance equipment due to its low cost, over- cheap products that can harm the environment, the possible proliferation of black markets who traffic small as nanofactory products, etc..

In addition, recent studies have shown that components of nanotechnology such as nanotubes could threaten human health. The graphite sheets that are made could cause a cancer that affects the lungs, according to a report published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

The company unknowingly assists a technological revolution, if it meets expectations and can eliminate the risks of their use, ways of life change in a radical way. Just a matter of time as in A Computer Can Make copies of data files-Essentially as Many copies as you want at little or no cost.pequeño lies the mystery and the mysterious man moves.

Rocio Ruiz-Calero

Journalist

ccs@solidarios.org.es