Nanotechnology Evolving Humanity

Michelle Ewens

December 6, 2010
 Nanotechnology is the fastest growing industry in the world. It is changing the way we

live and work through computers, medicine, consumer products and machinery. What makes

nanotechnology unique is that it operates on the quantum level. A nano particle is the smallest

solid thing that can be manufactured and is invisible to the naked eye. This paper will discuss

the fields of nanotechnology and what it holds in store for the evolution of mankind. As with

anything else, this technology can be used for good or evil.

To get an idea of what a nano particle is, imagine an atom and then multiply that by ten

times its size. That is how big a nano particle is; about 100 times smaller than the width of a

human hair. This particle is the smallest solid whole of a much bigger material which means it

retains all its parts. A nanoscale particle does not obey the standard laws of matter in regard to

physics because it operates on the quantum level (Ratner, 2002). Some of the rumors today

regarding nanotechnology’s manipulation of quantum mechanics claims that miniature robots

may soon take over the world. Depending on the intentions of those who fund these programs,

nanotechnology can possibly be used to improve the life of everyone on earth.

In the past ten years the United States government spent billions of dollars in

nanotechnology research. Beginning in 2001, the annual federal budget for this field of science

was 494 million dollars. In 2010 the budget grew to 1.64 billion. This investment is called the

National Nanotechnology Initiative or NNI (Roco, 2010). The United States is making

nanotechnology a priority because it has major implications for national security, green energy,

medicine, and agriculture. It is the fastest growing industry in history; surpassing the technology

boom of the late 1990’s. Major Universities around the world are also investing heavily in this

new nano research. Corporations provide much of the funding to institutions around the world to

help them create improved products and advance their technology.

 Consumers will be grateful for the improvements in their electronics and gadgets.

Laptops will eventually be as thin as paper and contain all the information of all the computers

that exist today. For now, improvements in batteries have already been established. Solar

powered computers are improving and will someday be as efficient as a standard personal

computer. Battery manufacturers are working on producing lithium nano sized powders which

will increase their life cycle exponentially. Reducing the waste from disposable batteries will be

a welcomed addition to this new advancement.

Automobiles will one day be stronger and lighter than they currently are today. This will

improve the safety of our vehicles and increase the life span of our cars. An anti-corrosive

system for metals has already been invented to help maintain the structural integrity of

machinery. This technology will probably be utilized for the military aircrafts, rockets, and other

automotive vehicles. Perhaps one day our houses and appliances can be coated with a nano

protective coating; allowing us to reduce our waste by retaining our products for a longer period

of time. Similar coatings can be used on wood to protect buildings from fire and damage caused

by weathering. If this product is considered safe, it will greatly improve human habitats.

Another consumer nano product which has already been invented is nano particle skin

care creams. It will soon be the next hot anti-aging product. While these products have been

around for a few years now, they are just now being recognized for their proven effectiveness.

“Nestle, which has a 49 percent stake in L’Oreal is developing transparent sunscreens that

deliver vitamin E directly into the skin” (nanoforum, 2010). Thick sunscreen that clogs the pores

will be a thing of the past. Active ingredients will be delivered more deeply into the skin
transforming the cells at the molecular level. Perhaps one day it will be possible to live for

hundreds of years while retaining those youthful looks.

Liposomes are often touted in anti-aging skin care creams. They are artificial particles

which can penetrate cells easily. In medicine, these nano particles are being researched to treat

diseases such as cancer, infections, and diseases. Nano particles are also able to give medical

imaging technologies a more accurate diagnosis. In the United States, cancer is at the top of the

list of diseases being targeted by nano research; HIV receives almost as much funding. “Using

magnetic nano particles in a miniature magnetic resonance sensory that is so sensitive, scientists

can detect as few as two cancer cells in one microlitre of biosample, radically increasing

protection” (Shetty, 2010). An improvement in early disease detection will help to prevent

premature death. An increase in human longevity can also be seen when new nano drugs are

able to reach sites in the body more efficiently. By delivering drugs specifically to afflicted

areas, side effects can be reduced. In addition, small pumps may one day be implanted in the

body to deliver medication to the cells that need them most.

Novartis, a Swiss based pharmaceutical company is currently seeking approval for “smart

pills”. These are nano chips encapsulated in oral tablets. “The chip-on-a-pill, developed by

Protelius Biomedical (and snatched by Novartis for $24 million) will transmit data from the body

to doctors, helping them track medicine intakes and tweak dosages” (Halley, 2010). The patient

must wear a patch so that when the microchip is implanted in the body, the data is sent

wirelessly to the doctor. The doctor will know when you take your pills and adjust the

medication as seen fit.

 Improving the health of people will also be addressed in nano agricultural research.

Nanotechnology will transform the food industry. “The current global population is nearly 6

billion with 50 percent of the people living in Asia. A large proportion of those who dwell in

developing countries face daily food shortages” (nanoforum, 2010). Safer and more effective

pesticides will increase the harvests. Molecular Food Manufacturing, or MFM, is expected to

increase food production by manufacturing food at the molecular level. This technology will

reduce the amount of raw materials which are now required to grow and sustain plants.

Nano food has developed to the point that makes Willy Wonka’s invention of the three

course meal gum a reality. Food scientist, Dave Hart invented a gum mimics the gum portrayed

in the Chocolate Factory movie. “Tiny nanostructures within the gum contain each of the

different flavors. These are broken up and released upon contact with the saliva or after a certain

amount of chewing” (Firth, 2010). Hart invented this as part of his work with the National

Science and Engineering Competition to inspire young scientists. The flavor enhancing nano

particles can be introduced into a variety of foods, making the food supply more enticing when

bland food choices are only available.

The food packaging will also be transformed through better nano materials that act as

preservatives. Instant food has been around for quite some time. However, the shelf life will be

multiplied through the use of nano packaging. Less food waste allows for more food to reach

other parts of the world.

Water supplies can also be improved with nano filtration. “Mercury can be removed in

water to less than 2 parts per billion” (NEI, 2010.) The Nuclear Environmental Institute, or NEI,

nano additives used to clean water will remove waste materials and eliminate the odors.
Hopefully this technology will be shared with everyone in the world so that some diseases will

be eliminated in developing parts of the world and their agriculture will be improved. Not only

can water be cleaned with nano particles, but all waste material can be broken down in this

manner. This has the potential to clean the environment and reduce the amount of toxins that

cause diseases such as cancer. It sounds like we are closer than ever in creating the long sought

after utopian society. Perhaps it is just a fantasy though.

Wars are fought over natural resources. By allowing everyone to reap the benefits of

molecular manufacturing, there will be less reason to go to war. It is important to note the

possibilities that clean water, free energy, and safer habitats will impact humanity. Depending

on how this technology is shared, humans can help one another or keep people enslaved in

ignorance. Depending on the intentions of those who fund the nano scientists, the evolution

will head in the direction of those who steer the research. “Molecular nanotech will be a

disruptive technology, giving "...little or no advantage to the entrenched leader of an earlier

technological wave, and thus has the potential to radically upset the geopolitical playing field,

posing powerful indirect threats to national security” (Vandermolen, 2006). Allowing this

technology to evolve on its own, with no government interference poses a great (perceived) risk

from a military perspective. If other countries are not reliant upon the world powers for food and

energy, the people are less manageable. If nanotechnology is outlawed, it will just go

underground. The safest route seems to be to regulate this technology and deem it to be unsafe

so that the fear of it will restrict its availability.

However, nanotechnology can be used by the military to increase security. Scientists at

the University of California created a tin beetle that can be controlled wirelessly. “Electrical
signals delivered via the electrodes command the insect to take off, turn left or right, or hover in

midflight while recording what it sees” (Singer, 2009). The research was funded by the Defense

Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), with the intent to create a surveillance robot for

search and rescue missions.

This brings us to our final discussion about nanotechnology and artificial intelligence, or

AI. DARPA recently funded a research program to create an artificial brain. “By incorporating

nanotechnology in the construction of the hardware, and neural networks into the software, the

team plans to create a tiny artificial brain with the same abilities as an organic brain” (Nicks,

2010). In order for artificial life to be considered intelligent, it must be able to be aware of its

environment and learn how to interact with it. Scientists have already invented tiny robots to

crawl into our bloodstream to clean arteries and combat viruses, although it is not a popular

treatment today. It is possible that they will use these nanorobots to interact with our DNA.

Japanese scientists have already created an artificial DNA. They are now working on nanorobot

brains. “Nanorobots floating around in your bloodstream could keep your coronary arteries from

clogging, but they also could release drugs on command, making you, say, literally love Big

Brother” (Reynolds, 2009). The technology race is more like a web. Military research must

cross all cultures in the attempt to seek the most knowledge. It is futile to attempt to hide

information. The internet is already an entity in itself. Intelligent it is in how it corrupts people

like a virus of the mind or enlightens us with its vast storehouse of knowledge. Each year it

grows; reproducing more information at an exponential rate. It is not a monster, it is not a slave,

but it is free. How long can we keep freedom a secret? As long as knowledge is coveted by

those who have dark desires, those who seek a utopian society will be considered delusional. If

it is possible to kill, it is possible to create. There is no intelligence in human desires. It is

illogical to want to enslave people when the world is free, information can be free, and all the

resources at hand can be shared like a rich bounty that comes every harvest time. If the humans

that define artificial intelligence fail to see the beauty in freedom, they are delusional slaves to

their emotions of fear and greed.

Are humans ready to take the quantum leap forward in evolution so that all people on

earth can share its bounty of resources and knowledge? “It is often stated that of all the theories

proposed in this century, the silliest is quantum theory. In fact, some say that the only thing that

quantum theory has going for it is that it is unquestionably correct.” (Kaku, 1994). Quantum

theory is the basis of nanotechnology. The possibilities are endless.

 References

Firth, Niall. Ocotober 8, 2010. The real Willy Wonka: Scientists say three-course meal in a

single stick of chewing gum is now a possibility. Retrieved on December 6, 2010 from

http://xenophilius.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/willy-wonka-flavor-time-release-chewing-
gum-courtesy-of-nanotechnology/

Kaku, Michio. 1994. Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time

Warps, and The Tenth Dimension page 262.

Nanoforum. 08 January 2010, Institute of Nanotechnology.

House of lords science and technology committee report: nanotechnologies in the

food sector. Retrieved on December 6, 2010 from

http://www.nanoforum.org/nf06~modul~showmore~folder~99999~scc~news~scid~4054
~.html?action=longview&

NEI. 2010. Neicorporation news. Water use and environmental stewardship. ANM Press.

Retrieved on December 6, 2010 from

http://www.nei.org/keyissues/protectingtheenvironment/water-use-and-environmental-
stewardship

Nicks, Victoria. January 9, 2010. Nanotechnology & Neural Networking in AI Systems

Making Artificial Brains Tiny, Plastic, with Low Energy Requirements Retrieved on
December 6, 2010 from: Nanotechnology & Neural Networking in AI Systems: Making
Artificial Brains Tiny, Plastic, with Low Energy Requirements
http://www.suite101.com/content/nanotechnology-neural-networking-in-ai-systems-
a187311#ixzz17P8vqUin
NANOTECHNOLOGY 10

References

Reynolds, Glenn Harlan. December 18, 2009. Popular Mechanics. The singularity is coming,

now what? Retrieved on December 6, 2010

from http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/robots/4337160

Roco, M.C., 2010. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. National Nanotechnology

Investment in the FY 2010 Budget. Retrieved on December 6, 2010 from

http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/rdreport2010/ch23.pdf

Singer, Emily. January 29, 2009. The Army’s remote-controlled beetle. Retrieved on

December 6, 2010 from http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22039/

Vandermolen, Thomas D. August 31, 2006. Molecular Nanotechnology and National Security.

Air and space power journal. Retrieved on December 6, 2010 from

http://www.nanotech-now.com/Thomas-Vandermolen/Molecular-Nanotechnology-and-
National-Security.htm