Memo to Pres. Obama: Advanced Nanotechnology - What, When, and Why

"Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. In its advanced form, which should be achieved within the next decade or two, the technology will allow a revolution in manufacturing—building powerful products with atomic precision from the bottom up—and could fundamentally alter our ability to confront challenging issues such as climate change.

Some experts confidently predict that once exponential general-purpose molecular manufacturing is achieved, our worries about global warming and climate change will be over. A relatively simple solution like tiny balloons fitted with adjustable mirrors could, they say, give us all the control we will need to moderate warming and create preferred climate conditions."

Mike Treder
Executive Director
Center for Responsible Nanotechnology
http://CRNano.org

Bristles hugging a polystyrene sphere

“From the structure of DNA to nautical rope to distant spiral galaxies, helical forms are as abundant as they are useful in nature and manufacturing alike. Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have discovered a way to synthesize and control the formation of nanobristles, akin to tiny hairs, into helical clusters and have further demonstrated the fabrication of such highly ordered clusters, built from similar coiled building blocks, over multiple scales and areas.

The finding has potential use in energy and information storage, photonics, adhesion, capture and release systems, and as an enhancement for the mixing and transport of particles. Lead authors Joanna Aizenberg, Gordon McKay Professor of Materials Science at SEAS and the Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and L Mahadevan, Lola England de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics at SEAS, reported the research in the January 9 issue of Science.”

Credit: Courtesy of Aizenberg lab at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Click title to read entire article at Nanotechnology Now

Self Assembling Cubes

Nanobiotechnology is forecast to be one of the nanosciences that will make near-term and dramatic changes to how we detect and treat disease, and therefore to society.

The Institute for NanoBioTechnology at Johns Hopkins University is one of the rapidly growing number of first-class research organizations that is at the forefront of nanobio.

“The Gracias Lab at Johns Hopkins University develops minimally invasive microscale and nanoscale tools and devices for medicine. They trigger specially prepared 2d surfaces to assemble into 3d objects.”

Click on the title to go to the video.

Thanks to:

Martin Rietveld
Web Director
Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology
http://inbt.jhu.edu

Picture of the day

A microfabricated gold ring for Aharonov-Bohm type experiments, which test the modulation of quantum-interference contributions of electrons due to the presence of a magnetic field. Dimensions are: 70 nm wide, 20 nm thick with a diameter of about 800 nm.

Source: Christian Schönenberger

Original post by Ryan Munden at http://www.nanopicoftheday.org/

In My Opinion

In the late 1980’s, I became aware that science effects society at an ever-growing pace. As a 20-year observer of the nanospace and the daily news thereof, I know that nanotechnologies will be those that are responsible for the lion’s share of radical change; you cannot read about the significant number of advances in the nanosciences and come to any other conclusion. "Nano" is not a fad.

I also know this: the more rapid the growth in the number of new/advanced technologies the sooner we must start preparing for subsequent changes in society; changes real and imagined, and in most cases, difficult to predict. Given the exponential growth in our understanding of the nanoscale and the likelihood that many of our new insights will turn into commercial products and services, the time for discussion and preparation is now.

No informed person doubts that developments at the nanoscale will be significant. We debate the time-frame, the magnitude and the possibilities, but not the likelihood for large-scale change. The least-speculative views suggest that we're in for changes of an order that justifies--if not demands--our undivided attention. Will we be ready?

Zinc Oxide Microtrumpet

Prismatic zinc oxide microtubes have been fabricated by vapor transport. Room-temperature ultraviolet lasing action has been demonstrated in these microtube arrays. The ZnO microtubes, mainly appearing in a tapped bell-mouthed shape, form natural laser cavities along the length direction. The hexagon diagonal and length of the microtube vary from 1 um to 20 um and 10 um to a few hundred um respectively. Under 355nm optical excitation, lasing action is observed at room-temperature around 393nm. Multi-longitudinal modes are also observed with significantly narrowed emission linewidth.

Source: Sun Xiao Wei

Original post by Ryan Munden at http://www.nanopicoftheday.org/