"Molecular nanotechnology: Thorough, inexpensive control
of the structure of matter based on molecule-by-molecule control
of products and byproducts of molecular manufacturing."
-- K.Eric Drexler, Chris Peterson, Gayle Pergamit
Nanotechnology is an anticipated manufacturing technology giving
thorough, inexpensive control of the structure of matter. The
term has sometimes been used to refer to any technique able to
work at a submicron scale; Molecular nanotechnology means basically
"A place for every atom and every atom in its place." (other terms,
such as molecular engineering, molecular manufacturing, etc. are
also often applied).
Molecular manufacturing will enable the construction of giga-ops
computers smaller than a cubic micron; cell repair machines; personal
manufacturing and recycling appliances; and much more.
Broadly speaking, the central thesis of nanotechnology is that
almost any chemically stable structure that can be specified can
in fact be built. This possibility was first advanced by Richard
Feynman in 1959 [4] when he said: "The principles of physics,
as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering
things atom by atom." (Feynman won the 1965 Nobel prize in physics).
Links & References
- Nanotechnology
- Ralph C. Merkle's nanotechnology web site.
-
Nanotechnology FAQ
- The Frequently Asked Questions adapted for the sci.nanotech
newsgroup by J. Storrs Hall from papers by Ralph C. Merkle and
K. Eric Drexler. An alternative url for these FAQ.
- sci.nanotech Newsgroup
- A newsgroup about nanotechnology.
- Nanomedicine FAQ
- A list of Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ) in nanomedicine
has been compiled by Robert Freitas.
- NanoLink
- Key Nanotechnology Sites on the Web. A list of Web sites doing
work or providing information on nanotechnology and related
areas.
Maintained by Memex Research Pte Ltd and IRDU.
- NASA Ames Computational Molecular Nanotechnology Workshop
- A workshop on computational molecular nanotechnology in NASA.
- Foresight
Institute
- Preparing for nanotechnology. Foresight Institute's goal is
to guide emerging technologies to improve the human condition.
