Is nanotechnology all about nano-bots or something out of a science fiction story? Not exactly. Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at the nano-scale, the scale of nanometers. Think of a line one meter long-- now break that line up into a billion identical pieces. Each one of those pieces is one nanometer, a billionth of a meter! That's smaller than the cells in your body and roughly as long as a chain of 14 carbon atoms. Can you imagine the potential in that? Scientists and engineers have been really excited about the progress being made in nanotechnology and the potential it has to impact all areas of life. From chemistry and biology to physics and computer science, there is no aspect of our modern lives that won't be touched by nanotechnology.

Imagine being part of the cutting edge in science and technology, creating the devices and materials to power the societies of the future. Whether you want to use your creativity to develop novel medical therapies to heal people; advanced materials for space exploration and armor for soldiers; ultra powerful batteries and green energy technology to power the devices of the future; or to establish new businesses and industries, you will be using and thinking in terms of nanotechnology.

As industries and governments around the globe are starting to see the potential of nanotechnology, there has been a large and growing movement to invest in nanotechnology for solving the issues of the present and the future. That's where you can come in. Whether you are an intrigued student, a teacher or an industry representative, nanotechnology is not something reserved for science fiction or secret laboratories; it's something you have the opportunity to learn about and apply now!

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- Kyle Milliken, NSCC Nanotech student