Like GMOs before it, nanotechnology is irrevocably changing our world. What are the benefits of nanotech, and what are the risks? How might nanotech be used—or misused? Can the interests of science, business, and government strike a balance between the desire to act responsibly and deference to market and political pressures? These are some of the urgent questions explored in this timely four-part series.
In the first episode, we pass from the micro world of the 20th century to the nanoworld of the 21st. We discover how, by forgetting the traditional fabrication of objects from blocks of raw material, the idea of assembling objects atom-by-atom came about. It all began with a microscope that could touch upon atoms . . . If they could be touched, why not pushed and collected? And chance played a hand in the first structures – nanotubes. Structures with astonishing properties, since, at this scale, the behaviour of matter changes. As initial applications were conceived, industrial and economic issues arose, leading Europe, the United States and Asia to make impressive efforts to master the techno science of the 21st century. We will be guided by the first discoverers and researchers at the forefront, several of whom several are now Nobel laureates. With them, we will approach the ultimate logic of nanotechnologies whereby any object can theoretically be assembled from atoms!
In the second episode, we learn how nanotechnologies could really change our vision of the world. In the late 20th century, computer technology revolutionized work, leisure and industry. With the 21st century, our understanding of the phenomena at play at the very heart of matter allows us to contemplate materials with new properties copied directly from nature, not to mention manufacturing commodities that are cheaper, lighter, more environmentally friendly, smaller, faster. Waterproof lass and fabrics inspired by the impermeability of the lotus leaf are now coming out, along with anti-streak, naturally fireproof or diamond-hard surface coverings, and fibres as light and resistant as a spider silk. But the revolution is also in full tilt in the fields of computer technology and energy. We will discover these applications and the fascinating horizons they open up, led by researchers the world over who are among the most passionate.
For our third journey, we find out what changes nano particles can bring to our body. We discover new nanomedical treatments. On this scale, doctors can pinpoint diseased zones in the body. And they’re already considering how to target affected areas and convey necessary medications in the correct doses. Spectacular applications are already in use, notably in the field of oncology. We will also observe new molecular diagnostic tools. They allow crucial medical analyses to be done in a “lab” no bigger than a credit card. But it is reconstructive medicine that most vividly shows us the astonishing horizons that this knowledge of living things can bring: if newts can regenerate severed limbs, why not us? The initial results are already in, with mice regaining sight after their optic nerve was cut!
After the history and exploration of these fantastic horizons, we must fathom the unknown territory into which these discoveries, applications and their resulting risks lead us. This is the fourth episode. Rightly and wrongly, working on the scale of the invisible crystallizes many fears. What are the real risks to individuals and the environment? How can we evaluate them? How can they be measured? Are researchers really aware of the dangers they’re exposing us to? What is their thinking, ethically? This nano revolution will jeopardize society as we know it, changing the global economic equilibrium and making Big Brother loom on the horizon . . . What place will citizens then occupy? Will they still have a say?
