Nanotechnology will be as influential in the 21st century as information technology was in the 20th century.

It has the potential to transform our lives in much the same was as electricity or the internet already has. It will affect almost every aspect of our lives – from the medicines we use, the source of power for our computers, the food we eat, the cars we drive, the buildings we live in and the clothes we wear. More importantly, for every area where we can imagine an impact, there will be others no one has thought of – new capabilities, new products and new markets.

Nanotechnology is not new

Nature is skilled at fabricating organic structures at the nano scale. Geckos use nano-sized fibres on their feet to allow them to walk up glass. The Lotus Flower has an extremely fine surface structure so water and dirt roll of the leaves with out leaving a trace – the ‘Lotus Effect’. What is new is that scientists in the fields of chemistry, physics, biology can now understand what is happening at the nano scale, and can make nano-enhanced products in very precise and controlled ways, products that are smaller, cleaner, cheaper, faster and smarter.