Nanotechnology
Benefits
There has been a wide range of uses suggested for nanotechnology, including self cleaning windows, dolls that blink their eyes, pigments and cosmetics. Nanoparticles may have a role in medicine and the protection of the environment.
This technology has great potential and the benefits are thought to be numerous. It will produce devices that are smaller, lighter, faster and cheaper, which have greater functionality and require fewer materials and energy to produce.
If the nanoparticles can be recycled, then economic growth could continue without depleting the world’s natural resources, which is the great attraction of nanotechnology to governments and businesses around the world.
Health Benefits
Nanotechnology may benefit human health through:
Better filters for improving water purification
More effective research, diagnosis and a more rapid response to new diseases
More effective drug delivery through better targeting of diseases such as cancer
Better design and synthesis of pharmaceuticals
Using nanocomposers to create bone or liver cells.
Smaller sensors, computers and other implantable devices may allow continuous health monitoring and semi-automated treatment
Designing medical equipment with much better precision and accuracy
Nanomachines which make microscopic repairs of damaged tissues and organs in hard-to-operate-on areas of the body
Providing more nutritious food
Environmental Benefits
Nanotechnology may be beneficial for the environment through:
Televisions that require less power and produce less heat
More effective fuel cells and batteries
The removal of heavy metals, cyanide and other substances such as oil spills that damage the environment
Greater recycling of waste, eliminating the need for landfills
Industrial processes that make more efficient use of resources and generate less waste
The demand for natural resources decreasing as a result of the implementation of this technology, therefore reducing the need for mining.
Manufacturing with lower environmental impact. Some goods could be manufactured from home, reducing the need for transport and distribution
Social Benefits
Nanotechnology may reduce material poverty and improve people’s quality of life by:
Eliminating conditions that cause disease, including poor sanitation, insects and malnutrition
Providing cheap thermal insulation which will increase personal comfort and reduce energy consumption
Increasing the accessibility of computers as they become cheaper
Acting as homing beacons to monitor and track the movement of individuals
Providing more productive agriculture
Providing more effective drugs
Providing more efficient power and energy
Improving communications and other technologies
