Nanotechnology: Too Small to See, but All Around You

You might or might not be familiar with the concept of nanotechnology, but you've probably already encountered nano-based products of one form or another.

Nanotechnology is the science of producing materials of ultra-tiny particles about the size of 1/100,000 the diameter of a strand of human hair. At that scale, particles of different materials take on unique and unusual properties. In a nano form, for example, gold is liquid at room temperature.

Nanomaterials of all kinds are being studied for their potential to do everything from improve the treatment of diseases and provide clean drinking water to deliver new means of generating electricity and create stronger materials for construction. However, scientists also continue investigating possible downsides to the technology, which could include toxic effects on humans and nature.

With that brief introduction, here are 10 other things you might not know about nanotechnology:

1. According to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, the nanotechnology product market totaled $60 billion in 2007. By 2014, the emerging technology-focused Lux Research predicts nano-based products will account for about 15 percent of all goods sold around the world, with a market value of $2.6 trillion.

2. Go into a store or shop online, and you can already find more than 600 nanotechnology-based consumer products on the market. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies' Consumer Product Inventory includes everything from Nanoceuticals(TM) chocolate Slim Shakes and odor removal stickers for children to Acticoat ® Wound Dressings and antibacterial pet products.

3. Nanomaterials didn't first come into being in the laboratory. The gecko, for example, has nano-scale hairs on its feet that let it walk on vertical surfaces or even upside down. Scientists are also studying the behavior of aquatic nanoparticles in natural water systems.

4. Even before people discovered nanotechnology, they were using it in daily life. The processes of making steel or vulcanizing rubber, for example, rely on nano-scale interactions of particles.