N O M
2nd August 2007 - 02:28 AM
Nanotechnology can be described as (1) control over materials at the nanometer scale. It can also be described as (2) building machines at the molecular level. There is a huge difference between those descriptions. The first is crude compared to the second. The products we have today with the buzzword nano-this or nano-that, usually containing powders that can be mesured in nanometers, are very crude examples of (1) above.
For some of the possibilities offered by molecular engineering, read this ebook
Engines of Creation by Eric Drexler.
And here are a some worthwhile links on nanotech that might also help:
Foresight InstituteNanotechnology NowNanotech WebBut if all you want is the 5 minute version, read this guide to the
singularity.