For many Americans the term nanotechnology probably sounds like something right out of a science fiction novel. For others it may be a very vague concept.
Faculty at UW-Madison's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) has found a widening gap between the least-educated and most-educated American when it comes to this technology. This is somewhat of a problem since nanotechnology is now found in many everyday items.
""From military, to health, to over 1000 consumer products, nanotechnology has made its way into nearly everything these days,"" said Dietram Scheufele, Professor at UW-Madison in Life Sciences Communication in CALS.
Nanotechnology is a big fourteen-letter word for microscopic technology. It involves the use of working parts so tiny they can only be compared to atoms and molecules. This allows devices to become extremely small, and is already being put to use in 24 countries worldwide. It also plays a huge role in devices like i-pods, cosmetics, automobile parts and medical technology.
While this may seem like something a new concept, in reality nanotechnology has been used for hundreds of years. To make the colors in stained glass windows artists used a very precise heating and cooling process in order to make tiny crystals. Today, people are able to look under a microscope and see exactly what is going on.
""Nanotechnology itself is not a stand-alone technology, it is more of a size description and an enabling technology,"" said Scheufele.
When scientists shrink things down to the molecular level, everyday materials start acting differently than they do on a larger scale. The reason for this is that the electrons of an element are squeezed into a space smaller than they prefer.
As the volume of the material shrinks, the surface area increases. This means on the nano-scale there is more surface area to carry out reactions. The increased space for reactions is the main reason why the technology has so much potential. If a single piece is attached to eight other pieces rather than only four, the overall product becomes stronger. Now that we understand why materials behave differently at a small scale, scientists are able to manipulate them in useful ways.
Other nanotechnology products are car parts, paints and probably the most common, tennis rackets.
Car parts, especially the framework and paint, are examples of nanotechnology's structural functions. If a car is stabilized by nanotechnology, something that would normally cause a dent wouldn't leave a trace. If a dent does happen it would be able repair itself quickly. Nanotechnology in paint prevents scratching without losing any other properties.
Tennis rackets are an example of how nanotechnology can make objects lighter. Nanotechnology helps make small string fibers without adding weight. This holds promise for military uses creating a strong, durable material to replace or enhance Kevlar. More bonds to each individual piece of material would make the overall structure stronger without increased weight.
So with all this potential, where is nanotechnology headed?
""I think the future for nanotechnology lies mostly in food and medicine,"" said Scheufele.
Today scientists are experimenting with using nanotechnology for food containers as well as in food itself. For food containers the technology would be used to keep food fresh longer. This could be applied directly to food as well. For example, if nanotechnology was added to food like milk it could indicate the second it spoils.
If this technology is so important why isn't there more information out there for the public? Scheufele says the problem lies with the way the information is presented.
""The information is out there in science museums, but studies have shown that only four in ten people with a high school degree ever set foot in one. That drops to one in ten for people below that level,"" says Scheufele.
A socioeconomic gap exists between educated and non-educated people, he said, and this gap is only going to widen over time unless something is done. Scheufele suggests it is more about the science getting to the person, rather than the other way around.
""We have this ‘if we build it they will come mentality' and the studies have shown the flaw in this,"" he said.
So how can information about nanotechnology become available to the general public? It's all about finding the right venue and the right message to spread the word. This is extremely important for the future implications of nanotechnology. If half the population does not understand nanotechnology then forward movement is impossible.
The key to good communication is finding a way to put the information in a way so that it hits home or at least close to home.
""If you were to use baseball as an analogy for someone here they would understand, but for someone in Germany it would be confusing,"" said Scheufele. ""It's all about framing.""
For more information about nanotechnology visit http://www.nanotech.wisc.edu/.
Photo Caption: Professor Dietram Scheufele is an advocate for nanotechnology and proper communication for sciences.
