What is nanotechnology? To start, nanotechnology is the study, manipulation and application of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. This scale is often referred to as a nanoscale — with the range falling between 1 to 100 nanometers. Because 1 nanometer is a billionth of a meter, it’s difficult to conceptualize the sheer tiny size. To compare, one sheet of a newspaper is approximately 100,000 nanometers thick.
The list of expected and unexpected applications of nanotechnology has grown significantly as it’s been studied for the last 20 years. For more on the uses of nanotechnology, continue reading below!
