Why is nanotechnology important in modern society and How nanotechnology is useful to us?
Nanotechnology has a greater impact on our lives on a daily basis. It is intended to provide a novel and improved approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Nanotechnology presents several biological processes and tools and also provides faster, smaller and more powerful computers and carbon nanotubes that can be important in maintaining the development of computer power.
Carbon nanotube: Nanotechnology Applications |
Importance of Nanotechnology Education in Modern Society and Applications of Nanotechnology in Daily Life
Overview
We findevery day what is new in various scientific fields, and there is no doubt thatnanotechnology has become the subject of modern science and has received a lotof attention and became at the forefront of technologies today and in thefuture.
Nanotechnologyhas great importance inimproving products, treating diseases, and serving humanity in all areas oflife. In addition, it gives great hope for future scientific revolutions inphysics, chemistry, biology, engineering, andothers.
Whatis Nanotechnology?
Nanotechnologyrefers broadly to a field of applied science and technologythat studiesnanoparticles, understands and monitors matter between 1 and 100 nanometers,which can be used in all different scientific fields, such as physics,chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering.
It is worth mentioningthat the term nanotechnology relates to a basic understanding of the physical,chemical and biological properties on atomic and molecular scales.
Nanotechnology includesimaging, measurement, modeling, and material handling at the nanoscale tocreate functional materials and systems with unique capabilities.
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Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Nanoscienceis defined as the science that deals with the study of thebasic principles of molecules and compounds measuring less than 100 nanometers.
A nanometer refers to a unit ofmeasurement equal to(10-9)meters.
Nanotechnologyis defined as the technology that deals with materials andtools in the nanoscale size (1-100) nm, in the production of innovativematerials and devices with new and distinctive characteristics. It can be usedin various fields and scientific applications.
The Benefits of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology provides manybenefits in many areas of life, it helps to improve many technological andindustrial sectors to a large extent, such as information technology, energy,medicine, national security, environmental science, food safety, and manyothers.
Nanotechnology also adapts materialstructures at very small scales to achieve specific properties, through whichthey can strengthen the effectiveness of materials, while being lightweight,more durable, reactive and entangled.
Many everyday commercial products onthe market rely on nanotechnology. The transparent nanoparticles or membraneson computer screens, cameras, glasses, windows, and other surfaces can helpmake them waterproof, anti-reflective, resistant to UV or IR radiation, orscratch-resistant, or conductive to electricity.
Nanotechnology has also entered intoconsumer products, where billions of microscopic nanowhiskers - each about 10nanometers long - have been molecularly attached to natural and syntheticfibers to add stain resistance to clothing and fabrics.
Zinc oxide nanocrystals have alsobeen used to make invisible sunscreens, they protect against ultravioletradiationand silver nanocrystals have been included in bandages to killbacteria and prevent infection.
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The Significance ofNanotechnology Education in Modern Society
As a result of the importance ofnanotechnology, the countries of the world in general and the developed world,in particular, have been very interested in nanotechnology and they think tointroduce the leading nanotechnology in the field of teaching and learning.
Nanotechnology topped the list ofscientific and research interests in most countries of the world.
Many countries during the past fewyears established programs and research units, academic and research institutesbut the steady growth of nanotechnology is a challenge for the scientificcommunity interested in universities and technical colleges to prepare theworkforce to provide future career opportunities in this field.
Many developed countries haveembeddednanotechnologyapplicationsin the curriculum.
The United States is one of thefirst countries to reshape the curriculum to include this field in order toprepare and guide learners in the future.
The United States also paid greatattention to teaching nanotechnology in schools and universities and trainingteachers on how to teach nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology education is anurgent necessity in the 21st century, in the light of technical and scientificacceleration and great competition among nations.
Many conferences and seminars havepointed to the need to introduce nanotechnology in the curriculum so thatstudents do not feel the gap between the school and the reality they live in.
Nanotechnology is considered as anintegral part of "Science,Technology,Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)education". Just as engineeringpractice is no longer limited to university students, so also nanotechnology.
Everyone - including children,teachers, and graduate students - can benefit, enjoy and learn this technology.
It is clear from the above that theimportance of teaching nanotechnology in different stages of education andteacher trainingis the first step in order to achieve nanotechnology.
This includes concepts andapplications of nanotechnology in curricula, training of teachers and scienceteachers in particular, and training them on how to teach nanoscience andnanotechnology research.
Read more:Applications of Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine
Applications of Nanotechnology inDaily Life
Nanotechnologyin Medicine:Scientists have been able to make accurate machinesof the size of blood cells to treat many diseases that require surgery such asblockages within the arteries, as well as tumors.
Nanotechnologyhashelped to detect some diseases through a "Nanobiotix" sensor. Inaddition, it has been used in the treatment of cancer, where gold-platednanoparticles are used to destroy cancer cells.
Italian researcher SilvanoDragonieri from the University of Bari invented an electronic nose using carbonnanotubes that diagnose cancer tablets by analyzing the air coming out of thelungs during the exhalation process.
Nanotechnologyin the industry:Nanotechnologyis used in the smart clothing industry that produces energy or removes dirt andgerms by itself, as well as in the manufacture of solid materials outweighs thehardness of steel with a lightweight.
Nanotechnology is also used in themanufacture of dust-repellent and non-conductive glass so-called 'active glass'or 'self-cleaning glass' capable of cleaning itself from dust and waterdroplets and the manufacture of three-dimensional screens characterized bytransparency and flexibility.
Nanotechnology has also helped toimprove the aircraft and automobile industry through the use of more powerful,flexible, lighter and less fuel-efficient nanostructures as well as makelighter, flexible and powerful sports products such as tennis and hockeyrackets.
Nanotechnology has also beeninvolved in the manufacture of refrigerators, washing machines, andwater-resistant microbes with decomposition and rust resistance.
Nanotechnologyin Agriculture:Nanotechnologycan revolutionize agriculture by innovation new methods and techniques.
Nanotechnology can be used toimprove accurate farming techniques, withstand environmental pressures andenhance plant capacity to absorb nutrients and detect and control formingprocesses.
Nanotechnologyfor sustainable energy:Nanotechnologyallows us to sustain our growing appetite for energy, which increases with thenumber of people joining advanced economies and our demand per capita.
This must be done in a way thatencompasses the environment in the wealth production equation where we collectmore evidence of human impact on biodiversity, climate, air quality, waterquality, and soil.
Nanotechnology is also used in theproduction of storage batteries that store large amounts of energy for longperiods. Consequently, clean-energy cars are produced at a lower cost and arenot oil-dependent.
Nanotechnologyin Aeronautics:TheNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has createdultra-precision nanotechnology machines for injection into the astronaut bodiesto monitor health conditions.
Nanotechnologyis expected toenter many vital aspects such as nutrition, agriculture and the militarysector.
Read more: Nanotechnology in Electronics and Communication Engineering
How to Raise Awareness about NanotechnologyEducation for Building Modern Societies?
If we want to reach the fullpotential of nanotechnology so that we can contribute to building modernsocieties, we need a great effort and more manpower and trained innanotechnology research.
Programs need to be developed forhuman resource development in nanotechnology. Therefore, many countries haveheld conferences and published many studies in this field, but the concept ofnanotechnology is still new for various academic fields.
Catching up with nanotechnologyrequires a reversal in a number of pedagogical practices in our educationsystems at various levels, from primary to graduate education.
This includes reconsidering thevocabulary and methods of teaching basic science subjects such as physics,chemistry, biology, and mathematics, including nanotechnology concepts andapplications in curricula, reviewing, evaluating and developing existingscience curricula in the light of nanotechnology concepts, developing programsfor teachers to enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitudes related tonanotechnology
And its applications;raisingawareness of the importance of technological enlightenment, and adoptingprograms based on the concepts of renewable energy and nanotechnology in thegeneral curriculum of the faculties of scientific education.
Nanotechnology is the result of theintegration of science and engineering in a very fine field - within theboundaries of atoms and molecules.
Scientists are studying andresearching this technology through highly sophisticated and accurateelectronic microscopes in order to conduct the latest scientific research andintensify efforts in it for its long-term benefitsand adapt this technologyin many areas so that they can serve humanity well.