Deb Newberry - Böcker

The later portion of the text discusses the connectivity of nanotechnologyto the more traditional scientific disciplines as well as emerging technologies.This text can serve as an introduction to the nanoscale for science, computer science, and engineering disciplines.

As long as humans have existed on the planet, they have looked at the world around them and wondered about much of what they saw. This book covers 21 different phenomena that have been observed in nature and puzzled about for decades.Only recently, with the development of the microscopes and other tools that allow us to study, evaluate, and test these observed phenomena at the molecular and atomic scale, have researchers been able to understand the science behind these observations. From the strength of a marine sponge found at the depths of the oceans, to the insect-hydroplaning surface of the edge of a plant, to the intricacies of the eyes of a moth, nanotechnology has allowed science to define and understand these amazing capabilities. In many cases, this new understanding has been applied to products and applications that benefit humans and the environment. For each of the five ecosystems— the ocean, insects, flora, fauna, and humans—the observations, study and understanding, and applications will be covered. The relationship between the more easily observed macro level and understanding what is found at the nanoscale will also be discussed.

The convergence of 1) the intensification of space exploration and 2) the increasing understanding of the world at the atomic and molecular level, nanotechnology, has resulted in a synergy of discoveries and innovations.