Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. Thus it’s the science of building tiny things. Today we usually make things by shaping materials – cutting, grinding*, milling**, etc. But in the future, we’ll be able to work on a smaller scale and build things atom by atom.

Today scientists can build nanowires – extremely strong tubes that are just four atoms wide. And when they have the manufacturing systems, they’ll be able to build anything we want – diamonds, water, food, robots, etc. We’ll be able to make all kinds of things smaller, lighter, cheaper, stronger, and smarter.

We are at the start of a technological revolution and nanotechnology will affect every part of our lives – cars, computers, medicine, energy supplies, food, clothes. It will offer better built, longer lasting, cleaner, safer products for home, for communications, for transportation, for agriculture, and for industry in general. And it will happen sooner than most people think. By 2010 you won’t be able to count the number of businesses using nanotechnology.

* • шлифовка

** размол

4.1.5 Mark the sentences True (T)/ False (F). Correct the wrong statements.

1. Nanotechnology is the science of making large things.

2. Nowadays scientists can’t build nanowires.

3. In the nearest future we’ll be to make smaller, cheaper and safer products for all needs.

4. Technological revolution won’t influence any sphere of our life.

5. Nanostructures will be true only in 40-50 years.