The Impacts of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is used to manipulate matter on a molecular scale of atoms and molecules that can change a material’s properties and characteristics dramatically on the macro scale. Due to nanotechnologies bottom-up approach, it has the potential to be the building blocks for all matter, living and nonliving. For example, carbon in the form of graphite is soft and malleable; however, on the nano-scale it is stronger than steel and six times lighter. As the atomic precision of nanotechnology is used as an art and science to build complex and practical devices, there has been an increasing amount of investment into this new technology.  It is an up and coming science that is starting to be used as a political force with dramatic impacts on the economy, environment and people’s health.

Due to these quantum changes from nanotechnology, there have also been drastic changes economically, environmentally and health wise. This also means that bottom-up manufacturing is possible; which could ultimately reduce the quantity of raw materials that are necessary and in demand. This bottom-up process could mean that nanotechnology could take over the market based on its ability to be applied to any manufactured good. This would drastically affect every aspect of manufacturing around the world.  Workers who do not have economic flexibility or “wiggle room” would have a more difficult time adjusting and responding to the sudden demand for new skills or different raw materials. In addition, nanotechnology has the potential to “ultimately displace market shares, supply chains and jobs in nearly every industry” which would mean enormous changes around the globe. These impacts would ultimately affect each social and economic class. However, the wealthy would be able to “ride the wave” and those who can’t stay on top of technology would get washed away. Often scientists think that new technology will positively impact the general public, making medication more affordable to those who need it, reducing hunger, providing sanitary water; but has it really? With all the technology currently “available” these problems would already be on a path to being solved; except they’re not. Instead, those who can afford new technologies, the rich, get access to them; not the people who truly need technology to live with basic human needs such as food and water. The wealthy has more control over these technologies than necessary, and more than most are aware of.

“The grab for patents of nano- scale products and processes could mean mega-monopolies on the basic elements that are building blocks of the entire natural world.” This is because of the world being controlled by privatization of science where democracy and human rights are being eroded. This would have enormous negative impacts on the rest of the world’s population. Again, those who can’t “afford” to keep up with this new nanotechnology. Thus far in nanotechnology, mostly fortune 500 companies and governments such as the US, Japan and parts of Europe have invested into the research and development of this new technology. This could mean corporate and governmental control over living and nonliving matter through engineering and technology.

All of these aspects of nanotechnology bring up a large problem of who is ultimately in charge; who decides what line there is to cross when creating life; what that line is and how the general public is involved in these decisions. If these technologies “enhance” human performance through choice and manipulation of genes and characteristics, what will happen to the unimproved? This will only increase the gap between those who can afford these technologies and those who can’t; the rich and poor; the “improved” and the “unimproved.” Since nanobiotechnology has the potential to create rapid synthesizing genomes such as small pox, who has the power to decide how to utilize this new technology and research? “But what are nanobio’s new life forms, especially those that are designed to function autonomously in the environment, prove difficult to control or contain?” Thus far, the general public has not been involved or informed, which is the first crucial step to take. In addition, these new technologies are primarily controlled by the creator which rises concern for the creator’s knowledge and intention with each invention.  All of these concerns bring awareness to the need for information and regulation. The public must know what is being done if there are to be greater impacts past the scientists or researchers use (such as economically within a country or use of taxes through the government.) Also, regulation for research must be implemented to create a basis and need for discovery, use, technology and research as a whole. Last of all, power must be decided for who creates the regulations, has say over what the “line” that can’t be crossed in terms of manipulating, creating or altering life is.