Nanotechnology is being heralded by scientists to bring about the next industrial revolution. Jason Hope, a futurist, and philanthropist has heard this claim before. However, he believes that nanotechnology could bring about unprecedented change in our daily lives.
Nanoscience is technology on an atomic scale that deals with manipulating individual atoms or molecules for various purposes to create things of great complexity at minuscule sizes. The benefits are countless- super-strong materials, brilliant medicines, ultra-efficient energy storage devices, etc., but there are downsides too. Experts say that it could make possible the development of bioweapons which would be far cheaper to produce than nuclear weapons.
However, Jason Hope is of the opinion that nanotechnology is far less risky than it’s given credit for. He opines that there are several ways in which nanotech can improve people’s lives and benefit society as a whole.
Some of them are as follows:
Nanotech Has Found Its Foothold in Healthcare Sector
Nanotech has promising benefits to the healthcare sector. It could lead to the development of devices that would be capable enough to detect diseases at their very onset, thus helping reduce high fatality rates caused by delayed diagnosis.
Jason Hope also feels that nanotechnology will play an important part in making humans sustainable on earth or any other planet they set foot upon. The tech might replace petroleum-based materials with greener options like carbon nanotube (CNT) composites, essential components of space vehicles’ hulls, and shields that are capable of providing superior insulation against heat, weight, and radiation.
Nanotech Will Lead to Better Uses of Solar & Wind Energy
We have already started making smart use of solar power at the consumer level by installing rooftop panels that capture sunlight and provide us with electrical energy. However, Jason Hope believes that we can further improve on this through nanotechnology. He believes that products like ‘solar paint’ will be developed in the future that would allow individual homes to capture sunlight and produce their own electrical energy instead of depending on centralized power grids for electricity. Moreover, the tech can be used to add some other essential features such as storage capabilities so these houses could even sell any excess electricity they may not need right away back to the grid. This could help in a big way in reducing electricity costs.
This technology can also be used to improve wind power generation facilities by making turbine blades that have embedded CNTs which will significantly increase their efficiency and could even help reduce the space needed for these plants. In addition, these ‘nano turbines’ would function much more quietly than conventional windmills without any vibrations or noise disturbances. This is because when air passes through them, sound waves are produced within the hollow structures of nano turbines which causes the overall structure to vibrate and thus produce noise. The use of nanotube-based materials can solve this problem easily as they provide uniform density throughout their bodies so there won’t be any internal vibrating. These new high-capacity storage devices would also be very handy in powering electric vehicles as they would allow us to store more energy. This will be a great leap forward for the cause of environmental protection and will reduce dependency on petroleum products.
Nanotech Aids in Making Us Better Humans
While nanotech has the potential to make us better humans in many ways, it’s also true that its misuse can lead to disasters of unprecedented levels. However, Jason Hope doesn’t feel that nanotech research should be stopped because of this reason. He feels that we must do our best to minimize the risks involved in nanotech-based developments, but at the same time shouldn’t lose hope and stop investing in it. He believes that nanotechnology has a lot of potentials to improve lives and it’s worth giving it a shot.
Nanotech-based genetic engineering is said to lead to the creation of ‘super babies’ with enhanced physical and mental abilities through modification of their DNA. In fact, Hope feels that by 2050, we might have genetically modified organisms that might be on the verge of becoming a new species. However, these developments may not be welcomed by everyone as people with religiously motivated ideologies may feel threatened by any scientific advancements that question their beliefs. This group might try to hamper our progress if it finds some way to do so. Moreover, uncontrollable development in the field of nanotechnology could lead to a huge rise in warfare as people with conflicting interests might use nanotech to destroy their enemies. Even worse, a terrorist organization may find some way to create self-replicating ‘gray goo’ which could lead to the destruction of our planet if it falls into wrong hands.
However, Hope believes that all these possible threats regarding nanotechnology can be taken care of if we all come together and make a concerted effort. He feels that the ethical implications associated with nanotech should be taken very seriously and people working in this field should do their best to make our world a better place.
Jason Hope is convinced that nanotechnology will bring about a technological revolution on par with the industrial revolution, and while it has a lot of potentials to be used for negative purposes, at the same time it can also be a great force for good.
Conclusion
Nanotechnology is going to change our lives fundamentally in many ways. However, we must all come together and work towards making this technology safe from misuse by terrorists or other threats.
Jason Hope is optimistic about nanotechnology and feels that it has the potential to revolutionize our lives for the better, but we must work hard to ensure that this technology benefits all of us by doing away with diseases that cause death and misery, so nanotech can be used for various medical purposes. We must also ensure that security risks associated with this field are controlled in order to make this world a better place.
Hope continues to be excited about the whole field of nanotechnology and feels that it has the potential to transform our lives in a positive way.
