Nanotechnology Pushing The Boundaries

The US Department of State reports on how nanotechnology is about to push the boundaries of technology, like we've never seen before.

Nanotechnology has the capability to provide humanity with cheap, high-quality medical care and energy.

The lengthy article goes into:

• The convergence of nanotechnology and biotechnology, and the implications thereof
• Mimicking nature's own nanomachines (ie. plants, animals, etc.), and why it's useful.
• Molecular self-assembly.
• Harnessing solar energy

and ends with a summary on what it is all likely to lead up to:

The continued development of nanobiotechnology materials and molecular machines will deepen our understanding of seemingly intractable phenomena. Nanoscale engineering through molecular design of self-assembling peptides is an enabling technology that will likely play an increasingly important role in the future of biotechnology and will change our lives in the coming decades. For example, aging and damaged tissues can be replaced with the scaffolds that stimulate cells to repair body parts or to rejuvenate the skin. We also might be able to swim and dive like dolphins or to climb mountains with a nanoscaffold lung device that can carry an extra supply of oxygen. It is not impossible to anticipate painting cars and houses with photosynthesis molecular machines that can harness the unlimited solar energy for all populations on every corner of the planet, not just for the wealthy few.

Just imagine that... living in a world where energy is collected constantly by our own, daily-used objects. Energy would be like oxygen: free, and always available.

Not to mention the possibility of replacing aging tissues...

I highly recommend reading this article if you want to get a good feel for some of the things nanotechnology can do, once it's advanced enough.