Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Communicating the risks and benefits associated with nanotechnology to the general public is proving to be more subtle and complex than researchers might have expected.
From the provision of clean drinking water to the early detection of disease, nanotechnology has the potential to make a real impact in the fight against global poverty.
Most definitions of nanotechnology focus on the control of matter, not light, but research in nanophotonics is thriving in areas as diverse as quantum optics and biological imaging.
Medical applications of nanotechnology are growing, but a number of outstanding issues need to be resolved before nanomedicine moves from the lab to the bedside.
The scientific output of the Asia–Pacific region is growing, especially in nanoscience and technology, but there is scope for greater collaboration and networking between researchers.
Last month a government department in the UK issued a press release that asked “Can nanoscience help in the fight against climate change?” The answer is a cautious yes.
The UK has dropped the ball on research into the health and safety aspects of nanomaterials, but green nanotechnology presents opportunities for researchers and companies around the world.
First isolated less than three years ago, graphene is currently the hottest topic in condensed-matter physics and materials science. Expect further breakthroughs in fundamental physics and, possibly, the advent of graphene-based electronics.
The EU has just launched its latest framework programme for R&D and it contains a host of opportunities for researchers and companies working in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
Security and surveillance are emerging as major and sometimes controversial applications of nanotechnology, especially in the United States. Although some of these applications are to be welcomed, others should be handled with care.
