Where else will nanotechnology be used in the future?

Some exciting new nanotechnology-based medicines are now in clinical trials. Some use nanoparticles to deliver toxic drugs directly to tumors, while minimizing the amount of drug damages healthy tissue. Others are used to make medical imaging tools, like MRIs and CAT scans, work better and more safely. Nanotechnology is enabling scientists to find ways to make our home, cars, and businesses more energy efficient through new fuel cells, batteries, and solar panels. They are also finding ways to purify drinking water and to detect and clean up environmental waste and damage. Nanosensors in packaging may soon be able to detect food borne pathogens. New nanomaterials will be stronger, lighter and more durable than the materials we use today in buildings, bridges, automobiles, and more. Scientists have experimented with nanomaterials that bend light and may one day be able to create an “invisibility cloak.” The possibilities seem limitless and the future of nanotechnology holds great potential. For more information, see Benefits and Applications.