The word Nanotechnology describes the development of devices on the scale of atoms.
Nano means one billionth. Therefore, there are one billion nanometres in one metre. Nanotechnology is the study of devices that are billionths of a metre in size.
For example, one nanometre would be 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
By weight, a carbon nanotube is more expensive and stronger than a diamond or gold.
Some electronic devices that use nanosized parts include flexible digital screens and sensors that may detect chemicals in the air.
Nanotechnology is being used to make “smart drugs” that target individual cancer cells and kill specific germs.
Scientists are hoping to develop nanomachines and nanorobots to assist surgeons to repair the human body from the inside or to circulate in our blood to attack harmful germs.
One weird fact that scientists have thrown up is whether it would be possible to build a space elevator by using the Carbon Nanotubes so that could transport people on Earth to the Moon!