Week 8: Nanotech+Art

This week we learned about the nano-technology from the lecture given by Dr. Gimzewski. Nano-technology opened a new world for people. In both philosophical and visual sense, "seeing is believing does not apply to nanotechnology, "for there is nothing even remotely visible to create proof of existence". In Feynman's famous talk, "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom",  he put up with the idea of small scale, later having the name of "nano". Nowadays, nanotechnology has developed into a new science with broad applications in real life.

Back in the middle school, I have seen the manipulation of atoms as a application of nanotechnology. At that time, I did not know what technology is behind such manipulation. According to the introduction of Dr. Gimzewskin, it is accomplished by STM: scanning tunneling microscope. It allows "not only to structure and modify matter on the atomic scale, but also grants access to basic physical properties of such artificial nano-structures".

There is another aspect of nanotechnology that left me with deep impression, that is, its broad application. Some of its application has been applied to our real life. Dr. Gimzewski introduced the hydrophobic property of lotus leaf. Lotus leaf have surfaces consists of nano-scale bumps. Water would not be able to stay on lotus leaf surface. People invent the self-cleaning fabrics based on such property. 

Nanotechnology can be applied to art as well. An extraordinary example existed in nature has inspired us with such possibility. Blue morphos, a kind of butterfly with iridescent metallic blue wings, has nano-structures that reflect this bright blue color in wings. Such light reflection is much effective than any pigment. Scientist and artists have inspiration from blue morphos. 

From Dr. Gimzewski introduction of nanotechnology, I am shocked how wide this small scale technology is applied. To end with physicist Feynman's words, "There's plenty of room at the bottom.

Citation:

[1] Feynman, Richard P. "There's plenty of room at the bottom." Engineering and science 23.5 (1960): 22-36.

[2] Ben, Eli. "Self-cleaning Nano-clothes on the Way." Infolikescom RSS. Web. 22 May 2016.

[3] Bunlert, Aekkasit. "Down-Sizing at IBM." Web. 

[4] "Technische Universität München." TUM E20: Atomic Manipulation. Web. 22 May 2016. 

[5] Sambles, Roy, and Jacopo Bertolotti. "Wing Scales Diffract and Scatter Light: Morpho Butterflies." AskNature. Ed. Peter Vukusic. Web. 22 May 2016.

[6] "Classical Mechanics." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 22 May 2016.

 [7] "Morpho Menelaus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 22 May 2016. 

 [8] Uconlineprogram. "Nanotech Jim Pt4." YouTube. YouTube, 2012. Web. 22 May 2016.