INTRODUCTION
1. Introduction
existent to being object of extensive articles and reports in scientific and non-scientific journals, as well as to be a favorite discussion topic in web pages, forums and blogs in Internet.
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (N&N) have become a rapidly growing research and development (R&D) field that is cutting across many traditional research topics. Nowadays the ability to construct nano-objects and nanodevices provides novel advanced materials and astonishing devices and will lead to the future development of fully functional nano-machines and nano-materials, virtually having an effect on every manufactured product, the production and storage of energy, and providing a host of medical applications ranging from in situ and real time diagnostics to tissue regeneration. N&N are more than simply the next frontier in miniaturization, since the properties of materials and devices dramatically change when their characteristic dimensions moves down the nanoscale, revealing an entirely new world of possibilities.
When we speak about social impact, we are referring to the capacity of Nanotechnology to generate applications and devices that will induce true changes in our daily life, our jobs, our homes, our health, etc. N&N will fundamentally restructure the technologies currently used for manufacturing, medicine, security, defence, energy production and storage, environmental management, transportation, communication, computation and education. Given the multidisciplinary character of N&N, the list of expected application areas is very long. The broad scope of N&N applications will affect different aspects of the activity of human beings. Nevertheless, we can highlight that many of these applications are focused on the improvement of human health, whereas others will facilitate a more sustainable economic development allowing the optimization of resources and diminishing environmental impact.
2. Potential nanotechnology applications and their social impact The evaluation of the expected impact of a technology wave is always an uncertain business. Yet there seems little doubt that the very nature of nanotechnology will precipitate important changes, the only question is its timetable. In the case of N&N, perhaps, the first measurable impact has been its effect on the media. In a decade everything 'nano' has gone from non-
3. Nanotechnology Research Funding Nanoscience, transformed in Nanotechnology, is taking now its first steps outside the laboratories and many small and large companies are
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