8 How Nanotechnology Works
纳米技术的工作原理
There's an unprecedented multidisciplinary convergence of scientists dedicated to the study of a
world so small, we can't see it -- even with a light microscope. That world is the field of
nanotechnology, the realm of atoms and nanostructures. Nanotechnology is so new, no one is
really sure what will come of it. Even so, predictions range from the ability to reproduce things
like diamonds and food to the world being devoured by self-replicating nanorobots.
空前的多学科收敛的科学家们致力于研究的一个很小的世界我们不能看到它 — — 甚至
用一个光学显微镜。这世界是原子和纳米结构的领土、 领域的纳米技术。纳米技术是很新
没有人是真的相信它会发生什么。即便如此预测范围从重现像钻石和向世界被吞食的自我
复制指食物的能力。
In order to understand the unusual world of nanotechnology, we need to get an idea of the units
of measure involved. A centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter, a millimeter is one-thousandth
of a meter, and a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter, but all of these are still huge compared
to the nanoscale. A nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter, smaller than the wavelength of
visible light and a hundred-thousandth the width of a human hair [source: Berkeley Lab].
为了了解纳米技术的不寻常的世界我们需要得到的度量单位的想法所涉及。一厘米是一米
的百分之一一毫米是千分之一米和微米是百万分之一米但所有这些都仍然巨大相比
在纳米尺度。纳米 nm 是十亿分之一米小于波长的可见光和十万分之一的一根头发
的宽度 [源 伯克利实验室]。
As small as a nanometer is, it's still large compared to the atomic scale. An atom has a diameter
of about 0.1 nm. An atom's nucleus is much smaller -- about 0.00001 nm. Atoms are the building
blocks for all matter in our universe. You and everything around you are made of atoms. Nature
has perfected the science of manufacturing matter molecularly. For instance, our bodies are
assembled in a specific manner from millions of living cells. Cells are nature's nanomachines. At
the atomic scale, elements are at their most basic level. On the nanoscale, we can potentially put
these atoms together to make almost anything.
作为小正纳米它是仍然大原子规模相比。一个原子有一个直径约 0.1 毫微米。原子的原
子核是小得多 — — 关于为 0.00001 毫微米。原子是我们的宇宙中所有物质的构造块。你
和你周围的一切都由原子组成。性质已完善分子制造物质的科学。例如我们的身体组装以
特定的方式从数以百万计的活细胞。单元格是大自然的微型。在原子尺度元素是他们最基
本的层面。在纳米尺度我们
有可能可以把这些原子在一起使几乎所有的东西。
In a lecture called "Small Wonders:The World of Nanoscience," Nobel Prize winner Dr. Horst
St?rmer said that the nanoscale is more interesting than the atomic scale because the nanoscale
is the first point where we can assemble something -- it's not until we start putting atoms
together that we can make anything useful.
在一次演讲称为"小奇迹 世界的纳米科学"诺贝尔奖获得者 Horst St?rmer 博士说 在
纳米尺度是比原子尺度更有趣的因为在纳米尺度是哪里我们可以装配的东西 — — 它是不
直到我们开始把原子放在一起我们可以有用的东西的第一个点。
In this article, we'll learn about what nanotechnology means today and what the future of
nanotechnology may hold. We'll also look at the potential risks that come with working at the
nanoscale. 在本文中我们今天学习意味着什么纳米技术和纳米技术的未来可能会举行。我们还将看一
起工作在纳米尺度的潜在风险。
In the next section, we'll learn more about our world on the nanoscale.
在下一节中我们将学习更多有关我们在纳米尺度上的世界。
-Experts sometimes disagree about what constitutes the nanoscale, but in general, you can think
of nanotechnology dealing with anything measuring between 1 and 100 nm. Larger than that is
the microscale, and smaller than that is the atomic scale.
专家们有时不同意对什么是纳米尺度但一般情况下你能想到的纳米技术处理任何测量 1
和 100 毫微米之间。比这更大的是微尺度和比这更小的是原子尺度。
Nanotechnology is rapidly becoming an interdisciplinary field. Biologists, chemists, physicists and
engineers are all involved in the study of substances at the nanoscale. Dr. St?rmer hopes that the
different disciplines develop a common language and communicate with one another [source:
St?rmer]. Only then, he says, can we effectively teach nanoscience since you can't understand
the world of nanotechnology without a solid background in multiple sciences.
纳米技术正迅速成为一个学科领域。生物学家、 化学家、 物理学家和工程师也都参与物质
在纳米尺度的研究。博士 St?rmer 希望不同的学科发展共同的语言和沟通与另一个 [来源
St?rmer]。只有到那时他说可我们有效地教纳米科学因为你不能理解纳米技术没有坚
实的背景在多个科学领域的世界。
One of the exciting and challenging aspects of the nanoscale is the role that quantum mechanics
plays in it. The rules of quantum mechanics are very different from classical physics, which
means that the behavior of substances at the nanoscale can sometimes contradict common
sense by behaving erratically. You can't walk up to a wall and immediately teleport to the ot
her
side of it, but at the nanoscale an electron can -- it's called electron tunneling. Substances that
are insulators, meaning they can't carry an electric charge, in bulk form might become
semiconductors when reduced to the nanoscale. Melting points can change due to an increase in
surface area. Much of nanoscience requires that you forget what you know and start learning all
over again.
在纳米尺度的令人兴奋和具有挑战性的方面之一是量子力学的作用
在它的戏剧。量子力学的规则是从古典物理学这意味着物质在纳米尺度的行为可能与常识
的漂移相有时矛盾非常不同。你不能走到墙和立即自动传送到另一侧的它但在纳米尺度电
子束可以--它称为电子隧穿。是绝缘体意思他们不能以散装形式携带电荷的物质可能会成
为半导体时减少到纳米尺度。熔点可以更改由于表面面积增加。很多纳米科学需要你忘了你
知道的和开始再来学习。
So what does this all mean? Right now, it means that scientists are experimenting with
substances at the nanoscale to learn about their properties and how we might be able to take
advantage of them in various applications. Engineers are trying to use nano-size wires to create
smaller, more powerful microprocessors. Doctors are searching for ways to use nanoparticles in
medical applications. Still, we've got a long way to go before nanotechnology dominates the
technology and medical markets.
所有这些意味着什么现在它意味着科学家们正在试验的物质在纳米尺度了解它们的属
性和我们如何能够在各种应用中利用它们。工程师们正在尽力使用纳米尺寸的电线来创建更
小、 功能更强大的微处理器。医生正在寻找在医疗应用中使用纳米粒子的方法。尽管如此
我们有很长的路要走之前纳米技术占主导地位的技术和医疗市场。 In the next section, we'll look at two important nanotechnology structures: nanowires and
carbon nanotubes
在下一节中我们来看看两个重要的纳米结构 纳米线和碳纳米管
Currently, scientists find two nano-size structures of particular interest: nanowires and carbon
nanotubes. Nanowires are wires with a very small diameter, sometimes as small as 1 nanometer.
Scientists hope to use them to build tiny transistors for computer chips and other electronic
devices. In the last couple of years, carbon nanotubes have overshadowed nanowires. We're still
learning about these structures, but what we've learned so far is very exciting.
目前科学家发现两种纳米尺寸结构特别感兴趣的 纳米线和碳纳米管。纳米线是导线直
径很小有时小到 1 纳米。科学家们希望要用于生成微小的晶体管计算机芯片和其它电子
设备。在过去几年盖过了碳纳米管纳米线。我们仍
然在学习这些结构但我们到目前为止
学到是非常令人兴奋。
A carbon nanotube is a nano-size cylinder of carbon atoms. Imagine a sheet of carbon atoms,
which would look like a sheet of hexagons. If you roll that sheet into a tube, you'd have a carbon
nanotube. Carbon nanotube properties depend on how you roll the sheet. In other words, even
though all carbon nanotubes are made of carbon, they can be very different from one another
based on how you align the individual atoms.
碳纳米管是碳原子纳米尺寸缸。想象一下一张看起来就像一张六边形的碳原子。如果你滚进
管的那张你会有碳纳米管。碳纳米管属性取决于你如何滚动工作表。换句话说即使所有
的碳纳米管由碳做成的他们可以从另一个基于单个原子的对齐方式非常不同。
With the right arrangement of atoms, you can create a carbon nanotube that's hundreds of times
stronger than steel, but six times lighter [source: The Ecologist]. Engineers plan to make building
material out of carbon nanotubes, particularly for things like cars and airplanes. Lighter vehicles
would mean better fuel efficiency, and the added strength translates to increased passenger
safety.
使用正确的原子排列您可以创建数百倍的碳纳米管比钢还硬但轻六倍 [源 生态学家]。
工程师计划使建筑材料利用纳米碳管特别是像汽车和飞机的事情。更轻的车辆将意味着更
好的燃油效率并添加的强度会转换为增加的乘客的安全。
Carbon nanotubes can also be effective semiconductors with the right arrangement of atoms.
Scientists are still working on finding ways to make carbon nanotubes a realistic option for
transistors in microprocessors and other electronics.
碳纳米管也可以有效半导体与正确的原子排列。科学家们仍在寻找办法使碳纳米管晶体管
现实的选择在微处理器和其他电子设备中。
In the next section, we'll look at products that are taking advantage of nanotechnology.
在下一节中我们来看看正在利用纳米技术的产品。
You might be surprised to find out how many products on the market are already benefiting from
nanotechnology.
你可能会惊讶地发现市场上的有多少产品正在受益于纳米技术。
Bridgestone engineers developed this Quick Response Liquid Powder Display, a flexible digital
普利司通的工程师开发此快速反应液体粉末显示一种灵活的数字
screen, using nanotechnology.
屏幕上使用纳米技术。
Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images
义和都农/法新社/盖蒂图片社 Sunscreen - Many sunscreens contain nanoparticles of zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Older
sunscreen formulas use larger particles, which is what gives most sunscreens their whitish color.
Smaller particles are less visible, meaning that when you rub
the sunscreen into your skin, it
doesn't give you a whitish tinge.
防晒霜-许多防晒霜含有氧化锌或二氧化钛纳米粒子。旧防晒霜公式使用较大的颗粒这就
是他们的发白的颜色赋予了大多数防晒霜。更小的粒子是不可见的意思当你到你的皮肤擦防
晒霜它不会给你一发白的色彩。
?Self-cleaning glass - A company called Pilkington offers a product they call Activ Glass, which
uses nanoparticles to make the glass photocatalytic and hydrophilic. The photocatalytic effect
means that when UV radiation from light hits the glass, nanoparticles become energized and
begin to break down and loosen organic molecules on the glass (in other words, dirt). Hydrophilic
means that when water makes contact with the glass, it spreads across the glass evenly, which
helps wash the glass clean.
? 清洗玻璃-一家公司叫他们打电话给各地玻璃使用纳米粒子使玻璃光催化产品的皮尔
金顿提供和亲水性。光催化效应意味着当紫外辐射的光点击玻璃纳米粒子成为激发并开始
打破拧松 (换言之土) 在玻璃上的有机分子。亲水意味着当水使与玻璃接触它传播
跨玻璃均匀从而有助于洗玻璃清洁。
?Clothing - Scientists are using nanoparticles to enhance your clothing. By coating fabrics with a
thin layer of zinc oxide nanoparticles, manufacturers can create clothes that give better
protection from UV radiation. Some clothes have nanoparticles in the form of little hairs or
whiskers that help repel water and other materials, making the clothing stain-resistant.
?Clothing-科学家利用纳米粒子以提高你的衣服。薄薄一层氧化锌纳米粒子的涂层面料制
造商可以创建更好的保护免受紫外线辐射的衣服。一些衣服有纳米粒子在小小的毛发或帮
助击退水和其他材料做服装耐脏的晶须的形式。
?Scratch-resistant coatings - Engineers discovered that adding aluminum silicate nanoparticles to
scratch-resistant polymer coatings made the coatings more effective, increasing resistance to
chipping and scratching. Scratch-resistant coatings are common on everything from cars to
eyeglass lenses.
?Scratch 耐涂料-工程师发现添加防刮聚合物涂层铝硅酸盐纳米涂料更有效、 更增加抵抗切
削和刮伤。防刮涂料是共同的在一切从汽车到眼镜镜片。
?Antimicrobial bandages - Scientist Robert Burrell created a process to manufacture antibacterial
bandages using nanoparticles of silver. Silver ions block microbes' cellular respiration [source:
https://www.doczj.com/doc/7b10210719.html,]. In other words, silver smothers harmful cells, killing them.
?Antimicrobial 绷带-科学家罗伯特 · 伯勒尔创建一个进程来制造抗菌绷带使用的银纳米粒
子。银离子阻止微生物的细胞的呼吸 [来源 https://www.doczj.com/doc/7b10210719.html,]。换句话
说银窒息有害细
胞杀了他们。
[source: The Ecologist]
[来源 生态学家]
New products incorporating nanotechnology are coming out every day. Wrinkle-resistant fabrics,
deep-penetrating cosmetics, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and other conveniences using
nanotechnology are on the market. Before long, we'll see dozens of other products that take
advantage of nanotechnology ranging from Intel microprocessors to bio-nanobatteries,
capacitors only a few nanometers thick. While this is exciting, it's only the tip of the iceberg as far
as how nanotechnology may impact us in the future. 含有纳米技术的新产品出来的每一天。抗皱织物、 深穿透化妆品、 液晶显示 (LCD) 和其
他便利使用纳米技术是在市场上。不久之前我们会看到数十种利用纳米技术从英特尔的微
处理器到生物-nanobatteries电容器仅为几纳米厚的其他产品。虽然这是令人兴奋它是仅
冰山一角就如何纳米技术可能会影响我们将来。
In the next section, we'll look at some of the incredible things that nanotechnology may hold for
us.
在下一节中我们会看一些令人难以置信的事情纳米技术可以为我们举行。
Tennis, Anyone
网球、 任何人
In the world of "Star Trek," machines called replicators can produce practically any physical object,
from weapons to a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea. Long considered to be exclusively the product
of science fiction, today some people believe replicators are a very real possibility. They call it
molecular manufacturing, and if it ever does become a reality, it could drastically change the
world.
在 《 星际迷航的世界称为复制体的机器可以生产几乎任何物理对象从武器到一杯热气
腾腾的格雷伯爵茶。长期被认为是科幻小说的专门的产品今天有些人相信复制人是一种非
常真实的可能性。他们叫它分子制造和如果它永远不会成为现实它可以大大改变世界。
Atoms and molecules stick together because they have complementary shapes that lock
together,
molecular manufacturing, and if it ever does become a reality, it could drastically change the
world.
Atoms and molecules stick together because they have complementary shapes that lock together,
or charges that attract. Just like with magnets, a positively charged atom will stick to a negatively
charged atom. As millions of these atoms are pieced together by nanomachines, a specific
product will begin to take shape. The goal of molecular manufacturing is to manipulate atoms
individually and place them in a pattern to produce a desired structure.
分子制造和如果它永远不会成为现实它可以大大改变世界。
原子和分子粘在一起因为他们有互补的形状锁在一起原子和分子粘在一起因为他们有互
补的形状
锁在一起或吸引的收费。就像用磁铁一个正电荷的原子会粘到一个负电荷的原
子。随着数以百万计的这些原子拼凑起来的微型的某一特定产品将开始采取的形状。分子制
造的目标是要单独操纵原子和将它们放在一个模式来产生所需的结构。
The first step would be to develop nanoscopic machines, called assemblers, that scientists can
program to manipulate atoms and molecules at will. Rice University Professor Richard Smalley
points out that it would take a single nanoscopic machine millions of years to assemble a
meaningful amount of material. In order for molecular manufacturing to be practical, you would
need trillions of assemblers working together simultaneously. Eric Drexler believes that
assemblers could first replicate themselves, building other assemblers. Each generation would
build another, resulting in exponential growth until there are enough assemblers to produce
objects [source: Ray Kurzweil].
第一步将开发纳米机所谓的装配工科学家可以程序来操纵原子和分子在将。水稻大学教
授理查德 · 斯莫利指出它会将一个单一纳米机器数以百万计年组装大量有意义的材料。为
了使分子制造要实际你将需要数万亿装配工同时一起工作。Eric Drexler 认为装配工可以
先进行自我复制建筑其他装配工。每一代人将会生成另一个直到有足够装配工生产对象造成呈指数级增长 [源 Ray Kurzweil]。
Assemblers might have moving parts like the nanogears in this concept drawing.
装配工可能有像这个概念图中 nanogears 的移动部件。
Trillions of assemblers and replicators could fill an area smaller than a cubic millimeter, and could
still be too small for us to see with the naked eye. Assemblers and replicators could work
together to automatically construct products, and could eventually replace all traditional labor
methods. This could vastly decrease manufacturing costs, thereby making consumer goods
plentiful, cheaper and stronger. Eventually, we could be able to replicate anything, including
diamonds, water and food. Famine could be eradicated by machines that fabricate foods to feed
the hungry.
数万亿装配工和复制体可以填充区域小于立方毫米和仍可能太小我们用肉眼看到。装配工
和复制体可以协同工作来自动构造的产品并可能最终取代传统劳动的所有方法。这可以
大大降低制造成本从而使消费品丰富、 更便宜、 更强。最终我们将能够复制任何东西
包括钻石、 水和食物。饥荒可能消除由制造食物给饥饿者的机器。
Nanotechnology may have its biggest impact on the medical industry. Patients will drink fluids
containing nanorobots programmed to attack and reconstruct the molecular structure of cancer
cells and viruses. Th
ere's even speculation that nanorobots could slow or reverse the aging
process, and life expectancy could increase significantly. Nanorobots could also be programmed
to perform delicate surgeries -- such nanosurgeons could work at a level a thousand times more
precise than the sharpest scalpel [source: International Journal of Surgery]. By working on such a
small scale, a nanorobot could operate without leaving the scars that conventional surgery does.
Additionally, nanorobots could change your physical appearance. They could be programmed to
perform cosmetic surgery, rearranging your atoms to change your ears, nose, eye color or any
other physical feature you wish to alter.
纳米技术可对医疗行业其最大的影响。病人会喝液体含有指编程以攻击和重建的癌细胞和
病毒的分子结构。有甚至猜测指能减缓或扭转衰老的过程和预期寿命可能会大大增加。
此外可以设定指为执行微妙的手术 — — 这种 nanosurgeons 可以工作在最锋利的手术刀
比一千次更为精确的水平 [来源 国际外科杂志]。通过工作规模较小奈米可以不留下疤
痕常规手术不会操作。此外指可以改变你的外表。他们可以进行编程以执行整容手术
重新排列你改变你的耳朵、 鼻子、 眼睛的颜色或任何其他您想要改变的物理特性的原子。
Nanotechnology has the potential to have a positive effect on the environment. For instance,
scientists could program airborne nanorobots to rebuild the thinning ozone layer. Nanorobots
could remove contaminants from water sources and clean up oil spills. Manufacturing materials
using the bottom-up method of nanotechnology also creates less pollution than conventional
纳米技术有可能要对环境的积极影响。例如科学家可以程序机载指重建臭氧层变薄。指可
以去除水源中的污染物和清理漏油。制造材料也使用纳米技术的自底向上方法创建比常规污
染少
manufacturing processes. Our dependence on non-renewable resources would diminish with
nanotechnology. Cutting down trees, mining coal or drilling for oil may no longer be necessary --
nanomachines could produce those resources.
制造流程。我们对不可再生资源的依赖将减少与纳米技术。砍伐的树木煤炭开采或开采石
油可能不再有必要 — — 微型可以产生这些资源。
Many nanotechnology experts feel that these applications are well outside the realm of
possibility, at least for the foreseeable future. They caution that the more exotic applications are only theoretical. Some worry that nanotechnology will end up like virtual reality -- in other words,
the hype surrounding nanotechnology will continue to build until the limitations of the field
become public knowledge, and then interest (and funding) will quickly dissipate.
许多的纳米
技术专家认为这些应用程序之外的可能性境界至少可预见的未来。他们警告更
多异国情调的应用程序只是理论。一些人担心纳米技术最终会像虚拟现实 — — 换句话说
纳米技术的大肆将继续生成直至该字段的限制成为公共知识然后感兴趣 和资金 将
会很快消散。
In the next section, we'll look at some of the challenges and risks of nanotechnology.
在下一节中我们会看看的一些挑战和风险的纳米技术。
In the world of "Star Trek," machines called replicators can produce practically any physical object,
from weapons to a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea. Long considered to be exclusively the product
of science fiction, today some people believe replicators are a very real possibility. They call it
molecular manufacturing, and if it ever does become a reality, it could drastically change the
world.
在 《 星际迷航的世界称为复制体的机器可以生产几乎任何物理对象从武器到一杯热气
腾腾的格雷伯爵茶。长期被认为是科幻小说的专门的产品今天有些人相信复制人是一种非
常真实的可能性。他们叫它分子制造和如果它永远不会成为现实它可以大大改变世界。
Atoms and molecules stick together because they have complementary shapes that lock together,
or charges that attract. Just like with magnets, a positively charged atom will stick to a negatively
charged atom. As millions of these atoms are pieced together by nanomachines, a specific
product will begin to take shape. The goal of molecular manufacturing is to manipulate atoms
individually and place them in a pattern to produce a desired structure.
原子和分子粘在一起因为他们有互补的形状锁在一起或吸引的收费。就像用磁铁一个正
电荷的原子会粘到一个负电荷的原子。随着数以百万计的这些原子拼凑起来的微型的某一特
定产品将开始采取的形状。分子制造的目标是要单独操纵原子和将它们放在一个模式来产生
所需的结构。
The first step would be to develop nanoscopic machines, called assemblers, that scientists can
program to manipulate atoms and molecules at will. Rice University Professor Richard Smalley
points out that it would take a single nanoscopic machine millions of years to assemble a
meaningful amount of material. In order for molecular manufacturing to be practical, you would
need trillions of assemblers working together simultaneously. Eric Drexler believes that
assemblers could first replicate themselves, building other assemblers. Each generation would
build another, resulting in exponential growth until there are enough assemblers to produce
objects [source: Ray Kurzweil].
第一步将开发纳米机所谓的装配工科学家可以程序来操纵原子和分子在将。水稻大
学教
授理查德 · 斯莫利指出它会将一个单一纳米机器数以百万计年组装大量有意义的材料。为
了使分子制造要实际你将需要数万亿装配工同时一起工作。Eric Drexler 认为装配工可以
先进行自我复制建筑其他装配工。每一代人将会生成另一个直到有足够装配工生产对象
造成呈指数级增长 [源 Ray Kurzweil]。
Assemblers might have moving parts like the nanogears in this concept drawing.
装配工可能有像这个概念图中 nanogears 的移动部件。
Trillions of assemblers and replicators could fill an area smaller than a cubic millimeter, and could
still be too small for us to see with the naked eye. Assemblers and replicators could work
together to automatically construct products, and could eventually replace all traditional labor methods. This could vastly decrease manufacturing costs, thereby making consumer goods
plentiful, cheaper and stronger. Eventually, we could be able to replicate anything, including
diamonds, water and food. Famine could be eradicated by machines that fabricate foods to feed
the hungry.
数万亿装配工和复制体可以填充区域小于立方毫米和仍可能太小我们用肉眼看到。装配工
和复制体可以协同工作来自动构造的产品并可能最终取代传统劳动的所有方法。这可以
大大降低制造成本从而使消费品丰富、 更便宜、 更强。最终我们将能够复制任何东西
包括钻石、 水和食物。饥荒可能消除由制造食物给饥饿者的机器。
Nanotechnology may have its biggest impact on the medical industry. Patients will drink fluids
纳米技术可对医疗行业其最大的影响。病人会喝水containing nanorobots programmed to
attack and reconstruct the molecular structure of cancer cells and viruses. There's even
speculation that nanorobots could slow or reverse the aging process, and life expectancy could
increase significantly. Nanorobots could also be programmed to perform delicate surgeries --
such nanosurgeons could work at a level a thousand times more precise than the sharpest scalpel
[source: International Journal of Surgery]. By working on such a small scale, a nanorobot could
operate without leaving the scars that conventional surgery does. Additionally, nanorobots could
change your physical appearance. They could be programmed to perform cosmetic surgery,
rearranging your atoms to change your ears, nose, eye color or any other physical feature you
wish to alter.
包含指编程以攻击和重建的癌细胞和病毒的分子结构。有甚至猜测指能减缓或扭转衰老
的过程和预期寿命可能会大大增加。此外可以设定指为执行微妙的手术 — — 这种
nanosurgeons 可以工作在最锋利的手术刀比一千次更为精确的水平 [来源 国际外科杂志]。
通过工作
规模较小奈米可以不留下疤痕常规手术不会操作。此外指可以改变你的外表。
他们可以进行编程以执行整容手术重新排列你改变你的耳朵、 鼻子、 眼睛的颜色或任
何其他您想要改变的物理特性的原子。
Nanotechnology has the potential to have a positive effect on the environment. For instance,
scientists could program airborne nanorobots to rebuild the thinning ozone layer. Nanorobots
could remove contaminants from water sources and clean up oil spills. Manufacturing materials
using the bottom-up method of nanotechnology also creates less pollution than conventional
manufacturing processes. Our dependence on non-renewable resources would diminish with
nanotechnology. Cutting down trees, mining coal or drilling for oil may no longer be necessary --
nanomachines could produce those resources.
纳米技术有可能要对环境的积极影响。例如科学家可以程序机载指重建臭氧层变薄。指可
以去除水源中的污染物和清理漏油。制造材料也使用纳米技术的自底向上方法创建较少污染
比常规的制造流程。我们对不可再生资源的依赖将减少与纳米技术。砍伐的树木煤炭开采
或开采石油可能不再有必要 — — 微型可以产生这些资源。
Many nanotechnology experts feel that these applications are well outside the realm of
possibility, at least for the foreseeable future. They caution that the more exotic applications are
only theoretical. Some worry that nanotechnology will end up like virtual reality -- in other words,
the hype surrounding nanotechnology will continue to build until the limitations of the field
become public knowledge, and then interest (and funding) will quickly dissipate.
许多的纳米技术专家认为这些应用程序之外的可能性境界至少可预见的未来。他们警告更
多异国情调的应用程序只是理论。一些人担心纳米技术最终会像虚拟现实 — — 换句话说
纳米技术的大肆将继续生成直至该字段的限制成为公共知识然后感兴趣 和资金 将会很快消散。
In the next section, we'll look at some of the challenges and risks of nanotechnology.
在下一节中我们会看看的一些挑战和风险的纳米技术。