In this podcast, Professor Moriarty discusses nanotechnology, and how it has led to a convergence of the traditional sciences. He talks about the commercial applications of nanotechnology such as hard disk technology in laptops, stain free materials and fabrics, self-cleaning windows and advanced water filtration. He also touches on some of the myths about nanotechnology as well as some of the real dangers of Nanotechnology and the steps governments are taking to regulate it. Professor Moriarty is a researcher in the field of nanotechnology.

"Apples to Atoms" is a collection of activities focused on important concepts underlying nanoscience, developed for middle school science and math students. Each of the four chapters (Size and Scale, Measurement, Microscopy, and Surface Area to Volume Ratios) contains a series of linked activities, and readings which provide context for the concepts developed in the activities. Suggested assessment items are also included. The chapters are inter-related, but are designed so they may be taught independently or in any order.

A brief overview of the kinds of instruments used in nanotechnology research, including the scanning tunneling microscope and the atomic force microscope.

" This course is offered for graduate students who are interested in the interdisciplinary study of bio-inspired structures. The intent is to introduce students to newly inspired modern advanced structures and their applications. It aims to link traditional advanced composites to bio-inspired structures and to discuss their generic properties. A link between materials design, strength and structural behavior at different levels (material, element, structural and system levels) is made. For each level, various concepts will be introduced. The importance of structural, dynamic, thermodynamic and kinetic theories related to such processing is highlighted. The pedagogy is based on active learning and a balance of guest lectures and hands-on activities."

This module presents an overview of Brownian motion, with a focus on how it relates to nanotechnology. It looks at Brownian motion from a historical, physical, mathematical, and biological perspective in order to give the reader a complete view of this phenomenon.

This unit explores the issue of energy production as a pressing global issue and how nanoscience could enable important breakthroughs in energy generation and conversion. In particular, traditional and newer "nano" solar technologies are introduced and explored. Upon completing this unit, students will understand: Clean alternative energy technologies must be developed to provide sufficient energy to meet growing global demand, and must be sustainable both environmentally and economically; Nanoscience could enable important breakthroughs in solar energy technology through low cost, novel energy conversion mechanisms; Surface area to volume ratio is a function of particle size and shape. Increasing surface area normally increases the rate of reaction because there are more sites available for simultaneous reaction; Energy is neither created nor destroyed--it can only be converted into different forms. Length: 2 lessons, up to 3 50-minute classroom periods if all lessons are used. Not all lessons are required. Use the lessons most appropriate for your students.

This unit explores issues related to size and scale, specifically the effect of the size of nanopowders on the interactions of energy and matter (e.g., the absorption of light, addressing the electromagnetic spectrum and associated wavelengths). For example, old sunscreens use "large" zinc oxide particles, which block ultraviolet light but scatter visible light, giving the cream a white color. If nanopowders of zinc oxide are used instead, the cream is transparent, because the diameter of each nanoparticle is smaller than the wavelength of visible light. Upon completing this unit, students will understand: How the energies of different wavelengths of light interact differently with different kinds of matter; Why particle size can affect the optical properties of a material; That there may be health issues for nanosized particles that are undetermined at this time; That it is possible to engineer useful materials with an incomplete understanding of their properties; There are often multiple valid theoretical explanations for experimental data; to find out which one works best, additional experiments are required; How to apply their scientific knowledge to be an informed consumer of chemical products. Length: 5 lessons, up to 11 50-minute classroom periods if all lessons are used. Not all lessons are required. Use the lessons most appropriate for your students.

This module gives a brief overview of computational chemistry, a branch of chemistry concerned with theoretically determining properties of molecules. The fundamentals of how to conduct a computational project are discussed as well as the variety of different models that can be used. Because of the difficulty of dealing with nanosized materials, computational modeling has become an important characterization tool in nanotechnology.

Scientists have developed nanoscale biosensors that can help detect diseases on farms and in hospitals. Disease Detectors is a segment from Partners Video Magazine's latest episode, The Science of Small. To view the entire episode visit: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/partners/partners.html

Researchers are discovering how nano-scale tracers can uncover the sources of pollution in America's farm fields and waters. Following the Flow is a segment from Partners Video Magazine's latest episode, The Science of Small. To view the entire episode visit: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/partners/partners.html

While the Greek root nano just means dwarf, the nanoscale has become a giant focus of contemporary science and technology. We will examine the fundamental issues underlying the excitement involved in nanoscale research - what, why and how. Specific topics include assembly, properties, applications and societal issues.

ICP-AES is a spectral technique that is used to both determine the presence of metal analyte and the concentrations thereof. The ICP-AES method is introduced and a practical example is presented. This will help the reader to use this method for their own research work.

This seminar will provide an introductory overview for non-experts of the emerging field of nanometer scale science and technology. The following topics will be emphasized: (1) Historical background and motivation for the study of nanometer scale phenomena; (2) Strategies for controlling the structure of matter with nanometer scale precision; (3) Size-dependent properties (e.g., electrical, optical, and magnetic) that emerge at the nanometer scale; (4) Real-world applications that utilize nanometer scale devices. If time permits, the seminar will also describe the unique challenges that educators face when teaching an interdisciplinary and constantly evolving field such as nanometer scale science and technology. Specific classroom experiences from a nanomaterials undergraduate course at Northwestern University will be shared.

In these interviews, JHSPH faculty deliver expert insight into some of the most important public health challenges facing the world today.

"Manipulation of Light in the Nanoworld" extends the standard topics of wavelength, diffraction, and interference into the nanoscale by introducing students to the concept of photonic crystals. Hands-on activities present macro and microscale diffraction and interference effects in an engaging way. Computer simulations that parallel some of these hand-on activities allow students to observe the changes in these effects as objects move from the micro to the nanoscale. These concepts are then approached from a materials perspective - with examples such as a butterfly wing and a film of oil, - introducing students to the idea that the physical properties of materials affect the light incident upon them. Eventually, the students use a computer simulation of a photonic band gap to predict the behavior of photonic crystals (an artificial opal structure) they actually make and test.

The goal of 3.044 is to teach cost-effective and sustainable production of solid material with a desired geometry, structure or distribution of structures, and production volume. Toward this end, it is organized around different types of phase transformations which determine the structure in various processes for making materials, in roughly increasing order of entropy change during those transformations: solid heat treatment, liquid-solid processing, fluid behavior, deformation processing, and vapor-solid processing. The course ends with several lectures that place the subject in the context of society at large.

In 1965, Gordon Moore observed that the number of transistors on a silicon chip doubled every technology generation (12 months at that time, currently 18-24 months). He predicted that this trend would continue for a while. Forty years later, Moore's Law continues to hold. Since the number of transistors in a circuit is a measure of the circuit's computational power, the doubling of transistor counts compounded over a 40 year period has led to an enormous increase in the performance of electronic devices and a corresponding decrease in their cost per function. The result has shaped our modern world by making computers, personal computers, cell phones, portable music players, personal digital assistants, etc. pervasive. This talk is an overview of a technology that shaped the 20th Century and that may have a similarly profound impact on the 21st Century. I'll explain how engineers double the number of transistors per chip, the challenges they face as they strive to continue Moore's Law, and take a brief look at some new technologies that researchers are examining.

Learn more about nanotechnology and experiment as you try to build a lightweight structure.

Learn which everyday objects contain nanotechnology.