Camo & Stealth

It has long been said that nanotechnology will first be used by the military, just as all new tech seems to be used. Things such as cell phones and GPS began with military use first, as just a few examples of this. Nanotechnology has also been assumed as the answer to the development of better camouflage and stealth technology that can essentially make a person impossible to see. However, the same tech that gives us something like this can also create more powerful military weapons and defense systems. Sure, this will bring about massive advantages for militaries. However, that is also the problem in a nutshell. It will be used not just by the U.S. Armed Forces but also by places such as Russia and China. We could literally start a new arms race with this stuff.

Propaganda

We referenced already how nanotech could affect things like entertainment. However, this also means it could likely be used to deliver new forms of psychological warfare and propaganda. We’ve already seen how much of an impact social media plays, without really needing to do much to cause problems. People just naturally seem to fear specific things and will always have something to validate that. Facebook among others uses Google ads, which are targeted to what a person is looking up on their own. Now imagine if these issues pushed on social media became more immersive. The impact this will have on the world of public opinion and how social behavior changes will be a huge issue. Nanotechnology will not theoretically but will literally be part of this problem.

Environmental Analysis

Nanotechnology will be a major asset for us when it comes to evaluating the environment. Various equipment will be used to help keep track of potential environmental disasters before they happen as well as ways we can possibly fix areas of the environment. This might also come with new environmental monitoring and analysis. It could be incredibly useful and come with tons of benefits. Yet you must realize that if the environment can be monitored, this means that the same tech could be used to invade your privacy. Evaluation and analysis capabilities will be high, which might mean this same tech could gather sensitive and private information about people that no one else but you would have access to or knowledge of otherwise.

Robotics & Automation

It should come as no surprise that nanotechnology could enhance our already impressive robotics industry. Nanotech will be a major asset to this industry within the next decade alone, but this is where the problem comes into play. While the world of robotics and automation will improve, there is also a major risk of job loss as this occurs. Just look at how factories changed when automation became widespread in that industry. On top of this, nanotech could be used to make the robotics industry more dangerous than it already is. Some might think of this as pure science fiction, but trust us, it is certainly possible that this occurs. In fact, most people actually have come to expect it by now.

Impact on Warfare

We already referenced how the military will likely use nanotechnology, however, it goes much deeper for that issue. Nanotech can be used to create more powerful explosives, potentially even more powerful nuclear weapons. Some explosives can be made to deliver higher amounts of toxic or radioactive materials with much greater precision. There is also the possibility that nanotech could enhance some soldiers. We are not talking about a super soldier serum like a new form of Captain America. Rather, this might be used for things like exosuits. The U.S. Military is planning on deploying new exosuits this year called “SABERs” or “Soldier Assistive Bionic Exosuit for Resupply.” Just imagine how this tech could become even more enhanced with nanotechnology.

Renewables

We already referenced how nanotechnology could be used to assist in cleaning up the environment. Yet you should also be aware that our current renewable resources will likely be used more effectively due to nanotechnology. This is, ultimately good, which one shouldn’t complain about. However, by creating more powerful forms of renewable resources or extraction, nanotech could actually do more harm to the environment if it is not controlled properly. Heck, our current renewables like solar energy can be quite effective. Just imagine, however, if this became too powerful. We’d potentially get radiation poisoning ourselves and our environment could be horribly impacted. Therefore, nanotech could be great for renewables but also very harmful too.

Intellectual Property Trouble

We’re already seeing how artificial intelligence art is causing a huge stir among those in the art community. Some believe this artwork is straight-up theft while others recognize an AI system is trained using a lot of images. Yet, in the end, it creates something completely unique the bulk of the time. Regardless of which side of this fence you’re on, this issue with AI is nothing compared to what nanotech might bring us. Nanoscale designs could become its own industry that might use tricks similar to what AI uses now. Some processes with this nanotech could be patented and multiple legal issues might come from it. In fact, it could even result in the limitation of access to this technology and future innovations with it. All of which would throw the intellectual property concept into turmoil.

Transportation

Nanotechnology is likely going to be a huge asset to the transportation industry. Things like roads and bridges, among other infrastructure, could be built better and more efficiently using this tech. On top of that, nanotech could likely help us to finally usher in a true self-driving car system. None of this could be bad, right? To a degree, of course not. However, there is still a risk that unintended consequences could come from this. For example, nanotech could use methods to do this that might impact the environment negatively. There is also a possible risk that chemicals could be released or used that impact human health.

Space Travel

We all know that new technology will likely be used as we humans begin to travel through space. No exploration crew from our planet will leave without some form of nanotechnology. Exploration crews will surely benefit from this tech that could potentially be used in numerous places. While nanotech will surely be used for a lot of major things, there is a possibility that it could become problematic. This might affect just the crew of a specific ship, but it might also affect other exploratory vessels from our planet too. Moreover, we could potentially cause problems with other celestial bodies. There is also no telling how our nanotech could be used with things like alien technology.

Energy Storage

To store energy, we have to do quite a lot of things. Of course, this is all dependent on the energy being stored. For example, the Tesla corporation has something known as the “Powerwall.” It stores the energy you are not using and can even store solar energy for backup power if you start to run out for some reason. This is quite useful for times when your power goes out, such as during a storm. Nanotechnology will be able to blow this out of the water, where energy storage becomes even greater. Transmission of energy will also be an area where nanotech might be a huge asset. Yet there is always an issue where environmental problems come from this, as well as the possibility this could become a human hazard.

Geological Manipulation

You’ve likely seen video games such as No Man’s Sky where you’re able to manipulate the world around you, quite literally, to develop specific things. Like if you want a mountain or hill gone or moved somewhere. This is something a lot of builders would love to be able to do. Nanotechnology could likely be developed to create powerful geophysical or geological manipulation technology. However, this is quite a dangerous thing for just anyone to have. It could cause issues such as earthquakes and even make nearby volcanoes erupt, even before they might normally do so. Obviously, this is not a good thing.

Time Travel

This might be considered the most theoretical on our list, but nanotechnology is clearly a potential asset to time travel. It is very likely that any time machine or any form of travel in space that affects time will use nanotechnology in some way. Naturally, there is always a risk that if we are able to somehow break the known laws of physics and go back in time, one could see how harmful that could be. Meanwhile, we know the laws of physics allow us to travel into the future at a pace much faster than what we experience on Earth. This can only be done in space, considering it involves only “spacetime” and does not connect to the time of any planet. Thus, nanotech could potentially cause a person to go into the distant future yet be incapable of getting them back to their previous time.

Teleportation

Yet another in the science fiction column for our list, teleportation is something many find to be theoretical for now. However, the laws of physics do not completely claim it to be impossible. Therefore, we cannot rule it out for the future. Most people believe that nanotechnology will most certainly be used for teleportation or some form of matter transportation. There are a lot of things to consider about this, however. First, there is the issue of how much energy it will take to teleport people anywhere. Second, it is the integrity of the matter one must consider too. The question most have is…will what I teleport away actually be what I teleported or a copy of it? This would then draw the question of…if I teleport somewhere, am “I” the one teleporting, or is it a copy of me?

Security & Surveillance

Clearly, beefing up our current security and surveillance systems will be a big improvement. Nanotechnology can be great for this as it will allow us to properly secure our homes, businesses, and even national borders. The issue is the ethical side of this, which most people do not consider when it comes to this field. For example, sensors using nanotechnology could be used to monitor a person’s actions and movements. This is a violation of their personal privacy and can be abused. Sure, if the police are trying to find a criminal then using this improved surveillance or sensor systems will be useful. However, one has to wonder how much it’ll be used. Will there be any safeguards in place to protect people from this type of technology, especially from those seeking to abuse it for control?

Nanotech And Human Health

When nanotechnology is used, and it is likely to be used quite a lot, there is a lot to consider. How much is too much, in this area? There is a possibility that nanoparticles or other nanomaterials could be inhaled, ingested, and even absorbed through the skin. If this occurs, one could be harmed by the toxicity of these nanomaterials. Many believe due to the small nature of these devices, things such as a technological super virus could be deployed by enemies. Due to the ability to control this virus, unlike actual viruses, we’d have a health nightmare that could wipe out entire regions. Something that no vaccine could cure or help us to prevent/help us through it.

Unintentional Or Accidental Release

Again, there is a lot that nanotechnology can do for us. However, there is just as much we have to worry about too. Since nano-materials have different physical, chemical, and biological properties than their larger counterparts, problems could exist. For example, we know we should avoid highly radioactive materials and there will usually be signs up telling us where they are. Yet what if you could come across the exact or higher radiation as a place like Chernobyl but in a small nano-size piece of technology? There is also the possibility that nanotech could accumulate living organisms and interact with the environment, both of which could have massive impacts on the world. We should not just use nanotech because it is there and we must evaluate all potential issues before they become problematic.

The Dangers Of Self-Replication

Nanotechnology might be incredibly helpful but what about the problem that many worry about most when it comes to nanotech? It is possible that nanomachines could self-replicate, which might be their intended design. This might be done as a way to “heal” armor or infrastructure to avoid the need to buy new materials. However, if this got out of hand and the nanomachines begin to replicate uncontrollably, we have a huge problem. These machines would begin to consume all matter on the planet just to keep replicating. While “technically” possible, these machines would have to overcome a lot of physical, chemical, and biological barriers that they are likely incapable of doing. At least, as far as we know as of this writing.

Where Do We Find This Stuff? Here Are Our Sources:

National Institutes of Health

European Union Department for Health & Human Safety

National Nanotechnology Initiative

Northwestern International Institute for Nanotechnology

Electronic Privacy & Information Center

Syracuse University

The Washington Post

Nanografi Nano Technology