ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology is considered one of the key frontiers of the currently evolving new technologies. Frequently, it has been suggested that this technology will solve all the problems of the world, like curing cancer, making new futuristic materials and devices, or creating free energy with new forms of power. But how assured are these positive outcomes? Are there also any likely negative effects? What are the key elements that constitute the very basis of the ongoing debates in the scientific community? Is the fundamental knowledge on nanotechnology altogether there? These are some of the questions this chapter seeks to examine. The discussion shows that nanotechnology has the potential of producing pioneering ideas and appliances. This has generated enthusiasm and high expectations. At the same time, this has also aroused fear and apprehension in the public mind and the scientific community also tends to be divided on the real virtues of this technology. Furthermore, there are serious scientific uncertainties concerning how various products may be realized and their eventual effects. Overall, nanotechnology initiatives are currently at the phase of initial development, remaining in most cases at the level of research and experimentation. Overall, many evolving trends in this domain remain highly uncertain, despite a limited success in producing some scientific knowledge and technological outputs in certain domains.
