Despite the excitement about the potential benefits of nanotechnology, many scientists and ethicists worried that there could be major negative impacts with its development. Concerns ranged from what might happen if the technology fell into evil hands, to the fear that tiny robots, or nanobots, could mutate and swarm out of control. A nonprofit organization called The Foresight Institute dedicated itself to preparing society for the com-ing age of nanotechnology and making sure that it would be used for the good of humanity. In addition, many scien-tists stressed that by the time it was understood how to make nanotechnology a daily reality, society would better understand how to control it.

Applications.

Nanofabrication, or the creation of tiny, nanoscale objects, was being practiced at the turn of the century. Computers proved essential to the nanofabrication process, from modeling to manufacturing. To turn a com-puter model...