Week 8: Nanotech + Art

This week we learned about Nanotechnology and art. This topic introduces an entire new realm of things we have never seen before even bypassing scientific findings. Nanotechnology is where we see the major shift into the collaboration of the two cultures that have previously been so divided. Dr. Gimzewski in the lectures explains to us the impact of such a small scale concept. Richard Feynman is known to have created the origins of nanotechnology. He won the nobel prize and was one of the first to see just how far this could advance in technology and medicine.

Nanoparticles have been around since ancient times. An example of this can be found in a cup that is on display in a British museum. The Lycargus cup is from 400 BC and when you look at it in the light it appears to be green but when you light it from the inside it appears to be red. This is because the Romans found a way to incorporate gold nanoparticles. These gold nanoparticles have very specific properties that the Romans explored. This is only one example of ways that nanoparticles were explored in ancient times.

A more recent example of nanoparticles can be found in almost anything such as your clothes, food, or medicine. An Australian company uses vitamins that are nano-encapsulated so they have no taste but still provide nutritional value. Anything from cooking oils, health supplements, diet products, soft drinks, food processing, bakery and dairy all contain nano particles. Nanotechnology is surrounding us more than we will ever know. It helps us get through our daily lives and most of us were probably unaware.

Works Cited:

Berger, Michael. “Nanotechnology in Food.” Nanowerk, 24 Apr. 2019, www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-in-food.php.

“John Curtin Gallery.” Art.Base, art.base.co/event/2104-art-in-the-age-of-nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology in Food, www.understandingnano.com/food.html.

“The Nobel Prize in Physics 1965.” NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1965/feynman/biographical/.

“This 1,600-Year-Old Goblet Shows That the Romans Were Nanotechnology Pioneers.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 Sept. 2013, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-1600-year-old-goblet-shows-that-the-romans-were-nanotechnology-pioneers-787224/.

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