Week 8: NanoTechnology & Art

 Week 8: NanoTech & Art

Nanotechnology is a type of science that alters atoms and molecules at a microscopic level to change the makeup of different materials, potentially making them more useful. “Nano” is a prefix meaning one billionth, which means that nanotechnology refers to technology at a microscopic level. These changes that occur at this microscopic level can have very large impacts, despite them being very small changes. 

When I first learned what nanotechnology was, I realized that nanotechnology requires a certain amount of creativity, similar to how art requires creativity. In order to make these microscopic changes, engineers/scientists must be creative to come up with new ideas and how to make big changes from nanotechnology. In a way, this means that nanotechnology can be considered art because it requires a level of creativity and curiosity, both of which align with the main ideas of art. 

Example of a nanotechnology model (Image 1)

Furthermore, nanotechnology relies on art to create models that are useful when creating ideas. Engineers and scientists often rely on these models to predict and demonstrate what will happen when they make the small changes. 

Additionally, nanoparticles, which are used in nanotechnology, can be used to create materials that are used in various art forms. For example, the coloration in the Lycurgus Cup in the British Museum is due to nano sized gold particles that have very specific properties. Therefore, the cup will light up red. 

The Lycurgus Cup in the British Museum (Image 2)

This usage of nanoparticles can also be seen in stained glass. Nanoparticles allows the generation of a greater variety of colors, which gives the glass colors and forms that cannot be achieved using regular pigments.

Stained glass window created using nanoparticles (Image 3)

Works Cited

Gimzewski, Jim. “Nanotech Jim pt 2.” YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEp6t0v-v9c. Accessed 23 May 2024.

Gimzewski, Jim. “Nanotech Jim pt 3.” YouTube, 21 May 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HCNiU_108. Accessed 23 May 2024.

“Just How Small Is “Nano”?” National Nanotechnology Initiative, https://www.nano.gov/about-nanotechnology/just-how-small-is-nano. Accessed 23 May 2024.

“Nanotechnologies.” Public Health, https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/en/nanotechnologies/l-2/1-introduction.htm. Accessed 23 May 2024.

“Nanotechnology Applications, examples and advantages.” Iberdrola, https://www.iberdrola.com/innovation/nanotechnology-applications. Accessed 23 May 2024.

“Paul Rothemund: DNA folding, in detail.” TED, 1 September 2008, https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_rothemund_dna_folding_in_detail/transcript?language=en. Accessed 23 May 2024.

Image Citations

[2] Patowary, Kaushik. “Lycurgus Cup: A Piece of Ancient Roman Nanotechnology.” Amusing Planet, 16 December 2016, https://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/12/lycurgus-cup-piece-of-ancient-roman.html. Accessed 23 May 2024.

[1] “Popular Nanotechnology 3D models.” Sketchfab, https://sketchfab.com/tags/nanotechnology. Accessed 23 May 2024.

[3] “Stained Glass in Medieval Europe | Essay.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/glas/hd_glas.htm. Accessed 23 May 2024.