The term "nanotechnology" was originally coined to describe a way to manufacture something from atomic molecules (like the food replicator in many science fiction films, where one says "coffee" and the machine builds, synthesizes the coffee molecule by molecule).

According to Nanotechnology Now:

"At the most basic technical level, MNT is building, with intent and design, and molecule by molecule, these two things: 1) incredibly advanced and extremely capable nano-scale and micro-scale machines and computers, and 2) ordinary size objects, using other incredibly small machines called assemblers or fabricators (found inside nanofactories). In a nutshell, by taking advantage of quantum-level properties, MNT allows for unprecedented control of the material world, at the nanoscale, providing the means by which systems and materials can be built with exacting specifications and characteristics."

"MNT represents the state of the art in advances in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, computer science and mathematics. The major research objectives in MNT are the design, modeling, and fabrication of molecular machines and molecular devices. The emergence of MNT -- both infant and mature -- has numerous social, legal, cultural, ethical, religious, philosophical and political implications. At the most basic social level, MNT is going to be responsible for massive changes in the way we live, the way we interact with one another and our environment, and the things we are capable of doing."

Nanotechnology is now generally known as "molecular manufacturing" or "molecular nanotechnology." Eric Drexler -- one of the first people using the term nanotechnology in its "molecular manufacturing" sense -- now uses the term "zettatechnology."

"Since the emphasis is on large-scale atomic precision, it is natural to seek a name that refers not to the nanometer scale of the parts, but to the number of distinct, designed parts in a macroscopic product, typically on the rough order of a sextillion (10^21). Since the prefix "zetta" denotes this number, the term "zettatechnology" naturally describes molecular manufacturing and its products (for comparison, the total world output of transistors has not yet reached one sextillion). One can thus speak of advanced nanotechnologies as eventually enabling zettatechnology, through further development of basic techniques followed by a major systems engineering effort. This clearly separates the concepts by providing distinct, contrasting labels."

In sales strategies by companies and others, the term "nanotechnology" has evolved into a different meaning. It is used today to mean "nanoscale technology" and "nanoscale sciences" covering research and development products, ideas and processes with controlled size below 300nm. National Nanotechnology Initiatives fund mostly nanoscale technology and sciences today. Most policy, ethics and research papers, economic impact forecasts and funding figures use "nano" to mean "nanoscale." I will cover the field of molecular manufacturing in a future column ,as of course work still proceeds on the molecular manufacturing. This will have huge consequences, if and when it produces the intended results.

Many nano-taxonomies exist which show the numerous fields processes and products covered under 'nano" today. To quote just one example:

Enabling science and technology

• Nanofabrication -- Methods for making materials, devices and structures with dimensions less than 100 nm.
  
• Nanocharacterisation and nanometrology -- Novel techniques for characterisation, measurement and process control for dimensions less than 100 nm.
  
• Nano-modelling -- Theoretical and numerical techniques for predicting and understanding the behaviour of systems and processes with dimensions less than 100 nm.
  
• Properties of nanomaterials -- Size-dependent properties of materials that are structured on dimensions of 100 nm or below.
  

Devices, systems and machines

• Bionanotechnology -- The use of nanotechnology to study biological processes at the nanoscale, and the incorporation of nanoscale systems and devices of biological origin in synthetic structures.
  
• Nanomedicine -- The use of nanotechnology for diagnosing and treating injuries and disease.
  Functional nanotechnology devices and machines -- Nanoscale materials, systems and devices designed to carry out optical, electronic, mechanical and magnetic functions.
• Extreme and molecular nanotechnology -- Functional devices, systems and machines that operate at, and are addressable at, the level of a single molecule, a single atom, or a single electron.
  

Nanotechnology, the economy, and society

• Nanomanufacturing -- Issues associated with the commercial-scale production of nanomaterials, nanodevices and nanosystems.
  
• Nanodesign -- The interaction between individuals and society with nanotechnology. The design of products based on nanotechnology that meet human needs.
  
• Nanotoxicology and the environment -- Distinctive toxicological properties of nanoscaled materials; the behaviour of nanoscaled materials, structures and devices in the environment.
  

Many nano-taxonomies have been published on the web (see links below).

In these taxonomies, one can clearly see that "nano" relates to many areas of life -- from how we live human life and and perceive it, to how we interact with other biological and non biological matter in our environment, to how that matter reacts towards us.. It impacts every human being, and -- in the end -- every species. It is obvious that nano will converge with other science and technologies such as BICS (bio, info, cogno and synbio), and the convergence will enable nano and BICS beyond their individual capabilities -- leading to products, processes, and social, ethical, legal, economic, and environmental implications beyond the individual impacts of N,B,I,C and S.

The Choice is Yours

Nanoscale technology and science impacts many areas of life, and converges with and influences many areas of science and tehnology -- including biotechnology, cognitive sciences, information technology, and synthetic biology. Many more people, including those with a variety of backgrounds and knowledge must be involved in evaluating and providing foresight for nanoscale technology and science, and molecular manufacturing, if good governance is to be achieved and negative consequences are to be avoided.The choice is yours to get involved in the governance of NBICS -- to look at its multifaceted implications, and to discard the siloed thinking that is now so often prevalent.

Gregor Wolbring is a biochemist, bioethicist, science and technology ethicist, disability/vari-ability studies scholar, and health policy and science and technology studies researcher at the University of Calgary. He is a member of the Center for Nanotechnology and Society at Arizona State University; Member CAC/ISO - Canadian Advisory Committees for the International Organization for Standardization section TC229 Nanotechnologies; Member of the editorial team for the Nanotechnology for Development portal of the Development Gateway Foundation; Chair of the Bioethics Taskforce of Disabled People's International; and Member of the Executive of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. He publishes the Bioethics, Culture and Disability website.