Posted: Sat, March 23, 2013 | By: Technology
by Teresa Belcher
Nanotechnology is the engineering of molecularly precise structures and, ultimately, molecular machines.
A nanometer is a unit of measure. A meter is about 39 inches long. By definition a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. Very very small.
Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology to medicine. The ultimate tool of nanomedicine is the medical nanorobota robot the size of a bacterium, composed of molecule-size parts.
Medical nanorobotics holds the greatest promise for curing disease and extending health span.
Current developments in nanomedicine will ultimately lead to the design and manufacture of medical nanorobots for life extension, possibly by the 2020s.
Although stem cells and genetic engineering grab most of todays attention, experts believe that the most important breakthroughs will soon come from molecular nanotech. In Nanomedicine, Robert Freitas talks of tiny nanorobots that can roam through our bodies, repairing damage with atomic-scale precision.
Freitas predicts this futuristic technology will produce bio robots between now and 2020. Next will be hybrid robots built from engineered structural DNA, synthetic proteins, and other non-biological materials, which could appear during the 2020s. Positive futurists believe that by early 2030s, scientists will produce completely artificial devices: nanorobots that will protect every cell in the body from disease and injury.
One day, we may be able to regenerate nearly every part of the human body. At first, the process will only be used to make sick patients well, but it will soon be clear that people who enjoy good health will want these procedures to enhance and reinforce their already healthy bodies. Many will likely want to become stronger and sport a healthier, more youthful lifespan.
These cutting-edge technologies promise to improve lives almost beyond imagination, keeping our bodies forever healthy and youthful-appearing. However, extending human lifespan beyond what some consider natural is sure to evoke controversy political, ethical, and religious.
Nevertheless, this debate is not likely to stop or even slow efforts to extend health and increase our lifespan. Demand from people who want better health and longer, happier lives will drive this future forward; and it could become reality in time to benefit most people alive today.
As we trek through the decades ahead, people will remain healthy and appear youthful for an indefinite period, while enjoying the good life with creature comforts such as, driverless cars, household robots, and getaway galas to Moon, Mars and other exotic locations in our galaxy and beyond.
This essay was originally posted in Anti-Aging Insights - HERE