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Nanotechnology and its use in fiction have attracted scholarly attention.[1][2][3][4] The first use of the distinguishing concepts of nanotechnology was in "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom," a talk given by physicist Richard Feynman in 1959. K. Eric Drexler's 1987 book Engines of Creation introduced the general public to the concept of nanotechnology. Since then, nanotechnology has been used frequently and in a diverse range of fiction, often acting as a justification for unusual or far fetched things featured in speculative fiction.[5]
Notable examples
In 1881 the Russian writer Nikolai Leskov wrote a book Levsha about the Russian craftsmen who wrote the text, which can be seen only through a microscope which increases by 5 000 000 times [6]. Such microscopes used now in nanotechnology.
In the 1956 short story "The Next Tenants" Arthur C. Clarke describes tiny machines that operate on a microscale (millionth of a meter). Despite, technically, not being nanoscale (billionth of a meter), the machines are the first fictional example of the concepts now associated with nanotechnology. Robert Silverberg's 1969 short story "How It Was when the Past Went Away" describes nanotechnology being used in the construction of stereo loudspeakers, with a thousand speakers per inch.[5].
Michael Crichton's novel Prey was one of the earliest books themed primarily around nanotechnology to reach a mainstream audience, and acts as a cautionary tale with respect to the possible risks of developing nanotechnology. [7] In Prey, a swarm of molecule-sized nanorobots develop intelligence and become a large scale threat.
Robert Ludlum's novel The Lazarus Vendetta also focuses around nanotechnology, focusing mainly on its ability to cure cancer.
Nanotechnology appeared several times in the TV series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, in the form of the replicators and the Asurans, respectively. The Trinity Blood Series features an alien nanomachine found on Mars which is present in the body of the protagonist, Abel Nighroad. These nanomachines are known as Krusnik nanomachines, and feed on the cells of vampires.
In the Star Trek universe, from Star Trek: The Next Generation onward, the Borg use nanomachines, referred to as nanoprobes, to assimilate individuals into their collective. The new Knight Rider series and TV movie incorporate nanotechnology into the Knight Industries Three Thousand (KITT), allowing it to change color and even shape, as well as providing functions such as self regeneration.
In the television show Red Dwarf "nanobots" play a huge role in the plot of the last three series. Nanobots are nanotechnology created to be a self repair system for androids like Kryten as they can also change anything into any other thing. Kryten's nanobots grow bored of their duties and take over the ship Red Dwarf, leaving the crew to try and recapture it aboard the smaller Starbug craft. In the end the ship they are chasing is actually a smaller Red Dwarf built by the nanobots (which evaded their scanners in the end by coming aboard Starbug), with the rest being created into a planet. Once the crew discover this and find the nanobots, they force them to rebuild Red Dwarf (as well as Dave Lister's then missing arm). In the end the nanobots build an enhanced Red Dwarf based on the original design plans. They also resurrect the original full crew killed in the first episode, thus setting out the plot for the last series.
The video game series Metal Gear Solid has been notable in its use of nanotechnology. The first in the series featured a virus-like weapon known as FOXDIE, created through protein engineering, which would only target individuals with specific genetic code. Metal Gear Solid 2's protagonist featured artificial blood infused with nanomachines, to close wounds and serve other functions. Metal Gear Solid 4 was themed heavily around nanotechnology, with the Sons of the Patriots, a nanomachine and artificial intelligence network that regulated, enhanced and controlled the actions of every lawful combatant in the world. The series antagonist, Liquid Ocelot, wished to gain control of the system for himself. In Red Faction, Capek uses Nanotechnology on Mars to control the miners. In Red Faction Guerilla, a weapon called the nano rifle can be used to destroy human structures and disintegrate human flesh.
Nanotechnology also was featured within the video game Crysis. Its protagonist, call sign, Nomad is equipped with a "Nano Suit", which enables him to become invisible and accomplish a plethora of other feats.
'Nanotech' features on the Ratchet & Clank video game series (developed by Insomniac Games). It is in the form of the health system, invented by 'Gadgetron', a weapons company. The nanotech can be upgraded by purchase in the first game, or by defeating enemies in the rest of the series.
In the manga series Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, nanotechnology is referenced numerously and its use is heavily restricted, owing to the loss of Mercury as a potential planetary colony due to a grey goo catastrophe. Its danger and control has become one of the main driving narratives in the story.
In the 2008 film The Day the Earth Stood Still, the alien robot dubbed "GORT" disintegrates into a swarm of self-replicating nanobots shaped like bugs that cover Earth and destroy all lifeforms and artificial structures by seemingly devouring them within seconds.
In the 2009 film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the main plot is to save the world from a warhead containing deadly nano bots called the "Nanomites" which if detonated over the city could eat it up in couple of hours. Nanomites appear also in the Devil's Due GI Joe reinstated storyline.
Nanomen- Absolute Possibilities is a book written by Matthew Watters that explores biotechnology on germline cells to create miniaturized men called Nanomen. The second book in the series, Nanomen - Desolate Frontier has the Nanomen exploring the Solar system.
In the video-game Deus Ex, "nanotech" is an extremely important part of both the plot and gameplay. It is portrayed as a very dangerous technology in the wrong hands, but also provides a number of powers and special abilities to the protagonist (these can be customized to taste by the player).
In the video game series Mortal kombat the character Smoke is made up of nanobots witch gives him the appearance that he is made of smoke.
References
- ^ Nanovision: Engineering the Future by Colin Milburn, Duke University Press, 2008 ISBN 0822342650
- ^ "Tiny Tech, Transcendent Tech - Nanotechnology, Science Fiction, and the Limits of Modern Science Talk" by Daniel Patrick Thurs in Science Communication, Vol. 29, No. 1, 65-95 (2007)
- ^ Bridging the Gaps: Science Fiction in Nanotechnology by José López in International Journal for Philosophy of Chemistry, Vol. 10, No.2 (2004), pp. 129-152.
- ^ "The Literature of Promises" by Chris Toumey in Nature Nanotechnology, Vol. 3, No. 4 (2008), pp. 180-181.
- ^ a b Bly, Robert W., 2005, The Science In Science Fiction: 83 SF Predictions that Became Scientific Reality, BenBella Books, Inc., ISBN 1932100482.
- ^ English translation of The Tale of Cross-eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea, Сhapter the fourteenth: "If you had a better microscope that could magnify five million times," he said, "you would see that each gunsmith had put his name on the shoes he made so that you know which Russian craftsman made which shoe.". Google Books. Russian original of Levsha
- ^ Schwarz, James A., Contescu, Cristian I., Putyera, Karol, 2004, Dekker Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, CRC Press, ISBN 0824750500.
External links
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