Nanotechnology

I have the great opportunity to read medical journals and studies at my work. Although I do not understand the medical science fully as a trained scientist would, I can appreciate the implications of the research being conducted and the potential it holds for us in the future. One area of research I find most interesting is that of nanotechnology. This sounds like something straight out of science fiction but is actually being studied as ways to work on and in the human body. More specifically, research is being conducted using gold nanoparticles that are heated up by infrared light to destroy cancer cells. This technique in concert with traditional cancer treatment could be the wave of the future so to speak. Scientists have discovered that gold nanoparticles in the shape of pyramids achieve a more efficient resonance when heated by light and destroy the cancerous cells. The article at the website Nanotechweb.org is very interesting and provides more detail as well as other interesting articles on the site. The Foresight Institute also has many articles on the topic of nanomedicine.

As I was reading the material about nanotechnology, I thought about my favorite episode of Stargate Atlantis entitled, "The Real World" in which Dr. Weir has been infected by nanites. These nanites have the special ability to self-replicate and utilize organic matter. While Dr. Weir appears to be living out her life, she is actually in a coma being treated by the Stargate medical team. I like the many layers of ideas in this episode.
First, the idea that the Real World is really an illusion, a topic explored before in many movies and books. The Matrix comes to mind when referring to an illusory world.
Second, I like topics that take a hard look at the thin line between reality and our own perceptions of what the world is about. Is our reality the same as someone else? What reality are we then referring to? A mental reality or physical reality?
Thirdly, talking to someone who is in a coma may make all the difference in the world in their recovery, of course that also depends on the type of coma and level of brain damage.

I have included the websites about nanotechnology and check out the episode of Stargate Atlantis.
Enjoy your day!