Richard Feynman, Physicist (1959)

Norio Taniguchi, Materials Scientist (1974)

Arthur C. Clarke, Sci-fi Author (1962)

K. Eric Drexler, Engineer (1986)

The term “nanotechnology” was coined by Professor Norio Taniguchi in 1974 at the Tokyo Science University. He introduced it in a scientific paper presented at the International Conference on Production Engineering, defining it as “the processing of separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or one molecule.”

His work primarily focused on ultra-precision machining, particularly in semiconductor fabrication, where control at the atomic level was starting to become feasible.

At the time, Taniguchi’s “nanotechnology” was a practical, engineering-oriented concept far from the futuristic visions that would follow. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the term began to take on broader meaning. K. Eric Drexler, an MIT-trained engineer, dramatically expanded the concept in his 1986 book Engines of Creation.

Drexler imagined molecular assemblers: machines capable of building complex structures atom by atom, similar to biological processes like DNA replication. This speculative leap introduced nanotechnology to the public imagination, intertwining it with both visionary science and science fiction.

In industry, “nanotechnology” today refers to a wide range of technologies that operate at 1 – 100 nanometers in scale. Key applications include:

• Electronics: Transistors in modern CPUs and GPUs are now measured in single-digit nanometers.
• Medicine: Targeted drug delivery systems, especially in oncology, use nanoparticles to direct treatments precisely to tumor cells.
• Materials Science: Carbon nanotubes, graphene, and quantum dots have led to new classes of ultra-strong, lightweight, and optoelectronic materials.
• Energy: Nanotech is being used in high-efficiency solar cells, battery electrodes, and hydrogen fuel storage.

Nanotechnology in Popular Culture

As the science matured, so did its depiction in popular culture, often with a strong mix of hype and dystopia. Hollywood made nanotech a go-to trope for futuristic or self-repairing tech: from Iron Man’s suit in the Marvel Universe to grey goo scenarios in movies like Transcendence (2014).

Science fiction seized on Drexler’s vision. Authors like Neal Stephenson (The Diamond Age, 1995) explored nanotech-driven societies and biotech revolutions. In video games and anime, nanobots became shorthand for regenerative powers, biotech upgrades, or apocalyptic threats.

This ‘Drexlerian’ vision introduced nanotech to the public imagination and heavily influenced both sci-fi and speculative engineering.