Science, Technology and Society

Mayra Christina M. Ambrocio, DEM

Rosemarie B. Alon-Alon
Ricardo T. Villafranca
Ozzy Boy S. Nicopior

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 Table of Contents

Module 9: Biodiversity 261

Introduction 261
Learning Objectives 261
Lesson 1. Defining Biodiversity 262
Lesson 2. Importance of Biodiversity 264
Lesson 3. Environment, Biodiversity, and Human Health 266
Lesson 4. Biodiversity Loss and the COVID-19 Pandemic 270

Module 10: The Nano World 276

Introduction 276
Learning Outcomes
Lesson 1. Difference between nanoscience and nanotechnology 277
Lesson 2. Types of microscopes used to view Nanomaterials 278
Lesson 3. Distinct features of Nanoscale 281
Lesson 4. Contribution of the following Important personages to the 285
growth and study of the Nano World:
(a) Richard Feynman 285
(b) Erick Drexter 286
(c) Gerd Binnig 287
(d) Heinrich Rohrer 288
Lesson 5. Latest Innovations in Nanotechnology 290

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 List of Figures

Figure Description Page

10.1 Optical Microscope 278
10.2 Scanning Electron Microscope 279
10.3 Transmission Electron Microscope 280
10.4 Optical Properties 281
10.5 Nano particles in sunscreen 282
10.6 Conductivity of Nanotubes 283
10.7 Physical Change 283
10.8 Richard Feynman 285
10.9 Erick Drexter 286
10.10 Gerd Binnig 287
10.11 Heinrich Rohrer 288

List of Tables

Table Description Page

9.1 Views of Biodiversity 262
9.2 Environmental Change, Disease and how it spreads 267
10.1 Physical properties 284

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 MODULE 9
Biodiversity

Introduction

Chances are, you have heard about “biodiversity.” But what does it exactly mean? Why do we
have to care so much about biodiversity? Why should we even care at all? Biodiversity is the term used
to refer to the variety of living organisms on earth. You may not be aware of it, biodiversity provides
you with fresh air, safe drinking water, and food (Carrington, 2018).

Biodiversity and the environment are so intricately linked, interacting, and interconnected which
means that they both affect each other in ways that are direct and indirect. A changing environment
therefore has tremendous impacts on biodiversity and vice versa. Humans rely heavily on the
environment, specifically on the resources and services that it provides. A lot of bad things can be
attributed to environmental changes and biodiversity loss. One of them is the emergence of infectious
diseases which are said to be caused by human activities – mainly agricultural intensification, and
land conversion (World Health Organization, n.d.). In this module we will discuss how the manmade
changes in the environment affect the biodiversity negatively and how the current COVID-19 pandemic
may have been a result of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, students should be able to:

1. Learn what biodiversity means;

2. Appreciate the relationships between biodiversity and human health;
3. Understand the intricate relationships between environmental changes, biodiversity loss,
and pandemics; and
4. Find connection between biodiversity loss and COVID-19.

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Lesson 1. Defining Biodiversity

What is Biodiversity?

“Biodiversity” is a portmanteau of the words “biological diversity”. The term was coined in 1985 by
Walter G. Rosen for the “1986 National Forum on Biodiversity” held in Washington DC (Maclaurin and
Sterelny, 2008). The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) defines biodiversity as the
variability of all living organisms that live in land and water.

Biodiversity includes all the different varieties of plants and animals that live in different
environments such as terrestrial, marine, and aquatic ecosystems (UNCBD, 1992). It is the variety of life,
in all its forms, and all its interactions (Carrington, 2018). Such diversity ranges from different scales:
(1) within species, (2) between species, and (3) between and among ecosystems (Quinney, 2020).

Different Views on Biodiversity

The term ‘biodiversity’ maybe defined in different ways depending on what sociological
group is concerned. This includes taxonomists, economists, agronomists and sociologists.
Leveque and Mounolou (2003) captures the variety of different concerns and interests from
different groups and how they perceive biodiversity:

Table 9.1 Views of Biodiversity

Sociological group Views of Biodiversity

Biologists The diversity of all living beings

Farmers Potential resources derived from soils, territories, and regions

Reservoir of genes useful in biotechnology;

Industry
Set of exploitable biological resources (timber, fish, etc.)

General public The landscapes and charismatic species threatened by extinction

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The Concept of Ecological Niche

The “niche” is a concept in ecology that is usually considered to be the same as “habitat”. Strictly
speaking, they are not the same. Here are the two most important definitions from renowned
ecologists:

“Niche is the set of ecological conditions under which a species can exploit a source of energy
effectively enough to be able to reproduce and colonize further such sets of conditions.” – Amyan
MacFadyen (1957).

“Niche is the role that the organism plays in the ecosystem: ‘the habitat is the ‘ address’’ so to
speak, and the niche is the ‘ profession.” – Eugene Odum (1975)

Leveque and Mounolou (2003) further discusses that the niche of a species includes the
environment where the organism lives, and the organism’s activities and impacts to that
environment.

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Lesson 2. Importance of Biodiversity

Why Biodiversity is Important

Besides its role in providing food, fiber, water, energy, medicines and other genetic materials,
biodiversity also helps in regulating climate, water quality, pollution, pollination, flooding, and storm
surges. It has vital social value, providing wellbeing when walking through forests or by rivers, or green
spaces in cities (Watson, 2019).

According to Quinney (2020), the following are the reasons why biodiversity matters to the
economy and human health:

1. Biodiversity Ensures Health and Food Security.

The variety of plants and animals provide us with food. Hence, biodiversity supports food
security and human nutrition. Every country has its own unique plant-based products and crops such
as wheat, corn, and rice. These crops provide almost 60% of total plant-based calories consumed by
humans.

2. Biodiversity Helps Fight Disease.

We get most of our medicines from plants. This means that every time a species goes extinct,
we lose a potential new medicine. Second, it has been observed that protected natural areas have
lower instances of diseases such as Lyme disease and malaria. About 70% of emerging infectious
diseases come from wildlife while 60% of infectious diseases originate from animals.

Due to deforestation and urbanization, animals live in closer spaces and with more proximity
to humans. This creates ideal conditions for the spread of zoonotic diseases (Zoonotic means diseases
that come from plants and can be passed to humans). In other words, more species means less
disease.

3. Biodiversity Benefits Business.

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 Since we get our plant-based and animal-based products from biodiversity, businesses are
affected by biodiversity loss. Pharmaceuticals are mostly of natural origin while natural wonders (e.g.
coral reefs, natural parks) are essential to food and tourism.

4. Biodiversity Provides Livelihoods.

Globally, three out of four jobs depend on water while the agricultural sector employs over
60% of the world's working poor. In India for example, forest ecosystems contribute only 7% to the
country’s GDP but 57% of rural communities' livelihoods.

Although some people fear that conserving the environment and protecting nature could
threaten businesses, the "restoration economy” (the restoration of natural landscapes) actually provides
more jobs than most of the extractive’s sector (i.e. coal, mining, logging and steel industries
altogether).

5. Biodiversity Protects Us.

Without biodiversity, earth will not be habitable. Biodiverse ecosystems protect us from natural
disasters such as floods, storms, provide us with safe drinking water, and regenerate our soils.
Meanwhile, the loss of mangroves puts people, their homes, and livelihoods at risk to flooding and
sea-level rise. Conserving our natural ecosystems also helps fight climate change by absorbing large
amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.

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Lesson 3. Environment, Biodiversity, and Human Health

Biodiversity and Human Health

Biodiversity can be considered as the foundation for human health because it supports and
affects ecosystems where we get for our food and water; helps in regulating climate and prevention of
disease; provides recreational benefits and offers aesthetic and spiritual enrichment. Biodiversity also
contributes to creation of livelihoods, development of traditional and modern medicines, and the
economy in general (Convention on Biological Diversity, 2021).

There is a clear link between biodiversity, climate, and global health pandemics that are
currently happening. This is because the causes of the pandemic, biodiversity loss, and climate change
can all be traced back to human activities. According to UNESCO (2020), the human activities that
disrupt ecosystems are:

1) Land use change; 2) agricultural expansion, 3) and wildlife trade.

Biodiversity Loss and Spread of Diseases

Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse is one of the top five risks in the World Economic Forum's
2020 Global Risks Report, too (as cited by Quinney, 2020). Biodiversity loss is not only an environmental
issue as it also undermines the achievement of most of the UN sustainable development goals (Watson,
2019). Sustainable Development Goal number 3 is “Good health and well-being” which aims to
address the spread of infectious diseases, and emerging challenges such as non-communicable
disease (UNDP, 2017).

There is a clear link between diseases and loss of biodiversity. According to the study by Jones
et al. (2008), biodiversity loss leads to only a few species and these species will carry the diseases that
are transmissible to humans. With landscape changes (i.e. natural to urban), the populations of species
that carry diseases also increases. This includes mammals such as bats, rodents, and various primates.

When mature and old-growth forests are cleared to create farms, plantations, or pastures,
wildlife can move into new habitats and come into contact with species they do not normally
encounter, which may then spread infectious diseases (McNeely, 2021).

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Environmental Changes that Contribute to Spread of Diseases

Land use changes caused by human activities destroy the buffer that separates humans and
wildlife. When there is proximity between humans and wildlife, so does the pathogens that they carry
(UNESCO, 2020). Globalization, industrialization, and urbanization have increased the spaces
occupied by humans to the point of invading the natural environments occupied by wildlife. This
resulted in increased contact with wildlife. Such interactions made it possible for diseases to jump
from animals to humans (Bloomfield et al., 2020; Tollefson, 2020).

Zoonosis (plural: zoonoses) refer to diseases that come from animals and that can be passed
to humans (Jones et al. 2008). The emergence and outbreak of diseases which and affect human
populations have been linked to changes in the environment (Leveque and Mounolou, 2003).
Changes in the environment such as land use conversion results to change in habitat. Change in
habitat leads to changes in species distribution, abundance, movement, interactions with other species
with corresponding implications for immune responses and disease emergence (World Health
Organization, n.d.).

The World Health Organization (n.d.) provides a detailed list of anthropogenic environmental
changes that lead to the diseases:

Table 9.2 Environmental Change, Disease and how it spreads

Environmental
Disease How it spreads
change
Agricultural Use of insecticides increases resistance
Malaria
intensification of vectors
Venezuelan hemorrhagic
Increased rodent abundance, contact
fever
Malaria, Dengue fever,
Increased Increased number and range of
Chikungunya, Yellow
temperature mosquitos
fever, Zika

Increased number and range of tick

Lyme disease
vector

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 Increased breeding sites and vectors,
Malaria
migration of susceptible people

Increased contact, breeding of vectors

Oropouche

Visceral leishmaniasis Increased contact with sandfly vectors

Deforestation and
habitat Increased contact and pathogen
Ebola virus disease
encroachment transmission with infected animals

Increased contact and pathogen

Avian influenza H5N1, transmission among captive birds, wild
H7N9 birds, and people

H1N1 virus disease, Nipah Increased contact among captive pigs

virus disease and people

Increased snail host habitat, human

Schistosomiasis
contact, habitat destruction
Malaria Increased breeding sites for mosquitoes
Dams, canals,
irrigation Increased larval contact
Helminthiasis
due to soil moist
Decline in blackfly
River Blindness breeding, decline in
disease

Decline sanitation, hygiene, Increased

Cholera
water contamination
Increased water-collecting
Urbanization
Dengue trash, Increased Aedes
mosquito breeding sites

Increased proximity,
Cutaneous leishmaniasis
sandfly vectors

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 Increased tick hosts, outdoor exposure,
Habitat
Lyme disease increased contact in fragmented
fragmentation
landscapes

Ocean warming Red tide Increased toxic algal blooms

Increased pools for
Rift valley fever
Increased mosquito breeding
precipitation Hantavirus pulmonary Increased rodent food, habitat,
syndrome abundance
Wildlife trade or Increased contact among
breeding monkeypox, SARS captive animals and
people

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Lesson 4. Biodiversity Loss and the Covid-19 Pandemic

Informal Markets and Movement of Viruses

It is possible for viruses and other pathogens to move from animals to humans through the
many informal markets that produce fresh meat. These informal markets slaughter and sell animals on
the spot. It has been suggested that the “wet market” in Wuhan, China to be the starting point of
the current COVID-19 pandemic. The said wet market was known to sell numerous wild animals such
as live wolf pups, salamanders, crocodiles, scorpions, rats, squirrels, foxes, civets, and turtles. Urban
markets in west and central Africa are also said to “slaughter- and-sell” monkeys, bats, rats, birds,
mammals, insects, and rodents. Such markets are observed to be near open refuse dumps and with
no drainage (Vidal, 2020).

The emergence of COVID-19 could also be attributed to keeping wild animals in sanctuaries
or as pets (Hitchens and Johnson, 2020).

Ecosystem Degradation, Biodiversity Loss, and COVID-19

Forests are home to the wild species that carry the most zoonoses (diseases from animals that can
be transmitted to humans). Meanwhile, when forests are replaced by farms and pastures, there is an increased
contagious interaction between wild animals, domestic animals, and people (McNeely, 2021). More
animals with less biodiversity mean more problems because most zoonotic viruses come from animals
with increased abundance and have adapted to human- dominated landscapes. This includes wild
animal species such as rodents, primates, bats, hoofed animals (Hitchens and Johnson, 2020).

We Should Not Blame the Animals for COVID-19

Hitchens and Johnson (2020) argue that we should not blame the pangolins, the bats, or any
animals because COVID-19 is our fault because we humans facilitate the mixing of diverse animal species.
We have also learned that pandemics can be linked to the loss of natural habitats. Since forests are home
to wild animals, when the habitats of animals (who carry the diseases)

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disappear, those species could become less available, thus making it possible for diseases to jump
to other species (den Heuvel, 2020).

Assessment Task 9

1) Look for recent research and studies on the relationship between COVID-19 and
biodiversity loss.
2) Look for articles and studies that link climate change and the occurrence of pandemics.
3) In what ways are environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and pandemics
interconnected?

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 Summary

Research has shown that there is a strong link between habitat destruction and spread of diseases.
Because when habitats are lost, the animals are left with no choice but to transfer to places where there
are humans. This leads to an increase in contact and increased possibility of disease transmission. Loss
of biodiversity also tends to lower the number of species, which means such species which could
potentially carry zoonoses could increase in population and further worsen the problem.

Saving the biodiversity has been beneficial for humans due to the many tangible and intangible
benefits that they provide. They give us food, shelter, fresh air, and habitable environments. With
new studies that suggest biodiversity loss is linked to the surge of pandemic, we have yet more compelling
reason to protect and care for our wildlife and the environment in general.

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 References

Ahmed, A. (2020, November 24). COVID-19 and Biodiversity Loss: How Destruction of the Environment
Leads to Pandemics. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3fSgYPt, Accessed March 2, 2021.

Bang, A. and Khadakkar, S. (2020, December 1). Opinion: Biodiversity conservation during a global
crisis: Consequences and the way forward. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3uuHJgY, Accessed March 05,
2021

Bloomfield, L.S.P., McIntosh, T.L. & Lambin, E.F. (2020). Habitat fragmentation, livelihood behaviors,
and contact between people and nonhuman primates in Africa. Landscape Ecology volume 35, pp.
985–1000

Carrington, D. (2018, March 12). What is biodiversity and why does it matter to us? The Guardian.
Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3sZy1mx. Retrieved April 08, 2021.

Convention on Biological Diversity. (2021, March 3). Health and Biodiversity. Accessed from
https://www.cbd.int/health on 2021 March 19.

Corlett, R.T. (2020). Impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on biodiversity conservation. Retrieved from
https://bit.ly/2PO1bGF, April 08, 2021

Cross, D.T. (2020, October 30). Biodiversity loss will be ‘driving future pandemics. Retrieved
from https://bit.ly/3uqXfKG, Accessed April 07, 2021

Hitchens, P. and Johnson, C.K. (2020, April 08). Don’t blame the pangolin (or any other animal)
for covid-19. The University of Melbourne. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3fQA0pg, 2021 April 08.

Jones, K. E. Patel,N.G., Levy, M.A. Storeygard,A. Balk,D. Gittleman, J & Daszak, P. (2008). Global
trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature 451, 990–993 (2008).

Leveque, C. and Mounolou, J. (2003). Biodiversity. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique,

Universite´ d’Orsay, France. Translated into English by Vivien Reuter © 2003 by John Wiley & Sons
Ltd.

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MacFadyen, A. (1957). Animal Ecology - Aims and Methods. (Zoology Series). London: Sir Isaac
Pitman and Sons, Ltd. 264 pages

Maclaurin, J. and Sterelny, K. (2008). What Is Biodiversity? The University of Chicago Press, Ltd.,
London.

McNeely, J.A. (2021). Nature and COVID-19: The pandemic, the environment, and the way ahead.
Ambio volume 50, pages767–781

Odum, E.P. (1975). Diversity as a function of energy flow. In: van Dobben W.H., Lowe- McConnell
R.H. (Eds), Unifying Concepts in Ecology. The Hague: Junk, pp 11–14.

Quinney, M. (2020, May 22). 5 Reasons Why Biodiversity Matters – to Human Health, the Economy
and Your Wellbeing. EcoWatch website. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3s4vDt7

Scott, J. (2020, March 09). How biodiversity loss is hurting our ability to combat pandemics. Retrieved
from https://bit.ly/3dL6mPz

Smith, K.F. et al. (2014). Global rise in human infectious disease outbreaks. Retrieved from
https://bit.ly/3rZd6OY

Tollefson, J. (2020, August 7). Why deforestation and extinctions make pandemics more likely. Nature.
Retrieved from https://go.nature.com/31T3nPG

United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. (1992). UNCBD Article 2. UN Conference on Environment
and Development, Rio de Janeiro.

UNDP. (2017). "Goal 3: Good health and well-being". UNDP. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2R6SkAb

van den Heuvel, O. (2020, May 22). If we want to stop future pandemics, biodiversity matters now
more than ever. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3cZ5KHd

Vidal, J. (2020, March 17). Destruction of habitat and loss of biodiversity are creating the perfect conditions for
diseases like covid-19 to emerge. ENSIA website. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3s8vgy5

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Watson, R. (2019, September 19). Biodiversity touches every aspect of our lives – so why has its loss
been ignored? The Guardian. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3wALMKz , April 08, 2021.

World Health Organization. (n.d). Biodiversity & Infectious Diseases: Questions & Answers. Accessed
from https://bit.ly/3mrtUx5

World Wildlife Fund. (2020). The Loss of Nature and Rise of Pandemics: Protecting Human and Planetary
Health.

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 MODULE 10
The Nano World

Introduction

The nanoscopic scale usually refers to structures with a length scale applicable to
nanotechnology, usually cited as 1–100 nanometers. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. Molecules
and atoms are impossible to see with the naked eye. They are even impossible to see with the use of
microscopes. Scientists used the technology to find ways to make materials at the nanoscale, enhancing
their properties to yield materials that have lighter weight, higher strength, greater chemical reactivity and
increased control of the light spectrum. The technology can increase the efficiency of energy
consumption, solve major health problems, and aid in cleaningthe environment. It can also help various
industries to increase production and reduce certain costs.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the students should be able to:

1. Define Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

2. Differentiate microscopes to view Nanomaterials
3. Understand the distinct features of Nanoscale
4. Know the people behind the growth and study of Nano World

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Lesson 1. Difference Between Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
(Emm-Nano, n.d.)

Nanoscience

The word Nanoscience refers to the study, manipulation and engineering of matter, particles
and structures on the nanometer scale (one millionth of a millimeter, the scale of atoms and molecules).
Important properties of materials, such as the electrical, optical, thermal and mechanical properties,
are determined by the way molecules and atoms assemble on the nanoscale into larger structures.
Moreover, in nanometer size structures these properties often different then on macroscale, because
quantum mechanical effects become important.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the application of nanoscience leading to the use of new nanomaterials and
nanosized components in useful products. Nanotechnology will eventually provide us with the ability to
design custom-made materials and products with new enhanced properties, new nanoelectronics
components, new types of “smart” medicines and sensors, and even interfaces between electronics and
biological system. These newborn scientific disciplines are situated at the interface between physics,
chemistry, materials science, microelectronics, biochemistry, and biotechnology. Control of these
disciplines therefore requires an academic and multidisciplinary scientific education.

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Lesson 2. Types of Microscopes Used to View Nanomaterials
(Critchley, 2019)

Microscopy techniques have been around for many decades and are always improving. The field
itself has had to improve because the samples being analyzed have been getting smaller and smaller,
especially since nanomaterials have emerged into many areas of science.

All microscopy techniques have advantages and disadvantages that make them more suited to
certain samples and analysis scenarios, and in this article, we’re going to look at the suitability of both
optical microscopy and electron microscopy for analyzing nanomaterials.

Optical Microscopy

Optical microscopes are known as light microscopes. These microscopes use light to
illuminate a sample and vary in complexity depending on the type. Optical microscopes are ideal
for observing samples that you can see with the naked eye but in more detail as well asmicron-
sized materials. However, they don’t have the ability to observe nanostructured materials in a great
amount of detail.

Electron Microscopy

Electron microscopy (EM) is a tool that enables biologists to capture photos of their samples at
a greater and better resolution, than with a light microscope. Also, the technique is used for obtaining
high-resolution images of non-biological specimens, too. Today, EM has been

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widely used to help in biomedical research by investigating and studying detailed images of tissues,
cells, organelles, and macromolecular complexes.

German engineers Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska first developed the electron microscope in the
1930s. The microscope utilizes a beam of electrons to illuminate a specimen and produce high precision
and a magnified image. These microscopes produce greater and better resolution photos than
conventional microscopes.

Electron microscopy (EM) encompasses a number of techniques, but the most notable are
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

SEM is designed to directly study the surfaces of solid objects with a beam of focused electrons.
In SEM, the electrons are backscattered due to surface interactions, and the interactions produce
secondary electrons which are also backscattered. Both types of electrons are detected and are used
to build an image.

Figure 10.2 Scanning Electron Microscope.

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Source From: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/scanning-electron-microscope-karl-gaff--science- photo-
library.html

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

TEM is used to view thin specimens such as molecules and tissue sections. In TEM, the
electrons don’t scatter, rather, they pass through the material (like optical microscopy) and are detected.
Some electrons are scattered in TEM, and these electrons can be analyzed by using reflection electron
microscopy (REM)—but this mode isn’t as widely used.

Figure 10.3 Transmission Electron Microscope

Source From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3JY4LgyX6Q)

The different EM methods can clearly image (with a high resolution), analyze and provide a lot of
information of all types of nanomaterials, nanostructures and nanoscale surfaces, and this is one of the
main reasons why they have become a staple technique in many labs that deal with nanomaterials. As
for optical microscopes, they can be adapted to observe the nanoscale, but this is currently a less popular
option with the other microscope technologies available nowadays.

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Lesson 3. Distinct Features of Nanoscale (Nanosense, n.d.)

Nanosized particles exhibit different properties than larger particles of the same substance.
The study phenomena at this scale results to learn more about the nature of matter, develop new
theories, discover new questions and answers in many areas, including health care, energy, and
technology; and figure out how to make new products and technologies that can improve people’s lives.

Properties of a Material

A property describes how a material acts under certain conditions. Properties are usually
measured by looking at large (~10^23) aggregations of atoms or molecules.

Types of properties
Optical Property (e.g., color, transparency)Example:

GOLD

Bulk gold appears yellow in color but nanosized gold appears red in color. The particles are so
small that electrons are not free to move about as in bulk gold. Because this movement is restricted, the
particles react differently with light.

Figure 10.4 Optical Properties

Source From: https://www.slideshare.net/lwolberg/unique-properties-at-the-nanoscale

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Example: Zinc Oxide (ZnO) (particles typically found in sunscreen)

Large ZnO particles can block UV light, scatter visible light and appear white. While Nanosized ZnO
particles can also block UV light, but so small compared to the wavelength of visible light that they
don’t scatter it and appear clear.

Figure 10.5. Nano Particles in Sunscreen

Source From: https://nanosense.sri.com/activities/sizematters/properties/SM_Lesson3Teacher.pdf)

Electrical Property (e.g., conductivity)

Example: Conductivity of Nanotubes

Nanotubes are long, thin cylinders of carbon. They are 100 times stronger than steel, very
flexible, and have unique electrical properties. Their electrical properties change with diameter,
“twist”, and number of walls. They can be either conducting or semi-conducting in their electrical
behaviors.

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 Figure 10.6. Conductivity of Nanotubes
Source From: https://nanosense.sri.com/activities/sizematters/properties/SM_Lesson3Teacher.pdf)

Physical Property (e.g.,hardness, melting point)

Melting Point (Microscopic Definition) is the temperature at which the atoms, ions, or
molecules in a substance have enough energy to overcome the intermolecular forces that hold them in
a “fixed” position in a solid. The Surface atoms require less energy to move because they are in
contact with fewer atoms of the substance.

Figure 10.7. Physical Change

Source From: https://nanosense.sri.com/activities/sizematters/properties/SM_Lesson3Teacher.pdf

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Table 10.1 Physical Property

At the macroscale At the nanoscale

The majority of the atoms …almost all on the inside of …split between the inside
are… the object and the surface of the object

Changing an object’s size… …has a very small effect on …has a big effect on the
the percentage of atoms on percentage of atoms on the
the surface surface

The melting point… …doesn’t depend on size … is lower for smaller

particles

Chemical Property (e.g., reactivity, reaction rates)

Why do properties change?

There are enormous scale differences in our universe! At different scales different forces dominate
and different models better explain phenomena. Four important ways in which nanoscale materials
may differ from macroscale materials are：

- Dominance of electromagnetic forces

Because the mass of nanoscale objects is so small, gravity becomes negligible and
electromagnetic forces dominate
- Importance of quantum mechanical models
Quantum mechanics is the model used to describe motion and energy instead of the
classical mechanics model
- Higher surface area to volume ratio

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 As surface area to volume ratio increases， a greater amount of a substance comes
in contact with surrounding material. This results in better catalysts, since a greater
proportion of the material is exposed for potential reaction.

- Random (Brownian) motion

Random molecular motion becomes more important

Lesson 4. Contribution of the Following Important Personagesto The

Growth and Study of The Nano World

Richard Feynman (Britannica, n.d.)

Richard Phillips Feynman, (born May 11, 1918, New

York , New York, U.S.—died February 15, 1988, Los Angeles,
California), American theoretical physicist who was widely
regarded as the most brilliant, influential, and iconoclastic
figure in his field in the post- World War II era.

Five particular achievements of Feynman stand out

as crucial to the development of modern physics.

Figure 10.8 Richard Feynman

(www.junglekey.fr)

First, and most important, is his work in correcting the inaccuracies of earlier formulations of quantum
electrodynamics, the theory that explains the interactions between electromagnetic radiation (photons)
and charged subatomic particles such
as electrons and positrons (antielectrons). By 1948 Feynman completed this reconstruction of a large
part of quantum mechanics and electrodynamics and resolved the meaningless results that the old
quantum electrodynamic theory sometimes produced.

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 Second, he introduced simple diagrams, now called Feynman diagrams, that are easily visualized
graphic analogues of the complicated mathematical expressions needed to describe the behavior of
systems of interacting particles. This work greatly simplified some of the calculations used to observe
and predict such interactions.

In the early 1950s Feynman provided a quantum-mechanical explanation for the Soviet physicist
Lev D. Landau’s theory of superfluidity—i.e., the strange, frictionless behavior of liquid helium at
temperatures near absolute zero.

In 1958 he and the American physicist Murray Gell-Mann devised a theory that accounted for
most of the phenomena associated with the weak force, which is the force at work in radioactive
decay. Their theory, which turns on the asymmetrical “handedness” of particle spin, proved particularly
fruitful in modern particle physics. And finally, in 1968, while working with experimenters at the Stanford
Linear Accelerator on the scattering of high-energy electrons by protons, Feynman invented a theory
of “partons,” or hypothetical hard particles inside the nucleus of the atom, that helped lead to the
modern understanding of quarks.

Erick Drexter (FHI, n.d.)

Kim Eric Drexler (born April 25, 1955) is an American engineer best known for seminal studies of
the potential of molecular nanotechnology (MNT), from the 1970s and 1980s. His 991 doctoral theses at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology was revised and published as the book Nanosystems: Molecular
Machinery Manufacturing and Computation (1992), which received the Association of American
Publishers award for Best
Computer Science Book of 1992. Dr. Drexler is widely known
for his seminal studies of advanced nanosystems and scalable
atomically precise manufacturing (APM), a prospective
technology using arrays of nanoscale devices to guide
chemically-reactive molecular encounters, thereby structuring
matter from the bottom up. His 1981 paper in the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences established the
fundamental principles of APM, and his

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1992 book, Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation, presented a deeper
analysis of key physical principles, devices, and systems for implementing APM capabilities.

Dr. Drexler’s current research explores prospects for advanced AI technologies from the
perspective of structured systems development, potential applications, and global implications. Key
considerations in this work include advances in AI-enabled automation of AI research and development,
and the potential role of thorough automation in accelerated development of comprehensive AI
services.

Gerd Binnig (Britannica, n.d.)

Gerd Binnig, (born July 20, 1947, Frankfurt am Main, W.Ger.), German-born physicist who shared
with Heinrich Rohrer (q.v.) half of the 1986 Nobel Prize for Physics for their invention of the scanning
tunneling microscope. (Ernst Ruska won the other half of the prize.) Binnig graduated from Johann
Wolfgang Goethe University in
Frankfurt and received a doctorate from the University of Frankfurt
in 1978. He then joined the IBM Research Laboratory in Zürich,
where he and Rohrer designed and built the first scanning
tunneling microscope (STM). This instrument produces images of
the surfaces of conducting or semiconducting materials in such fine
detail that individual atoms can be clearly identified. In 1984 Binnig
joined the IBM Physics Group in Munich. In 1989 he published the
book Aus dem Nichts (“Out of Nothing”), which posited that
creativity grows from disorder.

Figure 10.10. Gerd Binnig

287
Heinrich Rohrer (NationalMaglab, n.d.).

Swiss physicist Heinrich Rohrer co-invented the scanning

tunneling microscope (STM), a non-optical instrument that allows the
observation of individual atoms in three dimensions, with Gerd Binnig.

The achievement garnered the pair half of the Nobel Prize in

Physics in 1986. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences bestowed
the other half of the prestigious award to Ernst Ruska for the invention
of the electron microscope. The fact that the STM was a mere five years
old when when Binnig and Rohrer won the Nobel Prize (Ruska had
invented his device back in the 1930s) is testament to the
groundbreaking nature of the invention and the scientific
community’s understanding of its tremendous import.
Figure 10.11 Heinrich Rohrer
(www.nobelprize.org)

Rohrer was born to Hans Heinrich Rohrer and Katharina Ganpenbein Rohrer on June 6, 1933. A
native of Buchs, Switzerland, he spent his earliest years in the country, but moved with his family to
Zürich as a teenager. In 1951, he began coursework at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH),
where he majored in physics and had the opportunity to learn from such prominent scientists as
Wolfgang Pauli and Paul Scherrer. Rohrer obtained a B.S. in 1955, followed by a Ph.D. in 1960. He
then accepted a research assistantship at the ETH, but left for the United States in 1961 to do
postdoctoral research on superconductivity at Rutgers University in New Jersey. The trip was also a
chance to honeymoon with his new bride, Rose-Marie Eggar, with whom he would have two
daughters.

In 1963, Rohrer returned to his homeland and began working at the IBM Research
Laboratory. There his interests expanded to include antiferromagnetism, critical phenomena, nuclear
magnetic resonance and surface physics. His focus on surface physics eventually led him to develop the
scanning tunneling microscope with Gerd Binnig, a young scientist hired by IBM in 1978. While
investigating surface imperfections of layers of oxide deposited on metals, the pair

288
found no suitable instrument to make the kind of observations they desired. The electron microscope
invented by Ruska allowed study of atomic organization within samples, but not the individual surface
atoms Rohrer and Binnig were interested in. So the IBM researchers decided to build the device they
needed themselves.

At first, Rohrer and Binnig planned to construct a spectroscopic probe, but the project grew into
something much more phenomenal — the scanning tunneling microscope. The STM is based on a
quantum mechanical phenomenon known as electron tunneling. The properties of electrons cause them
to spread out in clouds when they are emitted from the surface of a material, and when two surfaces are
placed very close to one another, their clouds of electrons tend to overlap. Electrons in overlapping
clouds are able to “tunnel” back and forth.

About two years after they had begun their work on the STM, Rohrer and Binnig were ready to
announce their invention. A 1981 in-house report at IBM contained the first published discussion of the
microscope. The pair continued to fine-tune the device, so better results could be obtained. His role in
the invention of the STM garnered Rohrer, in addition to the Nobel Prize, the German Physics Prize, the
Otto Klung Prize, the Hewlett Packard Europhysics Prize, the King Faisal Prize, the Cresson Medal and
induction into the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame. Over the course of his career, Rohrer advanced
steadily at IBM. He took a year-long hiatus in the mid- 1970s to travel to the University of California,
Santa Barbara, as a visiting scholar. IBM eventually promoted Rohrer to head of the lab’s physics
department and appointed him an IBM Fellow. Following his retirement in 1997, Rohrer has continued
to carry out scientific investigations, accepting various research appointments around the world. Much
of his later work has centered on nanotechnology, a field he was key in opening up with the invention
of the STM.

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Lesson 5. Latest Innovations In Nanotechnology
(Nanotechnology Innovations on the Horizon, n.d.)

Nanotechnology is one of the most exciting frontiers in medicine, renewable energy and
agriculture. Its emerging applications in these three industries, and many others, should sustain
significant investments in related technologies, creating numerous jobs along the way.

Cancer treatments and medications

The three core cancer treatments are chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. This trio has been
instrumental in saving millions of lives from early cancer-related death, but they all have distinctive
limitations, they often damage healthy tissues while failing to completely eradicate cancerous ones. Enter
nanoparticles for chemotherapy delivery. Researchers from multiple universities have explored the use
of these particles for delivering medications. A group at MIT combined the drug Doxil with an RNA
interference therapy and coated the combo with hyaluronic acid to ensure survival within the bloodstream.
The use of nanotech may also be beneficial for earlier detection and diagnosis of cancer. More efficient
detection can increase the chances of multi-year survival, pending proper treatment.

Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is exponentially spreading

across the world. Combating CoV infections is an enormous challenge for healthcare systems, primarily
due to its high transmittance rate, and the virus potential to survive through multiple mutations. Up to
now, few drugs have been approved for CoV infections (especially COVID-19). There are some
authorized vaccines for COVID-19 protection, however, the majority of studies in the field of CoV
nanotechnology continues in the preliminary drug development phases, and problems remain until
these systems can progress into clinical use. Nanotechnology provides several interesting systems to
promote the fields of CoV prevention, treatment, and diagnosis.

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Renewable energy infrastructure, especially solar cells

The prices of solar cells have been falling for years, leading to a rapid expansion of
renewable energy infrastructure. To increase its market share, it needs even better affordability
compared to cheap non-renewable sources such as natural gas. Nanotechnology can help on this front
by providing:

 Better light absorption.

 More efficient conversion of light to electricity.
 Improved storage and transport of solar energy.

More specifically, nanoscopic structures made from gold and magnesium fluoride may be the key
to the development of thermophotovoltaic cells, which in theory are much more efficient than
conventional solar technology. They can harvest energy even in the dark via infrared radiation and
emit their heat within specific spectral ranges, instead of equally in all directions across a broad range.

Agricultural production and food processing

Food demand is set to continually increase as the global population keeps growing. Agriculture
will need to scale to keep pace and ensure consistent access to healthy and safe foods. Fortunately,
nanotechnology has many possible use cases in agriculture, from farming to food packaging.

 Nanocapsules might enable improved delivery of fertilizers and pesticides. Plant and
animal pathogens might also become easier to detect with nanosensors.
 In packaging, nanoparticles might be used to resist heat and light-related spoilage and block
contaminants.
 Coiled nanoparticles could even be incorporated into foods to increase nutrient absorption
without affecting color or taste.

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 Assessment Task 10-1

TRUE or FALSE. Write T if statement is True and write F if the statement is False.

1. Nanoscience refers to the study, manipulation and engineering of matter, particles and
structures on the nanometer scale.
2. Nanometer scale is one billionth of a millimeter, the scale of atoms and molecules.
3. Nanotechnology is the application of nanoscience leading to the use of new nanomaterials and
nanosized components in useful products.
4. Electron microscopes are known as light microscopes.
5. Optical microscopes use light to illuminate a sample.
6. German engineers Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska first developed the electron microscope in the
1980s.
7. Scanning Electron Microscopy is designed to directly study the surfaces of solid objects with a
beam of focused electrons.
8. TEM stands for Transmission Electron Microscopy.
9. Erick Drexter correcting the inaccuracies of earlier formulations of quantum
electrodynamics.
10. Richard Feynman provided a quantum-mechanical explanation for the Soviet physicist
Lev D. Landau’s theory of superfluidity.
11. Kim Eric Drexler received the Association of American Publishers award for Best
Computer Science Book of 1992.
12. Gerd Binnig is widely known for his seminal studies of advanced Nano systems and
scalable atomically precise manufacturing (APM).
13. Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer receive 1986 Nobel Prize for Physics for their invention of the
scanning tunneling microscope.
14. Heinrich Rohrer is a Swiss physicist Heinrich Rohrer co-invented the scanning tunneling
microscope (STM) with Erick Drexter.
15. Nano sized particles exhibit different properties than larger particles of the same
substance.

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 Assessment Task 10-2

Identify the following.

1. It is the application of nanoscience leading to the use of new nanomaterials and nanosize
components in useful products.
2. The study, manipulation and engineering of matter, particles and structures on the
nanometer scale.
3. Important properties of materials which are determined by the way molecules and atoms
assemble on the nanoscale into larger structures.
4. It has been around for many decades and are always improving the field itself because
the samples being analyzed have been getting smaller and smaller.
5. Also known as light microscopes.
6. Ideal for observing samples that you can see with the naked eye but in more detail as well
as micron-sized materials.
7. It is a tool that enables biologists to capture photos of their samples at a greater and better
resolution, than with a light microscope.
8. First developed by German engineers Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska in 1930s.
9. It is designed to directly study the surfaces of solid objects with a beam of focused
electrons.

10. It is used to view thin specimens such as molecules and tissue sections.
11. Exhibit different properties than larger particles of the same substance.
12. American theoretical physicist who was widely regarded as the most brilliant, influential,
and iconoclastic figure in his field in the post-World War II era.
13. American engineer best known for seminal studies of the potential of molecular
nanotechnology.
14. 1986 Nobel Prize for Physics for their invention of the scanning tunneling microscope.
15. The scale of atoms and molecules.

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 Summary

Nanotechnology has achieved tremendous progress in the past decades. It is expected that
nanotechnology will change human life more profoundly than many developments in the past. As with all
technologies, nanotechnology carries a significant potential for misuse and abuse on a scale and scope
never seen before. However, they also have potential to bring about significant benefits, such as improved
health, better use of natural resources and reduce environmental pollution. Nanotechnology seems to be
where the world is headed if technology keeps advancing and competition practically guarantees that
advance will continue.

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