Work in groups. Read one of the texts about modern technologies. Share your ideas with your partners

NANOTECHNOLOGY Nanotechnology is so new, no one is really sure what will come of it. In order to understand the unusual world of nanotechnology, we need to get an idea of the units of measure involved. A nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter, smaller than the wavelength of visible light and a hundred-thousandth the width of a human hair Nanotechnology is rapidly becoming an interdisciplinary field. Biologists, chemists, physicists and engineers are all involved in the study of substances at the nanoscale. Right now, it means that scientists are experimenting with substances at the nanoscale to learn about their properties and how we might be able to take advantage of them in various applications. Engineers are trying to use nano-size wires to create smaller, more powerful microprocessors. Doctors are searching for ways to use nanoparticles in medical applications. Still, we've got a long way to go before nanotechnology dominates the technology and medical markets. In 1959, physicist and future Nobel prize winner Richard Feynman gave a lecture to the American Physical Society called "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom." The focus of his speech was about the field of miniaturization and how he believed man would create increa-singly smaller, powerful devices. In 1986, K. Eric Drexler wrote "Engines of Creation" and introduced the term nanotechnology. Scientific research really expanded over the last decade. Inventors and corporations aren't far behind – today, more than 13,000 patents registered with the U.S. Patent Office have the word "nano" in them. At the nanoscale, objects are so small that we can't see them – even with alight microscope. Nano-scientists have to use tools like scanning tunneling microscopes or atomic force microscopes to observe anything at the nanoscale. Scanning tunneling microscopes use a weak electric current to probe the scanned material. Atomic force microscopes scan surfaces with an incredibly fine tip. Both microscopes send data to a computer which can assemble the information and project it graphically onto a monitor. While this is exciting, it's only the tip of the iceberg as far as how nanotechnology may impact us in the future.

GENETIC ENGINEERING We are hearing this term “Gene-tic Engineering” (GE)with increasing frequency these days. For those readers who may not be sure of its meaning, some definitions follow. When we speak of genes, we are referring to chemical substances in the cells of all living things that establish an organism’s charac-teristics. GE is the changing of certain genes, usually to improve an organism in some way. In recent years, for example, certain genes have been placed in tomato plants to make tomatoes taste better and keep them fresh in supermarkets for a longer time. Cows have been treated with a growth hormone that makes dairy cattle give more milk and reduces the amount of fat in the meat of beef cattle. These sound like positive things, don’t they? After all, many people say, the technology exists to improve our lives. Why shouldn’t this technology be used? Perhaps the issue isn’t so simple, however. There are plenty of people around who oppose GE. Why? Two specific objections come to mind. One is that the balance of nature might be upset. Suppose, for example, that scientists are able to genetically engineer certain plants so that insects will not eat them. This will protect the plants, but the insects will be deprived of a food supply –and other animals that depend on those insects for food will lose their food supply, too. A second objection is a moral question. Is it acceptable or right for us to change the make up of living things? Supporters of GE say the benefits outweigh the dangers. Look at the improvements that can be made in plants raised for food, they say. Because of Genetic Engineering, plants can be grown that produce more fruits and vegetables and resist disease. In a world where more and more food will be needed in the future, this is a benefit. The medical advances provided by GE, say the supporters, are even more impressive. Consider cancer, for example. If Genetic Engineering can provide a way to cure or prevent this disease, shouldn’t it be used? And if Genetic Engineering can be used to kill AIDS, shouldn’t it be permitted? Opponents of Genetic Engineering it should be stopped, or at least limited. Proponents of GE say it should be promoted and expanded. The debate goes on.

2 Discuss the technology you’ve read about with the other group. Compare them according to: