How do you describe nanotechnology in 24 seconds, or even in 7 words? Tough challenge, but Professor Wade Adams, Director of the Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology at Rice University rose to it with aplomb at this year’s Ig Nobel awards.
Here’s the transcript of the achievement, from last week’s Science Friday:
Mr. ABRAHAMS: The first 24/7 lecture will be delivered by Wade Adams, director of the Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology at Rice University. His topic: nanotechnology. First, a complete technical description in 24 seconds. On your mark, get set, go.
Dr. WADE ADAMS (Director, Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology, Rice University): $2.7 trillion industry by 2015 solutions to the top 10 problems facing humanity in the next 50 years: gold nanoshells, cancer therapy, buckyballs, MRI contrast enhancers, graphene ribbons, oil recovery, carbon nanotubes, ballistic conducting grid wire, nanoelectronics, smaller, faster, cheaper, nanophotonics sensors, nanomembranes, water filtration, ultra-lightweight, strong nanocomposites, the energy-efficient SUVs. Rick Smalley’s challenge…
(Soundbite of whistle)
Dr. ADAMS: …be a scientist, save the world.
Mr. ABRAHAMS: And now, a clear summary that anyone can understand in seven words. On your mark, get set, go.
Dr. ADAMS: Nanotechnology: Making small stuff do big things.
Pretty impressive!
Thanks to Kristen Kulinowski for the twitter heads-up on this landmark achievement. Never again will I have an excuse for not answering the dreaded “so what is nanotechnology?” question in a single breath 
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Concision is definitely a gift.
There is a Tony Blair speech, entitled “Science Matters” (2002), in which he (or his science counselor) also defines nanotechnology in seven words: “manipulating and building devices atom by atom”.
Thanks for digging Tony Blair’s description out – I’d forgotten about this. Who knew he had Ig Nobel potential?!
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