THE CANADIAN PRESS

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EDMONTON - A timeline of developments that have contributed to the science of nanotechnology:

30 BC-640 AD: Ancient Romans create drinking cups that change colour under different lighting because the glass contains nanoparticles of gold and silver. The colour change suggests nanoparticles behave differently than their macro counterparts, but it is a discovery that wouldn't be recognized for about 2,000 years.

500-1400: Craftsmen of the Middle Ages use stained glass created with gold and silver nanoparticles.

1931: German scientists Max Knott and Ernst Ruska open up research into the world of the super-tiny when they develop the electron microscope.

1951: Erwin Mueller at Penn State University develops field-ion electron microscope. For the first time individual atoms and their arrangement on a surface can be seen.

1958: Japanese physicist Leo Esaki discovers that materials at the nanoscale are controlled by different laws of behaviour - quantum mechanics rather than classical physics.

1959: American physicist Richard Feynman, in a watershed speech "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom," predicts the possibilities and potential of manoeuvring elements atom by atom.

1974: Norio Taniguchi of Tokyo Science University coins the word "nanotechnology."

1981: IBM researchers in Switzerland invent the scanning tunnelling microscope, which allows scientists to not only observe nanoscale particles but also control them.

1985: Researchers at Rice University in Houston and Britain's University of Sussex discover a nanoparticle named "fullerene." Shaped like a soccer ball and dubbed the "Buckyball," the unique molecule is so rugged it can survive collisions with metals and other materials at speeds higher than 32,000 kph. Has potential applications in engine parts, electronics and drug delivery.

1988: Bell researchers discover quantum dots that allow scientists to manipulate colours and pave the way to revolutionize the way solar energy is collected. Also improve medical diagnostics and optical devices.

1991: Sumio Iijima at NEC in Japan discovers a new form of carbon called nanotubes. They behave like metals or semi-conductors but can conduct electricity better than copper, transmit heat better than diamonds and are stronger than steel.

1996: The United States begins a co-ordinated effort on nanoscale research when several federal agencies meet to plan priorities and programs.

Late 1990s: Consumer products made with nanotechnology begin to appear on the market in suncreams, cosmetics, sports equipment, car wax and clothes.

2000: U.S. President Bill Clinton devotes significant budget funding to the new National Nanotechnology Initiative.

2001: Canada creates the Edmonton-based National Institute of Nanotechnology to support research and commercial applications in the field.

2002: The European Union forms the Nanoforum Project to raise awareness of nanotechnology issues.

Sources:

www.discovernano.northwestern.edu

www.nanoforum.org