 In just half a century, nanotechnology has morphed from a purely theoretical concept into a heavily researched area that has the ability to completely revolutionize entire fields such as health and medicine. Let's take a dive into the origins and potential of this groundbreaking branch of science. In December 1959, Nobel laureate Richard Feynman gave a lecture at Caltech titled, There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom. Discussing a future possibility in which scientists could manipulate individual atoms, thereby allowing the development of miniature technology that would improve electron microscopes, chemical synthesis, information storage and much more. Although his vision would not be acted upon in a significant manner until the 1980s, Feynman nonetheless had laid the first building blocks in the field of nanotechnology. Today, nanotechnology research is heavily supported by both governments and private companies. A testament to the increasing awareness and influence of this field. Nanotechnology has already started to make its mark in various fields, with nanomedicine being a prime example. Using nanoparticles, a drug can be accurately delivered to a targeted region in the body. These nano-engineered drug delivery devices have great benefits, such as reducing the dosage needed, limiting side effects, and can be much less invasive than other treatments. There is also the potential for drug delivery devices to be implanted inside a patient's body, allowing for much greater efficiency. For example, a Braxane, a nanoparticle delivery-based drug that is designed to treat breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer, was first approved by the FDA in 2005, highlighting the impact that nanotechnology is beginning to have in the medical field. In addition, within the field of nanotechnology, there is a specific focus on the gold nanoparticles, or GNPs. Thanks to gold's rather unique physical and chemical properties, GMP research is far and wide, from its potential use in biosensors to disease detection to the previously mentioned drug delivery devices. For example, a team at the University of Florida developed gold nanoparticles that caused cancer cells to exhibit a distinct color change, while non-cancer cells remained their original color. With current levels of funding, the future of nanotechnology is very optimistic and bright. However, there are still countless other applications of nanotechnology outside its role in medicine, such as in nano-electronics and energy production. We will dive into other sub-fields and future videos, but hopefully this video got you excited about nanotechnology. In the meantime, explore other wonders of the cosmos here on The Science Verse, and as always, stay tuned for more science videos.