What is nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology refers to science and engineering projects that work on a nanoscale, which measures in nanometers. One nanometer equals one billionth of a meter. Nanotechnology projects have applications in a variety of disciplines, including pharmaceuticals, medicine, and manufacturing technology, as well as in pure sciences, such as physics and chemistry, where researchers are working with atoms and molecules and building observational equipment to view objects at that level. Much nanotechnology research occurs at universities, medical research centers, and private companies.