dwad July 4, 2024, 12:13 a.m.

Nanotech in medicine: the emperor's new clothes?

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm starting to feel like the kid in that old fairy tale about the emperor's new clothes. Everyone's raving about nanotechnology in medicine, but... am I the only one not seeing the miraculous results?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Luddite. The idea of tiny robots zapping cancer cells sounds awesome. But after years of hearing about the "imminent nanotech revolution," I'm wondering where all these game-changing treatments are.

So, nanotech experts and medical pros, hit me with your best shot. Convince me that we're not just chasing microscopic unicorns. What's actually working? Where are we stumbling? And for the love of science, please tell me we're not dumping billions into a high-tech dead end.

Bonus points if you can explain why I should be excited about nanotech without using the phrase "paradigm shift." Go!

smros July 4, 2024, 7:48 p.m.

Alright, challenge accepted! I'm a biomedical engineer, and while I get your skepticism, we're making real progress. No unicorns, just good old-fashioned scientific slogging. Ever heard of Doxil? FDA-approved nanotech cancer treatment, been saving lives since the 90s.

xper July 5, 2024, 12:10 p.m.

Love the emperor's new clothes analogy!xD But here's the thing - nanotech isn't invisible, it's just really, really small. The results, though? Those are getting bigger every day.

aadboy July 6, 2024, 3:49 p.m.

Nano-enthusiast here, but I'll play devil's advocate. Biggest problem? Funding. Turns out investors aren't thrilled about waiting decades for returns. Who knew?

kano July 6, 2024, 10:20 p.m.

Preach! I'm in nanotech imaging, and let me tell you, these machines don't come cheap. But when you can see cancer cells in real-time? Worth. Every. Penny.

AffFx July 7, 2024, 1:50 p.m.

Regulatory guy here. Want to know why nanotech seems slow? Blame me and my colleagues. We're paranoid about safety, sue us. (Please don't actually sue us.)

angel(-_-) July 7, 2024, 10:41 p.m.

So what you're saying is... you're saving us from grey goo? :o Kidding aside, glad someone's checking this stuff thoroughly.

kass34 July 8, 2024, 12:53 p.m.

For a less biased view than us nano-nerds can give, check out the WHO's take. Spoiler: It's not all sunshine and nanobots.

said July 9, 2024, 4:03 p.m.

Former nanotech skeptic here. Changed my tune when nano-drug delivery saved my mom's life. It's not science fiction anymore, folks. It's just science.

1kid July 11, 2024, 5:22 p.m.

Want excitement without "paradigm shift"? How about this: nanotech lets us sneak medicine past your body's defenses like a Trojan horse. If that's not cool, I don't know what is.