Nanoparticle research is a fascinating branch of science. Nanoparticles are defined as particles with a diameter smaller than 100 nm, are increasingly used in different applications, including drug carrier systems and to pass organ barriers such as the blood-brain barrier. The strongly size-related properties of nanoparticles offer uncountable opportunities for surprising discoveries. Nanotechnology is helping to considerably improve, even revolutionize, many technology and industry sectors: information technology, homeland security, medicine, transportation, energy, food safety, and environmental science, and among many others. 20 importants facts about nanoparticles given below:
1. Naturally occurring nanoparticles include organic (proteins, polysaccharides, viruses, among others) as well as inorganic compounds (iron oxyhydroxides, aluminosilicates, metals, among others) and are produced by weathering, volcano eruptions, wildfires or microbial processes.
2. Nanoparticles were used by artisans as far back as Rome in the fourth century in the famous Lycurgus cup made of dichroic glass as well as the ninth century.
3.The therapeutic use of gold can be traced back to Chinese medical history in 2500 BC. 4. Swarna Bhasma and Roupya Bhasma is still used in the Indian ayurvedic and Unani medicine for rejuvenation, revitalization and for treating various diseases.
5.Michael Faraday in 1857 provided the first scientific description of the properties of nanoparticles in his famous paper “Experimental relations of gold (and other metals) to light”. This was probably the first rationalized report on the purposeful synthesis of colloidal gold nanoparticles.
6. The term colloid was coined by Thomas Graham (1861) for suspended particles in liquid medium and was categorized to be in the size range 1 nm to few micrometers.
This story is from the November - December 2018 edition of Scientific India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November - December 2018 edition of Scientific India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Building world's 1st pyramid
In a preprint study published this summer, researchers proposed that ancient Egyptians built the world's first pyramid the 4,700-year-old Step Pyramid of Djoser, which sits on Egypt's Saqqara plateau using a \"modern hydraulic system\" powered by a long-gone branch of the Nile River.
Climate change arms the world, ovarian cancer pulls the trigger.It's time we disarm them both
Climate change, driven by human activities, leads to environmental changes such as rising temperatures, altered weather patterns, and increased pollution.
Climate Change Added 18 mph to Hurricane Wind Speeds over Past 5 Years
High ocean temperatures caused by global warming boosted maximum intensities for most storms between 2019 and 2023, as well as for every 2024 hurricane.
How Indian Vulture Decline Led to 500,000 Deaths in 5 Years
Once a common sight across India, vultures were abundant scavengers, often seen circling landfills in search of carcasses.
Understanding Monkeypox: Insights and Implications
Monkeypox, a viral zoonotic disease, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its re-emergence and sporadic outbreaks globally.
AI predicts that most of the world will see temperatures rise to 3°C much faster than previously expected
Three leading climate scientists have combined insights from 10 global climate models and, with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), conclude that regional warming thresholds are likely to be reached faster than previously estimated.
Infrared Radiation: A New Player In Mosquito Host-Seeking
The sound of mosquitoes is all around us when the sun sets and the air gets warm and sweltering.
Fish Oil May Benefit to Cure Alzheimer's, disorder: new findings
The benefits of fish and fish oil consumption are well-known in medical science as fish is considered a precious food resource that provides sufficient nutrition to humans.
A new class of antivirals could help prevent future pandemics
The arrival of Paxlovid in December 2021 marked another turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic an effective antiviral that has since successfully treated millions.
Turning carbon emissions into methane fuel
Chemists have developed a novel way to capture and convert carbon dioxide into methane, suggesting that future gas emissions could be converted into an alternative fuel using electricity from renewable sources. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that accounts for a large part of Earth's warming climate, and is produced by power plants, factories and various forms of transportation.
