Prof. Endo: Nanotech is a ‘matter of life and death’ for developing nations
Prof. Endo, of Shinshu University in Japan, recently said “nanotechnology is certain to play a 
crucial role in creating technological innovations in the 21st century.” Ho goes on to say that success in nanotechnology is a ‘matter of life and death’ for developing nations, because developing nations are rapidly catching up in the mature technologies that led the 20th century, such as antibiotics and semiconductors. According to him, nanotech is now developing into a huge multidisciplinary field that covers a wide academic spectrum, from chemistry, physics and biology to economics, sociology and religious studies. "People with all sorts of scholarly backgrounds are joining the world of nanotechnology to explore various possibilities for a better future," Endo says. "It is becoming the area where academic disciplines are being fused--an extremely exciting place to be." See the full report here, or click here for an interview with Dr. Endo by MIT.
Evanescent waves allow researchers to get around this limitation. Researchers have made a lens out of a 35-nanometer-thick film of silver, which they used with a light source of identical frequency (the same resonant frequency of the lens's electrons). The light shone through the word "NANO," inscribed in letters with a 40-nanometer line width on a piece of chromium through ion beam lithography. Upon exposure to the light, the silver electrons resonated with the evanescent waves, providing enhanced excitement. A light-sensitive material was also used to capture the lens directed waves. This work could allows researchers to view biological processes in real time as they naturally occur, something not possible using present technologies. To learn more read 
