Celebrating Nano for Humanity: How Tiny Science is Shaping Our Future

The London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN) hosted Nano for Humanity at Imperial College London, highlighting the transformative potential of nanoscience across healthcare, planet care and the future of computing. Nano Day featured talks, live demonstrations, and interactive activities, welcoming hundreds of attendees who were keen to explore the nano-world.

Nano Day, celebrated annually on 10 September (a nod to the nanometre scale, 10^-9), looks to raise awareness of the real-world applications of nanoscience, inspire future scientists, and help people learn about scientific research. Organisers emphasised that Nano Day isn't just about what's going on in the lab-it's about demonstrating how nanoscience is already improving our lives.

Exploring Nanotechnology's Impact

Nano for Humanity highlighted LCN's interdisciplinary ethos, with contributions from Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computing, Medicine, and Engineering. Speakers included King's Dr Ciro Chiappini on nanoneedles for healthcare, Dr Reshma Rao on energy conversion technologies, and Dr Jack Gartside on the future of materials for neuromorphic computing.

The Nano for Humanity exhibition showcased a wide array of cutting-edge research through interactive stations, allowing attendees to engage directly with LCN scientists across diverse fields.

Visitors had the opportunity to create nano bracelets, sparking discussions with researchers about the basic principles of nanotechnology and its real-world applications. In the healthcare space, King's College London's Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences introduced visitors to Small Wonders through hands-on demonstrations that showcased nanotechnology-enabled advanced medical treatments. Imperial's Bioengineering Department presented Nanoplasters for Wound Healing, which highlighted innovative bandage technology designed to accelerate healing processes. The Chiappini Lab also captivated audiences with their Nanoneedles for Healthcare exhibit, demonstrating how these tiny tools could revolutionise gene and cell therapies.

For those interested in quantum science, Quantum Pong, presented by Dr Simão Meneses João from Imperial, offered a playful exploration of wave-particle duality. The Everyday Quantum Mechanics exhibit from UCL demonstrated quantum effects observable in daily electronics using lab instruments, making complex quantum phenomena tangible. King's Levitated Nanophysics Group led a Quantum Workshop, revealing how light can manipulate the smallest objects. Materials science for the energy transition is central to research across the LCN. Imperial's Ryan Bower presented Atomic Scale Engineering, illustrating how manipulating matter at the atomic level can unlock new possibilities in materials science.

The SPIE Lions from King's College explored Nanostructures and Light, discussing their implications for solar energy and sensing technologies, while Rob Jones from King's demonstrated the formation of plasmons in Nano-Metallic Marvels, explaining how metallic nanoparticles interact with light in groundbreaking ways. Dr Brian Tam and George Creasey from Imperial showcased Plasmonic Photocatalysts, which are being developed for solar-driven water splitting, highlighting nanotechnology's potential in renewable energy.

The exhibition explored advanced sensors, with Imperial's Dr Felice Torrisi's group introducing visitors to the Advanced Graphene Lab-on-PCB. This station demonstrated how graphene, combined with printed circuit board technology, is being used to create a next-generation biochemical sensing platform. Meanwhile, Imperial's Chiral Crew engaged attendees in exploring molecular chirality through 3D models and optical experiments, highlighting the significance of chirality in emerging technologies.

Nanodancing: Where Science Meets Celebration

The night concluded with a Nano Dance led by Dr Vittorio Aita from King's Nano-Optics Group. This Nano Dance blended scientific concepts with movement, offering a fun and memorable way for participants to visualise the scale and principles of nanotechnology.

As the crowds dispersed into the London night, all left with a newfound appreciation for the nano- world and its enormous potential to shape the future. The success of this year's Nano Day celebration highlights the growing public interest in nanoscience and its applications, and the strength and diversity amongst the LCN community.