Advances in nanotechnology are deeply intertwined with other technologies,

many of which have received far greater attention. Nanotechnology will have
applications for other technologies like gene-editing, additive manufacturing (3-D
printing), artificial intelligence, spacecraft, and quantum computing. However,
nanotechnology’s unique properties and processes merit greater attention from
the policy community. Narrow policies that treat nano-applications on an ad-hoc
basis will not address the unique characteristics and challenges of nanotechnology
itself. As one expert has observed, “Nanoparticles are far more reactive and
unpredictable than normal chemical/biological particles, but countries do not
appreciate this...regulations that offer any meaningful guidance...do not always
recognize nanotechnology as a new field with unique challenges.”
The bottom line is that nanotechnology will not only accelerate existing threats, it
will create novel and more complex threats. Greater understanding of nanotech,
both within government and among the general public, is necessary to spur a
more proactive policy framework.
Applications: Biochem, Bots, Bytes
Because most important biological processes occur at the nanoscale,
nanotechnology will improve - and perhaps revolutionize - chemical/biological
(CB) weapons capabilities. Nanotechnology will make CB agents easier to produce
and transport. Far smaller amounts of the agents would need to be made, and this
would require only small, low-level facilities, making detection more difficult. This
will greatly hinder counter-proliferation and counter-WMD operations, as it will be
increasingly difficult to detect and disrupt the creation or transfer of nano-enabled
agents, whether by terrorist organizations or state actors. Moreover, identification
and attribution of nanoparticles poses unique difficulties, which would hinder
response to an attack. The convergence of nanotechnology, synthetic biology (i.e
gene-editing), and chemistry will allow the creation of novel agents and enhance
the resilience and lethality of existing agents. It will be possible to edit bacterial
DNA to create entirely new organisms, or to build new chemicals from the ground
up. NT could also enhance the toxicity of inorganic chemicals, because the large
surface area of nanoparticles makes them especially toxic. Finally, nanotechnology
will enable new delivery systems and methods to avoid medical countermeasures.
For example, nanotubes could be used to deliver only the lethal parts of the. As
one report summarized it, nano-chem-bio applications will “go beyond the
weaponisation of pathogens or toxic substances, such as the creation of
ineffective vaccines…enhancement of the virulence and pathogenicity of micro-
organisms, augmentation of macro-organisms vulnerability to infectious diseases;
and creation of diagnostic impediments.” Nanotechnology will have applications
beyond chemical/biological weapons to include the domains of cyber, robotics,
and additive manufacturing. First, nanotech will lead to rapid improvements in
quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Second, the ability to manipulate
matter at the near-atomic level will yield highly precise and efficient
manufacturing processes. Lightweight, durable, and cheap metal created by
nanomanufacturing will have a variety of military uses, especially in space. Finally,
nanomanufacturing techniques will augment 3-D printing, making complex and
scalable designs readily accessible. Already, scientists have produced primitive
“molecular motors” and other nanomachines.
There are three distinct threats posed by nanotechnology. First, the diffusion of
nanotech may increase the likelihood of nano-enabled bioterrorism.
Nanotechnology is becoming increasingly cheap and user-friendly. “Do-It-Yourself”
nanotechnology hardware and open-source instructions are readily available
online. For example, one site provides instructions for building a DNA
nanotechnology lab for under $500. Another site advertises nanotechnology
experiments for the whole family, ages 4 and up. This “democratization” of
nanotech creates more opportunities for bad actors to engineer weapons (from
“the comfort of your own home!” as the site advertises). Second, nanotechnology
will make it easier for state actors to develop or use advanced CB weapons.
Nanotech will make these weapons cheaper to produce and easier to conceal and
transport, which will facilitate their proliferation to rogue states. Furthermore,
existing national and international laws designed to prevent the spread of
dangerous chemicals may be unable to keep pace with the rapid changes brought
on by nanotech. Third, the potential for new nano-enabled capabilities may
accelerate arms races and undermine strategic stability between the U.S. and its
authoritarian great power competitors. Militaries around the world are already
fielding expensive - and secretive - research and development programs to
harness the technology’s potential. This risks offense-defense spirals that could
make war more likely - and bloodier if it occurs.
 REFERENCE

The Applications and Implications of Nanotechnology. (2020, April 15). American

University. https://www.american.edu/sis/centers/security-technology/the-
applications-and-implications-of-nanotechnology.cfm