The evolution of nanotechnology has been rapid and transformative. Initially, it was primarily theoretical, inspired by Richard Feynman's 1959 lecture "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom". By the 1980s, advancements in instrumentation, like the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), allowed scientists to visualize and manipulate individual atoms. In the 21st century, we are witnessing breakthroughs in quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, and other nanomaterials that have significantly impacted fields like medicine, electronics, and energy.
