Tesla/SpaceX founder Elon Musk found himself in some hot water recently when he called nanotechnology “B.S.” during a Twitter exchange with people questioning the safety records and union viewpoints of Tesla.

Musk targeted nanotechnology when an Australian molecular biologist called it “pathetic” for Musk to propose a media credibility rating website, which Musk suggested was necessary as he felt media outlets inaccurately reported that his Tesla workers are endangered by Musk’s dislike of the color yellow (used in safety measures). Musk noted that his critic had “nano” in her bio, which he said was “100% synonymous with bs.”

Nanotech aficionados and experts on Twitter fired back at Musk, commenting that nano research is a crucial part of both current and future technology, and schooling him in exactly what constitutes “nanotechnology.” Many also pointed out that Musk’s own innovations rely heavily on nanotechnology.

Musk, however, doubled down on his critics in a follow-up tweet — with a link from a crowd-sourced Wiki page — that stated, “Nano applies to everything & therefore means nothing. Definitely indicates bs. Sorry.”

So … is nanotech just a buzzword used to make science sound cool? Or does it have practical and important applications in research and technology? Let us know what you think in the Comments!

 

PS: You can read about scientific advancements in nanotechnology in Controlled Environments: https://www.cemag.us/topics/nanotechnology  

You can also read about related topics:

Graphene: https://www.cemag.us/topics/graphene

Semiconductors: https://www.cemag.us/topics/semiconductors