1959 - Richard P. Feynman coins the term "nanotechnology"

Richard P. Feynman delivers lecture titled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom." The Caltech physics professor and Nobel Laureate (1965) notes that there are no physical constraints on producing things from the atomic level on up. He stated,

"The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom."

1974 - First molecular electronic device is patented by Aviram and Seiden

1981 - Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) invented

1985 - Buckyballs discovered

Scientists Richard Smalley, Robert Curl, Jr., and Harold Kroto discover spherical cages of 60 carbon atoms.

1986 - Atomic force microscope (AFM) invented

During the same time period, K. Eric Drexler publishes "Engines of Creation." Dr. Drexler presents his provocative ideas on molecular nanotechnology to a general audience.

Note: The nanotechnology timeline is still under development, but by next week the completed version should be posted.