could nanotechnology give us the philospher's stone?

[blu]

maybe this is an obvious answer to someone well versed in nanotechnology, but after reading some articles about nanotech last night it sort of came to me. I tried googling just now and don't see anyone really bringing up the connection so mybe I am missing something.

Also, I am talking about the part of the stone that would allow changing metals from one type to another and I know one goal of nanotech is to be able to re-arrange at the atmoic level into a controlled output at the atomic level which is exactly what the stone was attempting to do.

 

[Charles Stucker]

To change metal from one sort to another (say lead into gold) requires the nucleus to change the number of protons present. The proton is a subatomic particle.
Nanotechnology is about manipulating atoms not subatomic particles.

 

[blu]

wow complete failure on my part. thanks for the post

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Sounds like a Harry Potter book: Nanotek & the Philosophers Stone

 

[Old Rocks]

wow complete failure on my part. thanks for the post

Well, while you missed what nanotech basically does, you are correct in a way. There are some researchers that have been using 'clumps' of common materials like aluminium to mimic rarer materials. Of course, all of your 'clumps' have to have exactly the same number of atoms in them. However, it is a very interesting line of research. Here is a site with a huge amount of information and links to present nano-tech research;

Nanotechnology