Advances in nanotechnology from washing machines to self-cleaning bathrooms are coming faster and smaller than ever.

At a recent conference in Melbourne, Australia, nanotechnology was the main attraction, above all other technologies. But, have you ever wondered how small nanoscale technology can be?

As you can see in the accompanying image, a 1-millimeter microchip is big enough to be carried by an ant with its mandibles. By comparison, a nanometer equals about a billionth of meter. But, if you increased the size of the ruler to the length of a kilometer, a proportional size of a nanometer would equal close to the width of your hand, if not smaller.

As our body of knowledge grows, no doubt, so will the innovations in nanotechnology, especially in the realm of fighting cancer. But, even if nanotechnology were here today, they would work with natural therapies and not be a replacement for them.