Things are progressing nicely:

"We have demonstrated the controlled synthesis of nanostructures at levels of complexity significantly beyond any work yet reported. What we have done is the most challenging synthetic problem in these structures, and one with huge potential payoffs from both the standpoint of fundamental scientific impact and producing novel de-vices and applications."

Progress? Oh yeah? As Ashleigh Brilliant, the savant comic-strip philosopher said, "Much work remains to be done before we can announce our total failure to make any progress."

Something that is getting increasing attention, but not enough, is the environmental dangers of nanomaterials. These things are used in a lot of products now, but there is reason to be wary of them. They are so small that they easily get into tissues--they can even be absorbed through the skin.

The typical sci-fi horror story involves nanobots getting loose and turning the earth into a gray goo. But the reality may be this stuff seeping into the water supply and giving people cancer. There may be a downside to this technology.

Fear not, William. Since "cancer causing" chemicals in the environment have been a huge money producer for the enviro zealots, I'm sure we can expect a quick move by their parasitic little combines into the nano field soon.

Don't be a fool. There are real issues involved. You may hate environmentalists, but I bet you like drinking clean water, right?