level 1
biodegradable
a substance that can be decomposed by bacteria or living things, and therefore does not cause pollution
inorganic
related to compounds or substances that are not organic
greenhouse gas emissions
the release of harmful greenhouse gases like CO2 into the atmosphere, also called carbon emissions
DNA origami
folding of DNA at the nanoscale level to create complex structures
fullerene
a graphene sheet rolled into a tube or sphere; types of fullerenes are buckyballs and carbon nanotubes
chemotherapy
the treatment of a disease, often cancer, using chemical substances
virus
an infectious organism that can only reproduce inside a host’s body
cardiovascular disease (CVD)
a disease affecting the heart or blood vessels
graphene
a net of carbon molecules one atom thick that can be formed into a lattice nanostructure
buckyball
graphene that is shaped into a sphere; buckyballs are extremely stable and can maintain their shape under extreme pressure and in outer space
conductivity
the property of allowing heat or electricity to travel through a substance
microplastics
extremely small pieces of plastic, often the result of discarded plastic breaking down in the environment
antibacterial
preventing bacteria from growing or spreading
nanometer
one one-billionth of one meter; one atom is around 1-3 nanometers across
liposome
tiny sphere of liquid that can carry drugs through the body
insulator
a substance that does not conduct heat or electricity, and prevents those things from passing through it
immune system
the network of cells and organs that defend the body against infection
biorisk
the risk associated with biological materials
nanocomposite
a material that is made from two or more types of particle, at least one of which is a type of nanoparticle
scanning tunneling microscope
a microscope used for imaging surfaces at the atomic level
optical
relating to how light interacts with a substance
mRNA
messenger RNA, instructs DNA how to create specific proteins
ductility
of metal, the property of being able to be drawn out into a wire
nanocellulose
lightweight, strong, renewable material obtained from plant matter
quantum dot
a small cluster of atoms, usually between 2 and 10 nanometers, usually made of conductive material such as zinc