Nanoweapons just might render humanity extinct in the near future—a notion that is frightening and shocking but potentially true. In Nanoweapons Louis A. Del Monte describes the most deadly generation of military weapons the world has ever encountered. With dimensions one-thousandth the diameter of a single strand of human hair, this technology threatens to eradicate humanity as it incites world governments to compete in the deadliest arms race ever.  In his insightful and prescient account of this risky and radical technology, Del Monte predicts that nanoweapons will dominate the battlefield of the future and will help determine the superpowers of the twenty-first century. He traces the emergence of nanotechnology, discusses the current development of nanoweapons—such as the “mini-nuke,” which weighs five pounds and carries the power of one hundred tons of TNT—and offers concrete recommendations, founded in historical precedent, for controlling their proliferation and avoiding human annihilation. Most critically, Nanoweapons  addresses the question: Will it be possible to develop, deploy, and use nanoweapons in warfare without rendering humanity extinct? "A groundbreaking read that is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, Nanoweapons: A Growing Threat to Humanity is an extraordinary study whose importance cannot be underestimated given the military industrial complex that drives so much of our national and international policies today."—John Taylor, Midwest Book Review Published On: 2017-06-15 "There are times when a book best serves as the starting point for new discussions or to broaden existing discussions on military technology. Ominous title aside,  Nanoweapons: A Growing Threat to Humanity  fulfills the role of starting the discussion."—Scott R. Gourley, Association of the United States Army Published On: 2017-07-17 "A good introduction to nanotechnology and how it's being used today, Nanoweapons: A Growing Threat to Humanity takes an in-depth look at its applications in the military arena. . . . While the emerging field of nanotechnology is changing so rapidly that discoveries are made daily, this book does an excellent job in helping readers to understand the big picture."—Mark H. Beaudry,  Security Management “Louis Del Monte provides a futurist clarion call for people to start thinking and talking about this emerging technology—a technology fraught with the potential for great good and great harm.”—Col. Thomas R. Lujan, U.S. Army (Ret.), attorney at law Published On: 2016-09-08 “ Nanoweapons opens the cloak of secrecy on the developing area of nanotechnologies and how societies may use them in the future for good and evil. A very captivating topic.”—Tamara Bratland, engineer for a Fortune 500 medical device company   Published On: 2016-09-09 “A very informative read. Nanotechnology can enhance our lives or eradicate humankind. This book can help preserve our future.”—Richard Spielberger, former Honeywell Engineer Fellow Published On: 2016-09-09 Louis A. Del Monte is the CEO of Del Monte and Associates and has more than thirty years of experience in physics, technology, and engineering. His technological developments are used by Honeywell, IBM, Samsung, and the U.S. Department of Defense. He is the author of Nanoweapons: A Growing Threat to Humanity (Potomac, 2017). Nanoweapons A Growing Threat to Humanity By Louis A. Del Monte UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS Copyright © 2017 Louis A. Del Monte All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-61234-896-4 Contents Acknowledgments, Introduction, Part 1. The First Generation of Nanoweapons, 1. What You Don't Know Can Kill You, 2. Playing LEGOS with Atoms, 3. I Come in Peace, 4. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, 5. The Rise of the Nanobots, 6. The "Swarm", Part 2. The Game Changers, 7. The "Smart" Nanoweapons, 8. The Genie Is Loose, 9. Fighting Fire with Fire, Part 3. The Tipping Point, 10. The Nanoweapons Superpowers, 11. The Nano Wars, 12. Humanity on the Brink, Epilogue, Appendixes, 1. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, 2. Nanoweapons Offensive Capability of Nations, 3. The Events Leading to the Chernobyl Disaster, Notes, Glossary, Index, CHAPTER 1 What You Don't Know Can Kill You Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones. — Donald Rumsfeld Scenario of a Nanoweapons Attack — An enemy could kill you before you finish this sentence. The enemy need not be present nor the killer human. You are a civilian, not a military combatant.