The Nanotechnology Sci-fi Trope, Explained

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The science aspect of science fiction is what gives the genre its distinct possibilities, but it can also be a burden to its creators. Luckily, those in the genre have come up with a few catch-all terms to explain away anything too complicated without raising too many questions.

The noble art of explaining sci-fi mumbo jumbo with a handful of more easily-digested phrases has a long history in every medium. Writers often need something that can do whatever they need it to do within the bounds of the story without losing suspension of disbelief. One of the best all-purpose plot sealant solutions is technology that can do anything, but can't be seen doing it.

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Nanotechnology is a blanket term for any form of machinery that's too small to see with the naked eye. Referred to regularly as nanobots, nanites, or nanomachines, these tiny things seem to be capable of anything. In real life, nanotech branches into most fields of scientific studies, from molecular biology to semiconductor device physics. Robots already function as a good way of answering questions of logic in sci-fi stories, but reducing them beyond the human eye makes them even more effective. It's reminiscent of the old thought experiment that suggests anything could be possible with the specification that it's too small for any microscope to see. Across the history of science fiction, there is almost nothing that couldn't be explained by the modern marvel of tiny tech.

In the Star Trek franchise, how do the Borg assimilate their prey into the Collective and fundamentally change their bodies into those iconic cyborgs? They inject «nanoprobes» into the bloodstream. How does the T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day change its