What are 'carbon nanotubes and how will they benefit society in the future?

A Carbon Nanotube
http://www.cnano-rhone-alpes.org/IMG/gif/BuckyTube_s.gif

Carbon Nanotubes are hexagonally shaped tubes, which are composed of carbon atoms built at the nano-scale, which have exceptional properties. What is exciting the scientists about this new innovation is that they are around 100 times stronger than steel yet one-sixth of the weight.

Since different forms of the Carbon Nanotube are excellent conductors there is a big future for them especially in the realm of computers and electronics. Also they hold great promise as they can very easily penetrate membranes (such as in cell walls), therefore those properties are currently being exploited in the medical field, to be used for drug delivery.

B.B