Nanotechnology, once considered a frontier reserved for specialized laboratories, has begun shaping daily life in subtle yet meaningful ways. Its ability to manipulate materials at nanoscale size has allowed scientists and engineers to rethink how medicines are delivered, how food stays fresh, how water is purified, and how everyday products become lighter, stronger and more…

Nanoparticles — particles so small they are measured at the scale of billionths of a meter — have become a hot topic in recent years. Consumers, scientists, and regulators are all asking whether their presence in food is a new risk or simply a feature of what people have been eating for generations. Understanding the…