In the Nature Nanotechnolgy forum on Nature Network, editor Ai Lin Chun asks readers what they mean by the term “nano” technology. She writes about the manuscripts recently submitted to the journal that, although interesting, “were hardly in the nano regime. For example, fibers that were 400-600 nm were called nanofibers.” She asks whether we are diluting the term ‘nano’, and if so, why? How strict/flexible should we be? Some peer-reviewers of these papers indicated that even though the materials were 400-600 nm, the work is in their opinion publishable because it is interesting and thorough. The ensuing debate is well worth a look — please add your own answers and definition of what you consider to be nanoscale.