It appears that writers imagined 'nanotechnology' first. Prior to physicist Richard Feynman's seminal 1959 lecture, 'There's lots of room at the bottom', considered by many to be the birth of nanotechnology, there was a slew of science fiction 'nanotechnology' stories.  For example,

• 'Microcosmic God' (1941) by Theodore Sturgeon
• 'Waldo' (1942) by Robert Heinlein
• 'Hobbyist' (1947) by Eric Frank Russell
• 'Surface Tension' (1952) by James Blish
• 'Autofac' (1953 by Philip K. Dick

Colin Milburn, in his essay,^[1] points out these possible progenitors and notes that one of Feynman's colleagues was familiar with Heinlein's Waldo story which shares metaphors and engineering principles with Feynman's speech. (For more about the similarities, under Jump joints, click on Modern Times and for more discussion and science fiction story references on nanotechnology and fiction, under Leaving the mysteries, click on Wikipedia's Nanotechnology in fiction essay.)

In the field of nanotechnology, the very strong relationship between writers/storytellers and scientists operates in both directions. K. Eric Drexler, an engineer, wrote a nanotechnology book, 'Engines of Creation' in 1986, intended to popularize the new science.^[2] It has, in its way, influenced almost every storyteller since who works the nanotechnology narrative, whether they know it or not. Any story which features a 'nanobot (Drexler's nanoassembler) run amok' is referencing the book. Drexler's book has also influenced much of the early discussion about nanotechnology risk. (For more about risk, under Jump joints, click on Can you hear me Nano Tech.) 

Television programmes such as 'Stargate' and 'Stargate Atlantis',^[3] the 2007 'Bionic Woman',^[4], the movie 'Agent Cody Banks',^[5] books such Michael Crichton's 'Prey',^[6] (Crichton cites another Drexler book in the bibliography for his fiction), and Greg Bear's short story,^[7] then novel, 'Blood Music' all feature some variant of the 'nanobots gone wild' theme. There is one author, Neal Stephenson, who acknowledges Drexler's influence but never uses 'the wild nanobots' theme in his book 'The Diamond Age'.^[8] Consequently, it stands almost alone.

Jump back

Nano goes Pop

Jump joints 

Modern Times

Can you hear me Nano Tech

Leaving the mysteries

Wikipedia's Nanotechnology in fiction essay