All life is based on superbly contrived interdependent natural nano-artifacts. What then is the intention of human attempts to create nano-artifacts of increasing complexity? What may be their purpose? Why is so much effort being made globally to create nano-science and nano-technology to be the basis of nano-artifacts? How much progress is being made toward vague and undeclared goals? When may some of these goals be reached? These are some of the issues for foresight (anticipation) to explore through appreciation of the situation that now characterises the nano-world of human endeavour. Later an example will be used to illustrate the interdependencies within these situations over an extended time horizon notionally up to 2050. However, first it is necessary to indicate briefly how the present nano-world situation has been reached, a matter of foresight's close relation to hindsight. Subsequently, the concepts of situations, systemic foresight and panarchy, and their interrelatedness are outlined. Also illustrated is how they work in harness with the six foresight themes Social, Technology, Economics, Ecology, Politics and Values (acronym STEEPV) and appreciation. There are two examples. One dwells on some current anticipations of the future for nano-science, nano-technology and nano-artifacts. The other illustrates how situations, systemic foresight and panarchy illuminate four interdependent themes that are important to the future of the nano-field. Throughout, what is colloquially called ‘nanotechnology’ is considered as three interdependent parts nano-science, nano-technology and nano-artifacts. Two of these, nano-science and nano-technology, support the creation of nano-artifacts. The paper also indicates briefly the relevance of industrial ecology.