Many traditional classroom science and technology activities often ask students to complete prepackaged labs that ensure that everyone arrives at the same "scientifically accurate" solution or theory, which ignores the important problem-solving and creative aspects of scientific research and technological design. Students rarely have the opportunity to delve into the unknown and brainstorm solutions to cutting-edge, unsolved science problems that affect thousands of people. To counter this trend, the authors developed an activity that: (1) exposes students to issues and problems surrounding cancer treatment; (2) asks students to brainstorm possible treatment methods; (3) introduces students to cutting-edge technology; and (4) helps students to see the connection between a material's particle size and its bulk properties. In the activity, students work in research teams to explore different techniques for cancer drug delivery. In the first part of the activity, students are presented with a real-life research problem: Because most cancer drugs kill good cells in addition to cancer cells, a treatment can often make patients get even sicker. The second part of the activity involves introducing students to nanotechnology--technology at the scale of atoms--and explaining that ferrofluids, a kind of magnetic nanomaterial, may make a new method of treatment possible in the near future. While helping students develop a better understanding about the nature of science and technological design, this activity introduces the innovative and emerging field of nanotechnology and exposes students to the unique properties of ferrofluids. (Contains 3 figures.)