These are different physical processes at work. Vaporization is different from Boiling(evaporation). One is a physical phase change(requiring a specific enthalpy). The other is a radical change in particle size. In an atomizer (as well as a fog machine) the glycerin or PG assists the water present to vaporize(this is not steam(gas), rather a mixture of PG/VG/water that has been tranformed from a liquid to a very small particulate vapor- particle size of about 0.04micron). The nicotine(and any other flavors/excipients present in the initial liquid) are taken "along for the ride", so to speak, dissolved within the microparticles. This is why it takes less energy to create vapor then it does steam , and also why the atomizer can function at lower temperatures. This property of glycerine/PG/water solutions has been known for some time. It is a similar principle used in a nebulizer machine(that delivers albuterol/cromolyn/ipratropium solutions to asthmatics). I went to Pharmacy School for 6 years to learn about things such as this. I'm sorry, I did not mean to offend you. I just don't want information that is patently false distributed on these forums to cause hysteria among us fellow vapers. We already have enough to worry about with the FDA, PayPal etc... Ok that's my final word.
oh and one more smug response, you find me an e-cig that nebulizes, then vaporizes, therefore atomizing, and I will buy it from you