NSF will fund six nanotechnology centers

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on 19 September 2001 about $65 million in funding over five years to establish six university centers to promote research and education in nanotechnology. The centers will each focus on a specific area in nanoscale science and engineering, and include collaborations with industry and other institutions. The six centers will be located at Columbia and Cornell Universities and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York, Harvard University in Massachusetts, Northwestern University in Illinois, and Rice University in Texas. Details are available in this NSF press release.

Additional coverage is available in an article on the Small Times website, and in individual press releases from Northwestern University, Rice University and RPI.

Simulation hints at diamondoid nanotubes

Computer simulations on the structures of carbon nanotubes by researchers at Pennsylvania State University indicate it is possible to create carbon fibers with mechanical strength comparable to that of diamond. In a paper published in the 17 September 2001 issue of Physical Review Letters, a tema led by Vincent Crespi reports that they discovered incredibly strong and stiff carbon tubes about 0.4 nanometers in diameter. "Based on our calculations, these new nanotubes are about 40 percent stronger than the other nanotubes formed using the same number of atoms," said Crespi. "In fact, the nanotubes we simulated may well be the stiffest one-dimensional systems possible."

Texas ponders its place in nanotech race

An article from the Dallas Business Journal ("To boldly go… The race is on to capitalize on the potential of nanotechnology", by Jeff Bounds, 7 September 2001) laments the lack of adequate funding and other support for nanotechnology at Texas universities, and ponders whether the state if falling behind in the race to establish a nanotech industry base. The article looks at programs in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, and ponders what is needed to keep nanotech talent and companies in Texas. The article includes some interesting quotes from James Tour of Rice University and Jim Von Ehr of Zyvex.

Zyvex liaison offers a view of nanotech future

An article from the Dallas Business Journal offers an intersting commentary by Rocky Angelucci, technical liaison for Zyvex ("Science fact or science fiction …", 7 September 2001) on both the promise and the hype surrounding nanotechnology: "Some futurists promise nanotechnology will cure all ills and transform our lives. But how much of this is true and how much is hype? What is nanotechnology really going to bring us? And when?"

After making some short term predictions regarding enhanced materials, molecular electronics, and other possibilities, Angelucci offers a few predictions. Within 10 to 20 years, he says, "It seems likely by this time someone will build the first prototype molecular assembler. Capable of rudimentary picking and placing of individual atoms and molecules, it will accomplish what today's scanning tunneling microscopes can do, only faster and with greater precision. The ability to move atoms and molecules will give rise to very simple molecular machines, most likely for use in the medical field." And within 50 years, "Few doubt we'll have sophisticated, molecular-sized medical machines capable of traveling in the body in order to detect and repair damage at the cellular level" that could lead to (very) smart materials, artificial intelligence and, possibly, the revival of patients in cryonic suspension.

In the same issue, Angelucci also offers a primer on the basic concepts of nanotechnology.

New York Times looks at abuse of nanotechnology

from the worth-reading dept.
In the Sept 25, 2001 New York Times, Gina Kolata has an article entitled "When Science Inadvertently Aids an Enemy" in which she looks at both encryption and nanotechnology. Foresight Director Glenn Reynolds and Advisor Ralph Merkle are quoted. Also: "It is a technology whose consequences could be so terrifying that one scientist, Dr. K. Eric Drexler, who saw what it could do, at first thought that he should never tell anyone what he was imagining, for fear that those dreadful abuses might come to pass…With the Asilomar discussions as a model, a group of scientists and others who worried about nanotechnology formed a nonprofit institute, the Foresight Institute based in Los Altos, Calif. Its goal is to prepare society for the transforming powers of new technologies, and, in particular, of nanotechnology…The institute's chairman, Dr. Drexler, originally thought that the best thing to do would be never to disclose nanotechnology's darker possibilities for fear it might give terrorists ideas. But he soon realized that if he could think of these abuses, others could too. So he decided to try to help society prepare for the good uses of the technology and to protect itself against its evil use. Dr. Drexler, Dr. Merkle and others at the Foresight Institute argue that openness is critical toward developing nanotechnology safely." Thanks, Gina.

Petroski: Nanotech for safer skyscrapers

from the if-only dept.
In an op/ed piece in the Washington Post (and other papers including the San Jose Mercury News) on the Sept 11 attack on the World Trade Center, well-known engineering expert and Duke Univ. professor Henry Petroski points out that strong materials made possible using nanotechnology might provide the framework for fire-resistant skyscapers. Petroski authored the popular book "To Engineer is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design", among others.

Computational nanotech seminar in 3 cities — free

from the talks-demos-&-lunch dept.
Accelrys is offering a free one-day computational nanotechnology seminar to be given in mid-October 2001 in DC, Houston, and Silicon Valley. While it includes some product demos, it also features speakers from outside the company, an "interactive session — creating complex structures from atomic building blocks (Audience participation)", and lunch. The invitation states "Entire nanoscale devices can be modeled on a computer in complete atomic detail". For a free event, this looks hard to beat.

Planning workshop for Oak Ridge nanotech center

The U.S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will be holding a Nanophase Materials Sciences Workshop on 24-26 October 2001 at the Garden Plaza Hotel in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The workshop will be part of the planning for a "highly collaborative and multidisciplinary Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences to address the national need for facilities to support state-of-the-art research on the synthesis, fabrication, characterization, and understanding of nanoscale structures, materials, and phenomena." The Center will include a Nanofabrication Research Laboratory, a Nanomaterials Theory Institute, and extensive facilities for materials synthesis and characterization. The purpose of the workshop is to facilitate community involvement in the planning for the Center. In particular, input is sought on equipment needs, candidate research areas, and user operations. A preliminary program is available online.

DARPA solicits proposals for molecular imaging research

from the sharper-image dept.
DARPA's Defense Sciences Office (DSO), part of the U.S. Department of Defense, is soliciting proposals for the development of imaging technologies for the characterization of molecules, nanostructures and exotic materials (e.g., nanotubes). The new technologies should provide real-time, 3D, static images of molecules and nanostructures with atomic level resolution, or dynamic images of complex biomaterials at room temperature in aqueous media. Deadline for applications is 25 October 2001. Additional details and contact information are available on the web.

A skeptical view of nanotechnology

from the reacting-to-nanohype dept.
For a skeptical view of the potential benefits of nanotechnology, try this editorial ("Itty bitty miracles", by Jared Kendall, 12 September 2001) from The Advocate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana: "Every decade or so, a new scientific field is hailed as the answer to all our problems. Usually, such claims turn out to be slightly exaggerated. Such is surely to be the case with nanotechnology, a large field of study being built around the really, really small. That isn't to say that nanotechnology won't change our lives. Heck, it already has. It's just that nanotech won't solve all our problems. Technology is never as powerful as its potential."

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop