Can Nanoparticles Enter Our Brains?

Roland Piquepaille writes "In a study carried out on rats, U.S. researchers have shown that carbon nanoparticles can move inside the brain after being inhaled, and also move from the lungs into the bloodstream. Both Nature and the Guardian publish interesting stories about this potential new danger to our health. 'Little is known about what effect nanoparticles will have when they reach the brain. The toxicity of the nanoparticles that are currently being used to build prototype nanosized electronic circuits — such as carbon nanotubes, which are produced in labs around the world — has not been thoroughly assessed.' This overview contains excerpts from both articles. Now, let's hope that nanotechnology research will continue and will not be harmed by a moratorium."