Toxicity of silver nanoparticles on Arctic soil

Research showing a toxic effect of silver nanoparticles on nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Arctic soil demonstrates the need for more research on nanoparticle environment, health, and safety.

Single-atom sheet of carbon clears arsenic from water

We can get a hint of the power coming from longer-term nanotech by seeing what is being discovered today on how to use some of the new materials becoming available. Ā Many of us have been intrigued with graphene, a one-atom-thick planar sheet of bonded carbon atoms. Ā It’s no surprise that exciting applications are being found… Continue reading Single-atom sheet of carbon clears arsenic from water

"Oceans": it's what keeps us working toward nanotech

For many of us, it’s our desire to preserve and restore the environment that brought us into the work of pursuing molecular nanotechnology in the first place. Ā How do we keep going over the decades that this goal is taking to accomplish? One way is to restore our enthusiasm for the goal through films such… Continue reading "Oceans": it's what keeps us working toward nanotech

Original Sin

Mike Treder has a post at IEET that reads like a catechism of the Gaian religion. Now I’m a firm supporter of freedom of religion and Mike has a perfect right to believe what he does and indeed to preach it to whomever will listen. (And besides, Mike is a friend of mine.) But in… Continue reading Original Sin

Saving the Planet

The word “planet” means wanderer. The ancients, with their lives lived largely outdoors and without artificial lighting, were much more intimately acquainted with the heavens than are we moderns, unless we specialize in astronomy. They noticed that although there was a fixed pattern of stars for the most part, some of them wandered around in… Continue reading Saving the Planet

Civil nanotechnology: Open source sensing in Seed magazine

From the February 2009 issue of the “science is culture” publication Seed magazine, not yet online: Hypothesis: Civil Nanotechnology Starting in 2009, nanotech-based sensing will enable a level of environmental monitoring that could help reduce pollution tremendously. Such devices could be of immense benefit to the environment, but unfortunately, without careful attention they will trigger… Continue reading Civil nanotechnology: Open source sensing in Seed magazine

The weather machine

The following is an edited and revised version of the talk I gave at the Global Catastrophic Risks conference that was held in conjunction with Convergence 08 (and which I reprised for Convergence). I’m posting it here because it seems to me that this is exactly the kind of thing Foresight was founded for: to… Continue reading The weather machine

UK report urges more tests of health and environmental effects of nanotechnology products

The report concludes that nanotech products are coming to market without adequate tests for safety based upon the unique properties of the nanomaterials.

International alliance to establish safety protocols for nanotechnology

An increasingly serious research effort is being mounted to ensure the safe development and commercialization of nanotechnology (see, for example, this news from a couple weeks ago). The recent formation of an international alliance to establish the methods used to test the safety of nanotech materials is not only encouraging for the development of nanotechnology… Continue reading International alliance to establish safety protocols for nanotechnology

Study to determine what happens to nanotechnology materials released to the environment

A new study will trace the movement of nanoparticles through the environment and determine their impact on health and natural systems.

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop