The German government has issued a product advisory and the manufacturer involved has recalled a product called “Magic Nano.” This has caused a bit of fuss regarding nanoparticle safety, with the ETC Group renewing their call for a moratorium. ICON, on whose Editorial Board I serve, has issued a more moderate statement (pdf). Gossip via… Continue reading Recalled Magic Nano product: quite possibly neither magic nor nano
Now in its sixth revision, the lastest version of the Foresight Guidelines for Responsible Nanotechnology Development was released today (HTML or 116 KB PDF), just in time for a presentation this morning by Foresight Research Associate Dr. David Forrest to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ meeting for nanotechnology stakeholders. Excerpt: “Version… Continue reading Foresight nanotech R&D guidelines: new version released
Readers who know me personally know that I’m usually pro-free enterprise and pro-nanotech. But I was surprised to see on the market a face cream containing buckyballs, with little mention (either by the producer or in the press) of the obvious question of safety. The March 2006 Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report called such concerns “alarmist.” Now,… Continue reading Buckyball face cream safety questioned in C&E News
From RIA Novosti: “President Vladimir Putin Monday announced support for plans to develop nanotechnology and said the government would choose a body to oversee a federal program… “Education and Science Minister Andrei Fursenko said his ministry was drafting a medium-term program until 2015 in a bid to step up efforts in development of nanotechnology… ”… Continue reading Russia's nanospending to reach $432 million
In their Medical Products industry section, Accenture analysts Roland Hengerer and Martin Illsley describe what we can expect from nanotech for medicine: “To give just a sense of the possibilities, scientists and engineers are experimenting with ways to ‘nanostructure’ matter in such a way as to create industrial materials that are 100 times stronger than… Continue reading Accenture on nanotech for medicine
From Newswire Today: Raj Bawa, a former patent examiner and now biotech consultant and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, writes in the journal Nanomedicine on his concerns about the growing nanotech “patent thicket” and its negative impact on innovation: “According to Dr. Raj Bawa, author of a recent paper titled ‘Will the nanomedicine… Continue reading Former patent examiner concerned about nanotech patent thicket
The UK-based Institute of Nanotechnology has posted 17 lectures from their December 2005 meeting on Nanoeducation and training, including turning ideas into business opportunities, public perception, and ethics. The one I’m most interested to see explains how to become an “International Master in Nanotechnologies.” Note: to see the speaker names and talk titles, you must… Continue reading Free webcast: nanoeducation, business, ethics
From Kevin Bullis at Technology Review we learn of a project from Europe to build large numbers of robots carrying out work at the molecular scale: “The work could eventually lead to teams of such robots automating work on the molecular scale, first for research projects and prototype assembly, and eventually for industrial applications, such… Continue reading European robotics goal: work at molecular scale
There are few goals that more of us share than that of losing weight, now that the problem of obesity is spreading (sorry) far beyond the US. NutraIngredients.com brings us news of a new nanoscale product for which the manufacturer claims to have scientific evidence of efficacy in weight loss: “AquaNova has developed a new… Continue reading Nanotech finds killer app: weight loss…maybe
Earth & Sky brings us comments on nanosurveillance: “Nanotechnology experts have suggested that nano sensors — tiny devices too small to see with the unaided eye and able to monitor sounds and physical conditions — could be put into paint and sprayed on a wall. “David Guston [Director of the Center for Nanotechnology in Society… Continue reading Nanosurveillance comments from Arizona State, Bell Labs
