Friday, August 29, 2003

Navigating the nano-void


I have a column over at Small Times that goes over some of the ground I've covered previously on this site. In short, it says that anti-nano demagogues really can't be bothered with the facts.

And The Lancet, a U.K.-based medical journal, echoed many of the points I've made on this site in an editorial today that calls for more research into nanomedicine. Here's an excerpt:

"The techno-pessimists are using widely held fears about genetically modified organisms (GMO) – they talk of "atomically modified organisms" in nanoscience circles – to exploit modern anxieties about the applications of science in society. Here enters the infamous "grey goo" of uncontrollable, self-replicating, nanomachines. Yet critics have no substance to back up their calls for a moratorium on research."

So, then, in the absence of goo, where can you find real nanotechnology today? The many reporters and editors who have asked me this question might want to pay attention to this Small Times item. Yes, an actual trade show with real nanotech-enabled products. The elbow-patch element will hardly be visible, leaving room for real businesspeople with real business plans, showcasing real nanostuff. There will also be a highly worthwhile debate on the environmental/policy issues I've covered on these pages. More to come on NanoCommerce 2003.

Discuss

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