My Yankee Doodle Daddy

     

My dad, a Vietnam veteran, will serve as the Grand Marshal in the Kirskville, Mo., Fourth of July parade. His local ABC affiliate, KTVO, is calling him a Heartland Hero. Congratulations, Dad, but I did not need a news report to tell me that you're a hero. I've always known it. Click on the pictures above for a Windows Media video of the local news report.

Feynman on the uncertainty principle

Tilting at windmills

"He so immersed himself in those romances that he spent whole days and nights over his books; and thus with little sleeping and much reading his brains dried up to such a degree that he lost the use of his reason.”

Miguel De Cervantes, in "Don Quixote"

Foresight backtracks to build a bridge

The Foresight Nanotech Institute -- a pioneering nanotech think tank -- takes another step toward relevance in the world of today, rather than a vague "when molecular manufacturing is reality," in partnering with Battelle on its roadmap to "productive nanosystems." The map, to put it simply, is a plan to get us from here to there and there to here (I guess that's the Dr. Seuss version)

Foresight has been correctly criticized in the past for failing to draw up what exactly will take us from nanopants to nanobots, except a vague idea that a scientific miracle will happen and the nano age will begin.

Last December, I asked the question: "Will they engage in the political and public process or will they continue to lick their wounds while remaining completely oblivious to the relevant opportunities that surround them?"

Sounds like they've answered, although I doubt my criticism was the sole reason. Earlier, in May, the institute adopted some core challenges it plans on addressing, challenges that get at the heart of the hopes and fears that surround nanotech both in the short term and long term. Addressing issues surrounding energy, the environment, human life, information and space travel, the institute planted itself firmly into ground being covered today while also leaving room for its long-term vision.

I asked Foresight founder and vice president Christine Peterson whether molecular manufacturing would be de-emphasized, or whether long-term vision would still a part of the group's mission.

"Yes, definitely," she answered. "Rather than a de-emphasis of that topic per se, I would put it another way -- that our mission has broadened to include the near-term and mid-term, including applications in those timeframes and the policy issues involved."

Yes, yes, I know. I'll get to it. Full disclosures: I'm the recipient of the 2004 Foresight Institute Prize in Communication, and I'm to do some work for the institute later this year.

Keep your eye on pSivida

pSivida is one company I'm going to continue to keep an eye on over the years. I've spoken to Roger Aston, director of research and commercialisation (or commercialization, for those of you who do not speak Australian), a couple of times, and each time I grow more impressed with the company.

I'm not only talking about its biodegradable drug delivery technology, which appears to avoid the toxicity problems associated with its nanoscale cousins, buckyballs, dendrimers et al. For the longer term, this company also appears to have a clear plan to travel around the world to our shores, infiltrate our cancer wards, prolong some lives, and then slowly start to scare the living daylights out of us.

Is the United States ready for implantable microchips that your doctor can set to deliver drugs, monitor, control and disintegrate from the comfort of his golf cart? I don't know, but it will be interesting to follow.

(Incidentally, I'm not an investor in this company. Hell, I don't have any spare change to gamble on any company.)

PSivida Reports Findings In Phase IIa Cancer Drug Trials (Dow Jones)

"Australia's pSivida Ltd. (PSDV) said Tuesday it has composed a final report on the company's Phase IIa clinical trials with BrachySil as a potential new brachytherapy treatment for inoperable primary liver cancer.

According to a press release contained in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the global nanotechnology company said the report confirms that the primary endpoint of the trial was achieved in its key first indication in that BrachySil (32-P BioSilicon) was found to be both safe and well tolerated.

BrachySil is a micron-sized nanostructured silicon particle in which radioactive 32-phosphorus (32-P) is immobilized. It is administered as a liquid suspension through a fine-gauge needle directly into tumors, the filing said. The procedure takes place under local anaesthetic and without the need for shielded rooms or robotic injectors, and patients can be discharged the next day." More here

Related News
pSivida Initiates R&D Collaboration With University Of South Australia (PR, via BioSpace)

Backgrounder
pSivida's biosilicon does its job, then goes away
Bigger bucks for better metaphors
Pint-size pushers

Cleveland or bust

Scott Rickert: Founder, president and CEO, Nanofilm Ltd. (Crain's Cleveland Business)

Nanofilm Ltd. founder Scott Rickert, 51, says there are two ways to develop a nanotechnology company - the Cleveland way and everyone else's way.

The Cleveland way, or more appropriately, the "Northeast Ohio way," Mr. Rickert says, is to develop a product immediately to produce cash flow and make a company viable in the marketplace.

The other way is to rely on grants, he said.

"There are very few periods of time in Nanofilm's history that we have lost money," Mr. Rickert said proudly. He is Nanofilm' s president and CEO. More here

Backgrounder
'Crain's-ing' my neck to see the hype
Living on nano time
Safety snapshot from Nanofilm

Not too sloppy for my shirt

Gap StressFree Poplin Shirt With Nano-Tex (Wired Gadget Lab)

You could say I wear my food well. I've stained shirts with everything from chocolate to wine to pasta sauce -- if it's delicious, I'll somehow ruin an expensive outfit with it. Thankfully, nanotechnology is here to help klutzes like me stay splotch free. Nano-Tex's science-meets-style fabric treatment is designed to repel liquids and messy edibles. In the laboratory (a k a the WIRED kitchen), I slopped coffee and soy sauce on my dapper blue-and-white striped button-up (available in other colors and styles). I let the splashes set for 10 minutes, then used a moist rag to easily whisk away the muck. More here

Backgrounder
Consumer Reports reaches into the nanopants
Nanopants diary
Pogue does the pants
Nano Product Radio

Modzelewski: Dynamic and independent

Former NanoBusiness Alliance leader Mark Modzelewski was recently named VP of Strategic Opportunities for NanoDynamics.

Some of you might remember that Mark and I have had a few very public disagreements over the past few years -- each of us playing our respective roles very well, I think. (For background, go here, here and here.) A journalist's job is to question and challenge, and a business representative's job is to defend his interests. From the perspective of time, I think that too many people took these roles too much to heart -- with consequences that reverberate today.

I'm very proud of what I wrote then, and still stand by every word. However, Mark and I have been communicating over the past year or so, and have discussed some issues as two professionals. I asked Keith Blakely, NanoDynamics CEO, to give me some insight into why he chose Mark for this job. Here's what he said:

"As you know, I have spent over a quarter century on the 'business' or 'corporate' side of advanced materials and technologies. My contacts, experience, insights, and skills lie there. Mark, on the other hand, has spent considerable time on the government, financial, and academic side. Both of us, as you know, believe strongly in the power of nanotechnology but have reached that conclusion from entirely different backgrounds and experience. It should come as no surprise then that after bumping into each other at various nanotechnology meetings and functions, we were intrigued by the potential synergy of joining forces.

"Mark is an exceptionally bright, independent thinker and brings NanoDynamics one more way of looking at opportunities and creating high impact with our nanotechnology-enabled products."

I cannot argue with that. Congratulations, Mark. From one independent thinker to another, I wish you well.

Irresponsible NanoHype

Those responsible boys at the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology are fired up over accusations of nanobot hype-mongering and are blasting back at the U.S. government's nanotech program. The best part is that Chris Phoenix and Mike Treder do not even need to write any commentary around it. Using U.S. science policy leaders' own words, they reveal exactly where the hype is coming from. Read the intro, Part 1 and Part 2.

I found the passage below particularly amazing:

• Enabling the blind to see better, the lame to walk better, and the deaf to hear better
• Curing and preventing AIDS, cancer, diabetes and other afflictions
• Ending hunger
• Clean, renewable energy
• Supplementing the power of our minds, enabling us to think great thoughts, create new knowledge and gain new insights.

What molecular manufacturing nutcase is making those irresponsible claims? U.S. Commerce Undersecretary Phil Bond, the same Phil Bond who, just a month before making those comments last year, told me that it's time to "aggressively" counter nanotech misinformation.

Sounds like the patriots at CRN are carrying out the undersecretary's orders.

Backgrounder
'Crain's-ing' my neck to see the hype
Commerce's call to nano arms
Blogging responsibly

The Blue Brain blues

Blue Brain, eh? Isn't that a condition where the sufferer begins to think an arousing thought, but then stops short and cannot follow through?

But I suspect that it's just a case of premature gesticulation among ethicists when they begin arguing over a planned "uploading" of all the brain's electrical patterns.

My dad's a shrink, but I'm not crazy enough to pretend I know all there is about the brain (hell, I don't even know much about my own). However, isn't there something more that we're not getting? Leave no molecule behind, get all the 1's and 0's ticking away correctly, and I'm still not convinced you have the equivalent of human consciousness.

As I discussed here, life is analog, not digital. I'm not so certain science has the vaguest idea how to re-create "nurture" -- the way synapses are created and killed in response to experience or can improvise to fit specific situations; nor even the "nature" part of the equation -- genetic predispositions toward specific thought processes.

Beyond the idea of neural networks, how much is really known about why and how the brain recognizes and reacts to patterns, not to mention how to re-create that digitally?

Nahh, I think there's still a long road ahead before our "consciousness" is truly understood. Just in case, though, maybe I should create another Gmail account to hold my brain digits. Perhaps after I'm gone, some basic brain functions can be stored on my computer -- like catching up on e-mail or blogging.

Those who are getting themselves all hot and aroused by Blue Brain might be a bit premature. But, you know, "it happens to everyone."

Nanotech insider information

Pssst ... Hey you. Yeah, you. Ya wanna hot nano tip? Forget about nanotechnology "trade shows," stock-chart Bollinger Bands or the price of coal in China. Pay attention to where the real deals are being made between companies that produce nanotechnology products and processes, and the companies that can use them. The item below is just one example. Most of the rest of the stuff you read about nanotech "products" about to change the world is a dog-and-pony show. Simple.

Does Your Organization Need Help Using Nanoparticles in Product Development and Formulation? (NineSigma)

Program Objective: NineSigma, representing Nanogate Advanced Materials (NAM) is seeking proposals for joint development projects exploiting NAM’s unique capabilities and expertise in product development using nanoparticles. NAM seeks partners for joint development of final product formulations or systems using nanoparticle technology. More here

Backgrounder
How's NanoBusiness?
From Wilkes-Barre to Wolfe
'Crain's-ing' my neck to see the hype

Anatomy lessons

Today, the dog was annoying and my phone line was being repaired, so I escaped to my local coffee shop to "work" with the other unemplo ... I mean, "freelancers."

Medical and nursing students study here, too, and I overheard a pickup line that stuck with me because I cannot decide whether it's clever, sleazy or both.

A scraggly-bearded man walks up to two female nursing students and asks: "So what part of the anatomy are you working on today?"

Cleveland's NANO Week rocks!

You wanna make an easy 150 G's? All you need to do is come up with a workable nanotechnology business idea. The International and North Coast Nanotechnology Business Idea Competitions are accepting applications now. Who knows? You win, you could find yourself in Cleveland (a city that, unlike my hometown Detroit, proved that the Rust Belt never sleeps) to accept the award as part of NANO Week, October 17-21. More information can be found here.

I do not normally run press releases on this blog, but Chris Thompson of Edward Howard & Co buttered me up with insincere flattery, writing: "Several web sites have picked up this story, but since your blog remains the most entertaining read on all things nano, I hope you'll make a mention of it in the near future."

Take note, PR/marketing professionals. Say nice things about me, and maybe I'll run your announcement. Now, Chris, about those VIP passes to the Rock Hall ...

Backgrounder
Prizes, Prizes, Prizes
Here's the plain deal on biomedical nanobots

Nanobot-protected cubicle

Backgrounder
Gray Goo

NanoBot 2006 at a Detroit-area Hooters?

What has America come to when we listen to topless women about cutting-edge scientific experiments? What's next? Will Hooters be hosting the next Nobel Prize convention? More in Wired News: Rants & Raves

Hmmm. Not a bad idea at all. Not the Nobel right away. We'd have to work up to that. Perhaps a Detroit-area Hooters could be the location of the first NanoBot trade show and convention. Attendance should not be a problem, I could skimp on fabric for the souvenir T-shirts and I hear they serve some pretty good chicken. Anybody game?

Backgrounder
A new wrinkle for Eddie Bauer
Wired News runs with THONG
Naked aggression

Steve Jobs' commencement speech inspires

Now, THAT is probably one of the most-inspiring speeches I've read in a long time. Sure, there may be a few cliches in there for you academics who sit through painful hours of commencement speeches every year. I suffer under no such burden. I need to print it out and frame it in my office just to remind myself what the hell I'm doing. The full version can be found here, where he also discusses how getting fired from Apple was the best thing that ever happened to him.

'Crain's-ing' my neck to see the hype

My old colleague Jeff Karoub, whom I had a hand in hiring about four years and a lifetime ago, must be making his presence felt at Crain's Detroit Business, where he is now managing editor. Crain's Detroit covered the 24th Annual Michigan Growth Capital Symposium in Ann Arbor, where panelists asked and answered the loaded question: “What’s Real and What’s Hype in Small Tech.” Nanofilm CEO Scott Rickert dusted off the "nano-robot" punching bag as an example of "hype" -- at least, that's the way the story made it appear.

For example, Rickert said nano-robots aren’t much more than science fiction that exists in “someone’s imagination.” But others are real and provide solid opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors. More here

I'll ask the question again: Who exactly is hyping nanobots? And how exactly is the longer-term vision of molecular manufacturing -- the vision that truly gets the public excited about nanotech -- worth singling out as "hype" as opposed to, say, Scotchgard renamed nano, "energy" patches, questionable "nanofilters," muscle potions or over-the-top investment promotions? Just to name a few off the top of my head. I'm wondering whether they talked about some of the real hype in small tech.

Again to his credit, Ardesta CEO Rick Snyder (my former big boss for whom I retain a great deal of respect), cut through some of the garbage to mention one good thing about hype: "In many cases, it is spawning a responsible discussion of health and societal issues," he said.

And, of course, one of only a handful of news "organizations" that hosts this kind of discussion is ... well ... NanoBot.

Related News
Nanotech: "Hype or Reality?" (complexifly flickr)

Backgrounder
NanoBot's discard pile
Nanobots: Possible only when convenient
Where is the hype?

Tomorrow Ever Knows

I've neglected to promote the first three incarnations of the Carnival of Tomorrow at The Speculist, so make sure you look at all the futuristic, speculative goodies in 4.0. Eye-rubbing wonders, bionic diesel vehicles, apocalypse delayed and efficient solar power all await -- along with the cool image above.

My favorite year!

  

Happy first birthday, Max! You help me see the little things.

Europe sees some nano 'action'

Looking small, thinking big – keeping Europe at the forefront of nanotechnology (Welcomeurope)

The European Commission has today announced the ways in which it intends to keep Europe at the forefront of the fast-moving field of nanotechnology in a safe and responsible way.

Applications of nanotechnology – activities at the level of atoms and molecules – are bringing a range of benefits including more effective ways of delivering drugs to treat diseases, faster computer processors and more efficient solar cells. An action plan proposes measures to be taken at national and European level to strengthen research in this area and develop useful products and services. More here

Backgrounder
Survey aims to re-create creativity
The sounds (and videos) of science
Here's to Euro health in 2020

Attention nano stakeholders: Make your voice heard

Many of my recent posts (here, here and here) have to do with scientists communicating effectively with citizens, and concerned citizens' desire to have a voice in how science and technology develops.

Anybody who is interested in having his or her voice heard might want to attend this first meeting, of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Board of Scientific Counselors Nanotechnology Working Group on Friday, June 24 in Research Triangle Park, NC. It's open to the public and will also be Webcast. More details on the group can be found here, select "Advisory Boards & Committees."

This meeting is significant in that it's the first official opportunity for the general public to speak to government agencies about their concerns over health effects of nanomaterials. The meeting is going to be mostly federal agencies discussing nano efforts in their organizations, but there will be time allotted for public comment.

The NTP's Kristina Thayer tells me the the toxicology program is an "interagency program whose mission is to evaluate agents of public health concern by developing and applying the tools of modern toxicology and molecular biology. This involves conducting toxicological evaluations of substances of public health concern, developing and validating improved (sensitive, specific, rapid) testing methods, developing approaches and generating data to strengthen the science base for risk assessment, and communicating with all stakeholders."

The Nanotechnology Working Group was created specificically to address public concern and disseminate information to all stakeholders.

I repeated "stakeholders" on purpose. That's you. All of you. From THONG to thientist ... um ... scientist. Here's the advantage of living in a democracy as opposed to, well, not.

Naked aggression

Here are some snippets of reaction to my Wired News article: "When Nanopants Attack." I'll let them speak for themselves, but let me just offer a simple thought for scientists who do not believe they need to be paying attention to this.

Yes, the protesters have their facts wrong in so many ways (most of which has already been pointed out on this blog over the past couple of years), but does that not place the burden on you to make sure the general public understands what it is you're really doing? And what you're really selling? And what you really do not yet know about nanomaterial toxicity?

In any revolution, it's almost always the intellectuals who are first to be carted away.

Now, here's what others are saying:

"This is not helping our future it is only showing how stupid people can be."

I suppose it doesn't hurt to bring up issues, but I can't help but notice these are zealots leading the cause of environmental awareness.

"I think we all agree that it would be bad for nanocytes to be roaming freely through the environment, but the nanowhiskers in Eddie Bauer pants are not self-replicating entities. People don't understand that uncontrolled self-replicating monsters are far more likely to be developed if this is all pushed underground. ... Anybody who thinks that China and other high tech players are going to sign on to any form of nano nonproliferation treaty are gravely mistaken. While we wait, the sun rises in the East." More here

It’s just a bunch of neo-luddites operating under the guise of “environmentalism” trying to stop the only technology that will actually answer all their calls for “renewable, clean, green” technology that allows the earth, humanity and our essential tool using consumerism to exist in harmony. More here

Not to put too fine a point on it…

…but what a bunch of ridiculous morons. No, really, morons — the kind of ignorant people who think “natural” means “safe” [or anything at all], that Man’s relationship with nature is all about unknowable deep wholistic truths unattainable by mere mortal men [as if there was such a thing as “Man”, “relationship” and “truth”], and that they’re being oppressed and endangered… by marketing jargon. About laundry. More here

Backgrounder
Better watch your backside ... beware the pants
Nanopants miss the Bullseye
Nanopants: 'Century City' style
Nanopants diary
NanoVlog

Nano World: Stem cell tag team

Blogger's Note: UPI's Charles Choi gives us another sneak preview into his latest Nano World column, appearing Monday. -- Howard

This week I'm writing about how the cutting-edge science of nanotechnology is now helping advance the equally pioneering new field of stem cell research.

Technologies include capsules that help analyze stem cells and nanofibrous scaffolds that help stem cells grow.

Backgrounder
Nanomedicine journal to debut in March
QuoteBot
Mr. Nano, come here. I want you!

Stop dialoguing and get back to work

End this two-way process
Scientists are too busy discovering hard facts to engage the public in constant dialogue, says John Warren (Education Guardian)

As a scientist in the 21st century I am not only expected to unravel the mysteries of the universe, but also to engage the public in dialogue. Unlike my predecessors, who were simply encouraged to go forth and educate the masses - or more politely - "enhance the public's understanding of science", I am told to be involved in a two-way process; so let's kick-off.

What do you wish to discuss, sub-atomic partials, the human genome or nanotechnology? Sorry, I can't help you there, they are not my field. Before I could get involved in any worthwhile dialogue on these topics, I would need to do some reading or talk to an expert. Yes, I would need to 'enhance my understanding of science'. I don't have any problem with that, but no, that is old hat, we must have a two-way process. The trouble is, for a meaningful two-way discussion to occur there must be at least some understanding on the part of the non-specialist.

Let me give you an example of the problem. I was recently involved in a government-funded project that was designed to find out how much the public values biodiversity (and hence how much they would be willing to pay to support nature reserves, or more environmentally friendly farming and so on). The problem with this is that many members of the public have virtually no understanding of what biodiversity is. More here

Backgrounder
The abstract 'public' is right here
You can trace time