Nanotechnology
Information on Nanotechnology and Synthetic Biology
Nanotechnology is an experimental process that manipulates matter at the "nanoscale" (down to 1/100,000 the width of human hair) to create new products and materials. The nanoparticles in these products are so small, they can leach through our skin and cell and tissue membranes and spread through the environment in unpredictable ways.
Synthetic Biology is the design and construction of new biological parts, devices and systems that do not exist in the natural world and the redesign of existing biological systems to perform specific tasks.
News
April 12, 2007
To All Interested Parties:
We, the undersigned, submit this open letter to the international nanotechnology community at large. We are a coalition of public interest, non-profit and labor organizations that actively work on nanotechnology issues, including workplace safety, consumer health, environmental welfare, and broader societal impacts.
DuPont Chemical Company (DuPont) and Environmental Defense (ED) jointly have proposed a voluntary "risk assessment" framework for nanotechnology. These groups intend to circulate their proposed framework both in the U.S. and Read more
We, the undersigned, submit this open letter to the international nanotechnology community at large. We are a coalition of public interest, non-profit and labor organizations that actively work on nanotechnology issues, including workplace safety, consumer health, environmental welfare, and broader societal impacts.
DuPont Chemical Company (DuPont) and Environmental Defense (ED) jointly have proposed a voluntary "risk assessment" framework for nanotechnology. These groups intend to circulate their proposed framework both in the U.S. and Read more
News
February 1, 2007
On the day before the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) sounds its loudest alarm yet, ETC Group warns
that some OECD states, led by the United States, are betting on a pie-
in-the-sky techno-fix to address climate change. "Geoengineering"
refers to the intentional, large-scale manipulation of the
environment to bring about environmental change. With no hope for
Kyoto, little political will to ask industry or voters to change
lifestyles and a growing recognition that carbon trading is a farce,
some Read more
Climate Change (IPCC) sounds its loudest alarm yet, ETC Group warns
that some OECD states, led by the United States, are betting on a pie-
in-the-sky techno-fix to address climate change. "Geoengineering"
refers to the intentional, large-scale manipulation of the
environment to bring about environmental change. With no hope for
Kyoto, little political will to ask industry or voters to change
lifestyles and a growing recognition that carbon trading is a farce,
some Read more
News
January 30, 2007
The world spends some $1,000 billion annually on the military, of which around $30-35 billion represents sales of military products. The U.S. Congressional Research Service reports on arms transfers to the developing world. Its 2006 report, Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1998-2005, says developing nations received two-thirds of foreign arms sales by weapons suppliers.
With so much money spent on the military and weapons, it was only a matter of time until nano-weapons raised interest. As one reads on the Nanowerks webpage, "All major powers are making Read more
With so much money spent on the military and weapons, it was only a matter of time until nano-weapons raised interest. As one reads on the Nanowerks webpage, "All major powers are making Read more
News
January 16, 2007
A new report by the ETC Group concludes that the social,
environmental and bio-weapons threats of synthetic biology surpass
the possible dangers and abuses of biotech. The full text of the 70-
page report, Extreme Genetic Engineering: An Introduction to
Synthetic Biology, is available for downloading free-of-charge on the
ETC Group website: www.etcgroup.org
"Genetic engineering is passe," said Pat Mooney, Executive Director
of ETC Group. "Today, scientists aren't just mapping genomes and
manipulating genes
Scientific Study
November 16, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C.Society is in danger of squandering the powerful potential of nanotechnology due to a lack of clear information about its risks, conclude 14 top international scientists in a major paper published in the November 16th issue of the journal Nature. The paper, Safe Handling of Nanotechnology, identifies Five Grand Challenges for research on nanotechnology risk that must be met if the technology is to reach its full promise.
The spectre of possible harm - whether real or imagined - threatens to slow the development of nanotechnology unless sound, independent and Read more
The spectre of possible harm - whether real or imagined - threatens to slow the development of nanotechnology unless sound, independent and Read more
News
November 27, 2006
From: CommonDreams.org
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT:
Natural Resources Defense Council
Elliott Negin,
202/289-2405 or 202/997-1472 (cell)
WASHINGTON - November 27 - The explosion of consumer products made with nanotechnology, highlighted today by an independent report, is raising growing concern among scientists and health experts that too little is known about potential health risks. Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials one-billionth of a meter in size -- larger than atoms, but much smaller than a cell.
Read more
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT:
Natural Resources Defense Council
Elliott Negin,
202/289-2405 or 202/997-1472 (cell)
WASHINGTON - November 27 - The explosion of consumer products made with nanotechnology, highlighted today by an independent report, is raising growing concern among scientists and health experts that too little is known about potential health risks. Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials one-billionth of a meter in size -- larger than atoms, but much smaller than a cell.
Read more
News
November 23, 2006
The Environmental Protection Agency has decided to regulate a large class of consumer items made with microscopic "nanoparticles" of silver, part of a new but increasingly widespread technology that may pose unanticipated environmental risks, a government official said yesterday.
The decision -- which will affect the marketing of high-tech odor-destroying shoe liners, food-storage containers, air fresheners, washing machines and a wide range of other products that contain tiny bacteria-killing particles of silver -- marks a significant reversal in federal policy. It also creates Read more
The decision -- which will affect the marketing of high-tech odor-destroying shoe liners, food-storage containers, air fresheners, washing machines and a wide range of other products that contain tiny bacteria-killing particles of silver -- marks a significant reversal in federal policy. It also creates Read more
News
November 22, 2006
Thanksgiving Day is here�a day to gather with our families, rejoice in the bounty of God�s green earth, and sit down for a generous serving of home-cooked, old-fashioned, mouth-watering ... nanoparticles?
Yes, welcome to the Brave New Thanksgiving. The white-smocked corporate food engineers are at it again, messing with Momma Nature. The same companies that brought artificial flavoring, chemical preservatives, trans fat, GMOs, synthetic hormones and so many other industrial marvels to our dinner tables now hope we�ll let them add a nice big bunch of nanoparticles to the Read more
Yes, welcome to the Brave New Thanksgiving. The white-smocked corporate food engineers are at it again, messing with Momma Nature. The same companies that brought artificial flavoring, chemical preservatives, trans fat, GMOs, synthetic hormones and so many other industrial marvels to our dinner tables now hope we�ll let them add a nice big bunch of nanoparticles to the Read more
News
October 18, 2006
During summer vacation, the lead US environmental regulatory agency
acknowledged it has approved at least 15 novel nanoscale chemicals.
Earlier this year EPA sanctioned the unproven use of iron
nanoparticles to clean up a pesticide dump. Hearings this week.
Hard on the heels of a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
commitment to consult openly and widely on the development of a
regulatory approach to nanotechnology, the government has given the
green light to introduce more than 15 novel, nano-formulated
Read more
acknowledged it has approved at least 15 novel nanoscale chemicals.
Earlier this year EPA sanctioned the unproven use of iron
nanoparticles to clean up a pesticide dump. Hearings this week.
Hard on the heels of a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
commitment to consult openly and widely on the development of a
regulatory approach to nanotechnology, the government has given the
green light to introduce more than 15 novel, nano-formulated
Read more
News
October 10, 2006
What if the candy maker Mars could come up with an additive to the coating of its M&M's and Skittles that would keep them fresher longer and inhibit melting? Or if scientists at Unilever could shrink the fat particles (and thereby the calories) in premium ice cream without sacrificing its taste and feel?
Tastes Like Nanotechnology
These ideas are still laboratory dreams. The common thread in these research projects and in product development at many other food companies is nanotechnology, the name for a growing number of techniques for manipulating matter in Read more
Tastes Like Nanotechnology
These ideas are still laboratory dreams. The common thread in these research projects and in product development at many other food companies is nanotechnology, the name for a growing number of techniques for manipulating matter in Read more
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