SAFENANO Community

$38 million!  The number keeps floating before my eyes; a retinal imprint from the press release.  $38 million for nanotechnology environmental impact research, courtesy of the folks at the U.S. National Science Foundation and Environmental Protection Agency.  $38 million to be spent over the next five years on addressing the ...

The SafeNANO blog is no stranger to the use (and possible abuse) of nanometre-scale silver—products ranging from silver-enhanced socks and toothpaste to plush toys and cure-alls have all appeared in the spotlight recently.  With each passing month, the number of nano-silver gizmos on the market is growing.  Back in March 2006 when the ...

Painted metal roofs are cheap, convenient, and usually very durable.  But over the past two years, a rash of accelerated ageing has blighted pre-painted steel roofing in Australia.  And intriguingly the ageing—which affects the coating—seems to be localized to small patches, taking on the form of fingerprints, handprints and even ...

Why nano?  Why care?  For non-nanotech initiates, an obsession with nanotechnology must sometimes seem a bizarre occupation of the sad and lonely.  And even within the nanotechnology community, who hasn’t had occasional doubts over the legitimacy of singling out “nano” as something special?  Yet occasionally a piece of work ...

The author Neal Stephenson got it wrong—at least, if this week’s nano-news is anything to go by!   In his landmark 1995 novel “The Diamond Age,” Stephenson described a future built on nano-innovation.  But thirteen years later, nanotechnology seems to be ushering in “The Silver Age.”  And to some it’s looking a little ...

When it comes to addressing the potential risks of engineered nanomaterials, no-one can accuse the UK Government of not having a plan. Today’s publication of the report “Characterizing the potential risks posed by engineered nanoparticles.  A second UK Government research report” demonstrates a commitment to identifying and addressing key ...