The UK's Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in a new report clearly states that it found no evidence of harm to health or the environment from nanomaterials but it believes that the pace at which such new nanomaterials are being developed and marketed is beyond the capacity of existing testing and regulatory arrangements to control the potential environmental impacts adequately. A major conclusion of the report is that nanomaterials are hugely variable in their nature. They are not a un more...
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With the uncertainty about supply of crude oil, as well as high prices, other sources of fuel are now a hot topic. An interesting option is ethanol, currently made from plants such as corn and sugar cane. Companies and universities are working to develop a process for producing ethanol from many other types of plant material; which may significantly increase the amount of ethanol available as fuel. Nanotechnology may be of help in this effort.
Currently ethanol used in gasoline in the US (ab more...
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DNA, the fundamental building block of our genetic makeup, has become an intense nanotechnology research field. DNA molecules can serve as precisely controllable and programmable scaffolds for organizing functional nanomaterials in the design, fabrication, and characterization of nanometer scale electronic devices and sensors. The reason why DNA could be useful in nanotechnology for the design of electric circuits is the fact that it actually is the best nanowire in existence - it self-assembles more...
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To facilitate the development of nanotechnology and ensure global competitiveness, the Kenyan government which has invested heavily in primary education should also inject resources into higher education. Nanotechnology could potentially make a greater impact than biotechnology and information technology combined, with an estimated market value of US$1 trillion by 2015. Africa is well placed to exploit the use of nanotechnology possessing two-thirds of the world's biodiversity and should respond more...
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'If you were to soak even your best raincoat underwater for two months it would be wet through at the end of the experience. But a new waterproof material developed by Swiss chemists would be as dry as the day it went in.Lead researcher Stefan Seeger at the University of Zurich says the fabric, made from polyester fibres coated with millions of tiny silicone filaments, is the most water-repellent clothing-appropriate material ever created.Drops of water stay as spherical balls on top of the fabr more...
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'The rising popularity of nanomaterials is outstripping efforts to understand their potential dangers, says a report. It calls for international collaboration to establish safety tests and regulatory oversight of the materials. The UK-based Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution says that while the materials have so far shown no sign of being harmful, there is a 'major gap' in research about their potential risks.'
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'Developing countries must focus on technology transfer to translate nanotechnology research into benefits for society, says vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bai Chunli. Nanoscience and nanotechnology have developed rapidly in the South — in China, for example, government support for these now totals about US$180 million a year. But many countries have been limited by a lack of equipment and poor scientific infrastructure.Yet scientists from the South must be involved in nano more...
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