Quote of the day

"Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter at the level of individual atoms and molecules, offers the greatest benefits for society if left to grow through modest regulation, civilian research, and an emphasis on self-regulation and responsible professional culture."

~Sonia Arrison, Director of Technology Studies, Pacific Research Institute

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Technology Review: Will fair regulation of a field as complex as nanotechnology be possible without a radical new approach?
Richard Denison: We've dealt with some pretty tough issues in regulation and legislation, and I don't know if nano is so novel or so unique that it's going to require a whole new approach. We understand the basics of assessing hazard. We understand the basics of assessing exposure and mitigating exposure. Those need to be tailored and adapted to the characteristics of nanomaterials, but I don't know that we're talking about anything much more radical than that.

~From: Can Nanotech Be Regulated (an interview by Technology Review, with Richard Denison. See http://www.technologyreview.com/NanoTech/wtr_16176,319,p2.html)

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The public's fear of and fascination with nanotechnology is largely exaggerated, said George M. Whitesides, professor of chemistry at Harvard University. "There is a lot of hyperbole and anxiety" over nanotechnology, he said, accompanied by an overperception of risk, such as the specter of self-replicating nanobots gone amok. "The 'grey goo' and apocalyptic views are largely irrational," he said.

~From: Nanotech Ethics Debated. See http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20031208/04