Quote of the day

"The current public calm surrounding nanotechnology -- and the public's lack of awareness about nanotech -- could change radically. All it would take would be mass media coverage of a research finding of a potentially dangerous health effect to consumers who are currently unknowingly exposed to nanoparticles in their sunscreens or cosmetics."

~Sharon M. Friedman, Professor, Lehigh University

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"The need to engage the public in a dialogue about nano's potential benefits and risks, and how government proposes to manage them, has never been greater or more propitious. Without such an effort, nanotechnology's benefits could be lost in a sea of scary headlines and confused publics."

~Julia A. Moore, Deputy Director, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies

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"The results of the citizens' jury suggest that nanotechnology is not perceived as a serious threat to the values of anyone but die-hard anti-technologists."

~Nature Magazine. From: Nanojury UK - the final verdict at http://www.softmachines.org/wordpress/?p=159

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"Any new technology is associated with risks. Stone age man discovered the hand axe to cut materials, but the tool was also a powerful weapon. But nanotechnology doesn't pose any greater threat than other established technologies. In any case, there's no sense in elaborating frightening scenarios that are just as misleading as naive promises that 'the whole thing's harmless.' It would be more effective for the development of this new technology to be accompanied by information, education and critical examination."

~Bayer

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To suggest that nanotech is the next asbestos scandal is "an overreaction. There's a lot of (research) work that needs to be done, but there is nothing indicating there's going to be a serious problem, not at the moment."

~Andrew Maynard, chief science adviser at the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. From: Big troubles may lurk in super-tiny tech at http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/31/MNG28FGMVJ1.DTL