Picture of the day

Inside the Barrier Reef

From NanoArt 2006. © Copyright Susannah Israel (click to see larger version)

NANOART is a new art discipline related to micro/nanosculptures created by artists/scientists through chemical/physical processes and/or natural micro/nanostructures that are visualized with powerful research tools like Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope.

NanoArt could be for the 21st Century what Photography was for the 20th Century. We live in a technological society, in a new Renaissance period, and there is no reason for Arts to stay away from Technology. NanoArt is the expression of the New Technological Revolution and reflects the transition from Science to Art using Technology.

See all of Susannah Israel's NanoArt 2006 entries here, or visit her website.

Please contact me if you would like to submit an image. (rocky at bir-consulting.com)

Quote of the day

Drinking water is third only to oil and electricity in terms of largest industries in the world.

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"The current size of the global water market is $287 billion right now, and expected to be $413 billion by 2010. It takes an incredible 105,000 gallons of water to make a single automobile and extraordinary amounts are used for making everything from clothing to semiconductors."

~F. Mark Modzelewski, Vice President of Strategic Opportunities, NanoDynamics

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"Over half the world population will face a very serious water shortage in the next 30 to 50 years, and we need to be prepared for that. Water will be one of the biggest applications of nanotechnology in the near term."

~Zvi Yaniv, President and CEO, Applied Nanotech

Water water everywhere, Pt. I

One of the clean technologies that my consulting team helps clients with is water.

It is estimated by the UN that over a billion people don’t have access to clean (safe) drinking water. The poignant quote used by UN water expert Brian Appleton is "The equivalent of 12 jumbo jets of children die everyday from sanitation-related diseases."

As I have done recently with investment and energy, I will recap news about nanotechnologies and water today, and again on a monthly basis.

These bits span the period December 30, 2006, through February 9, 2007.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's $450 million Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative covers projects such as curing blindness, purifying water, creating a vaccine for AIDS. (This note comes via an announcement for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars event and webcast on Feb. 27th covering "challenges of ensuring that nanotechnology meets the specific health needs of Third World peoples")

Nano Science & Technology Institute (NSTI) is holding Cleantech 2007 May 20 – 24, 2007. Covering: BioEnergy, Non-Bio Renewable Energy, Clean Technologies, Business & Policy, Novel Cleantech Product Development, and Environmental issues.

Dais Analytic Corporation (PINKSHEETS: DLYT) announced pilot version of its N-Still ™ water desalination system. It is based on based on nano-structured polymer membranes which produce clean water from seawater. (http://www.daisanalytic.com/)

EPA awarded $5 million in safe drinking water grants to US universities. (see http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=19727)

Rice University researcher Cafer Yavuz and his team were mentioned in bot Forbes and Science magazines for their "Separation of arsenic found in water" project. The team uses nanoscale iron oxide to bind to the toxic material, and does so up to 1,000 times more effectively that today’s filters. (see http://media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=9032&SnID=1349621130)

Research and Markets announced their new report "Multiple Benefits of Nanotechnology Encourages Widespread Uptake in Water and Wastewater Treatment." (see http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=20139)

IBM announced that it was working on various projects, including using nanotechnology to improve water filtration.

Learn more at these links:
http://www.cleantech2007.org/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2000/world_water_crisis/default.stm

http://waterwater.org/

Picture of the day

Give Me The Night Nano

From NanoArt 2006. © Copyright Joe Nalven (click to see larger version)

NANOART is a new art discipline related to micro/nanosculptures created by artists/scientists through chemical/physical processes and/or natural micro/nanostructures that are visualized with powerful research tools like Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope.

NanoArt could be for the 21st Century what Photography was for the 20th Century. We live in a technological society, in a new Renaissance period, and there is no reason for Arts to stay away from Technology. NanoArt is the expression of the New Technological Revolution and reflects the transition from Science to Art using Technology.

See all of Joe Nalven's NanoArt 2006 entries here, or visit his website.

Please contact me if you would like to submit an image. (rocky at bir-consulting.com)

Quote of the day

"... only about half of Americans have heard anything about nanotechnology. Much has been made of the potential nanotech risks, from uncontrollable nanorobots to the breathing in of nanoparticles. Not surprisingly, public fears are directly correlated with the amount of knowledge that people have about nanotech: the less knowledge, the more fear."

~Stacy Lawrence

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The disruptive innovations that should arise from nanotechnology over the next decade could be as significant as electricity or the microchip. They could give rise to a whole new set of industries as well as transform current technologies in manufacturing, healthcare, electronics and communications. It has been estimated that the sales of products incorporating emerging nanotechnologies will rise from 0.1% of global manufacturing output in 2004 to 15% in 2014, totalling $2.6 trillion.

~From Nanotechnology: enabling technologies for Australian innovative industries

FutureCar, Pt III

Another series of made for TV programs from the Discovery Channel, FutureCar examines today’s technologies and designs and how they might lead to tomorrow’s vehicles.

Today I watched the third of 4 programs (I had previously thought that there were only three parts), this one titled “The Fuel.” The program covered these technologies:

 Bio-diesel
 Ethanol
 Hybrids
 Hydrogen/fuel cell (could also power your home)
 Hydrogen-electric
 Hydrogen-solar
 Electric
 Solar
 Compressed air

And featured these future vehicles:

 GM Skateboard (link), with interchangeable bodies and powered by a fuel cell
 Aero X (link), which will use 100% ethanol fuel
 Attack (link), biodiesel powered, soon to be hybridized with an electric motor
 Tesla (link), an electric car, capable of 0 – 6- mph in ~4 seconds, with a 250 mile range. Costs ~$5 to recharge.
 t-zero (link), also electric
 MDI (link), powered by compressed air
 Eclectic, solar powered

As was the case with the previous two programs, car enthusiasts will love this show, as will those that study the future.

Nanotechnology is not explicitly mentioned this time. As with the previous program, many technologies covered in this program will be enabled by nanotechnologies, and all of them enhanced, especially the fuel cell and composite materials.

Bottom line: worth the watch.

Next week I will cover the fourth in the series titled “The Brain.”

To learn more, visit discovery.com/futurecar