Transcript Nano-Risks - Utah State University

Nano-Risks
Ben Philbert Cannon
Why the concern?
Initial contact
Interesting aspects
Future plans
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145487/
Seminar Outline
Miracles
Health Risks
Environmental Concerns
Social Impact
Possibilities
Conclusion
Look what we can do!
Products
http://www.forbes.com/newsletter/2006/01/10/apple-nano-in_jw_0109soapbox.inl.html
http://www.voyle.net/Nano%20Products%202005/Main%20Products%202005%20.htm
Look what we can do!
Medical Advancements
http://www.foresight.org/Nanomedicine/Gallery/index.html
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0606/feature4/gallery5.html
Concept: Molecular Manufacturing
Desktop nanofactories will use molecular
raw materials to build complete,
atomically precise products
http://www.lizardfire.com/html_nano/nano.html
Toxicity of Ultra-Fine Particles
Surface area to
volume ratio

Smaller particles are
more reactive
Platinum

Smaller molecules are
more toxic
Carbon Black
Nanotechnology Risks, Ethics, and Law, Hunt, Mehta ed. 2006
Health Risks
Nanoparticles


Fixed
Free
---- Stable – Not much worry
---- Mobile – object of concern
• Blood-brain barrier
• Overloaded phagocytes
• Arterial disease
• Free radicals → cellular damage → apoptosis & genotoxicity
• Protein folding errors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology#Risks_from_nanoparticles
Nanotechnology Risks, Ethics, and Law, Hunt, Mehta ed. 2006
Health Risks
Environmental Issues
Nanoparticles

Released into the ecosystem during
production and as byproduct
Nanoproducts

Eventually thrown away or recycled
Environmental Issues
"Thus the first replicator assembles a copy in one thousand seconds,
the two replicators thenNanoreplicators
build two more in the next thousand seconds,
• Uncontrollable
the four build another four, and the eight build another eight. At the end
of ten hours, there are not thirty-six new replicators, but over 68 billion.
In less than a day, they would weigh a ton; in less than two days, they
would outweigh the Earth; in another four hours, they would exceed the
mass of the Sun and all the planets combined - if the bottle of chemicals
hadn't run dry long before."
Grey G
oo
• Grey goo scenario isn’t an imminent danger
•Distant technology
•More desirable methods
• Eventually, intentional use possible
Drexler, Engines of Creation (1986). In Chapter 4, Engines Of Abundance
http://www.crnano.org/BD-Goo.htm
Societal Implications
Time to check that
nanofactory!!!
Societal Implications
Weapons

Improvements & Innovations
Surveillance

Intelligence & Privacy
Economic Shifts

Traditional exports replaced
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology#Societal_risks
Societal Implications
Corporate Control


“Patenting of Matter”
Monopolies
Nano-hype



Pressure to forgo R&D
Now : All nano sells
After one accident : Nano is evil
http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/collection/event.php?id=3457012&lid=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology#Societal_risks
Options
Ban nanotechnology
development


Stunt human advancement
Live without possible solutions to global
problems
Impose no regulations on
manufacturing


Possible catastrophic accidents
Unimpeded races for superior technologies
Responsible balance of caution
and risk

Progress towards a better future
Efforts
NNI – National Nanotechnology Initiative
CRN – Center for Responsible Nanotechnology
FDA Nanotechnology Task Force
Nanotechnology Now
Foresight Nanotech Institute
Conclusion
These are the years
when the world
changes into the
world it is going to be
for future generations.
We must be sure it
changes into
something we want it
to be.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145487/
Sources
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145187/
http://www.forbes.com/newsletter/2006/01/10/apple-nanoin_jw_0109soapbox.inl.html
http://www.voyle.net/Nano%20Products%202005/Main%20Products%2020
05%20.htm
http://www.foresight.org/Nanomedicine/Gallery/index.html
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0606/feature4/gallery5.html
http://www.lizardfire.com/html_nano/nano.html
Nanotechnology Risks, Ethics, and Law, Hunt, Mehta ed. 2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology#Risks_from_nanoparticles
Drexler, Engines of Creation (1986). In Chapter 4, Engines Of Abundance
http://www.crnano.org/BD-Goo.htm
http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/collection/event.php?id=3457012&lid=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology#Societal_risks
The End