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Is nanotechnology a ground breaking powerful new technology? Or is it neither new nor really a singular technology? We are told that it heralds “the next industrial revolution”. Will its effects be revolutionary? Or...

In a world first, citing concerns about nanotechnology’s health risks and social impacts, the International Union of Food, Farm and Hotel Workers (IUF) has called for a moratorium on the use of nanotechnology in...

The “precautionary principle” has become the proverbial giant elephant in the nano-living room. Leading advocates for the “responsible development” of nanotechnology acknowledge that nanomaterials may present serious health and environmental risks which remain poorly...

I was recently invited and attended an expert meeting on nanotechnology and ethics hosted by the UNESCO, Division of Ethics and Science and Technology in Paris (Nov 16/17th 2006). I was the only NGO...

Cola-tasting nano-milk and fat-reduced nano-mayonnaise are just two of the nanotechnology-based food products in the pipeline from Wageningen University in Holland. The fact that these researchers were prepared to talk about their work is...

Last year I was invited to speak at the International Council on Nanotechnology’s conference in Tokyo. My presentation, ”The social, environmental and political impacts of nanotechnology” made three key points: 1) existing evidence of...

In the face of growing concerns about the toxicity risks that nano silver poses to environmental systems and human health, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced recently that it would move to introduce the...

Although millions of people are applying products that contain nanomaterials to their skin daily, no-one knows yet how likely it is that these nanomaterials are absorbed from our skin to our blood stream. As the...

The new National Nanotechnology Strategy Taskforce report “Options for a National Nanotechnology Strategy”, released by Industry Minister Macfarlane on 12 September, fails to address the most significant public interests issues raised by nanotechnology, suggesting that the...

Nanotechnology is forecast to underpin “the next industrial revolution”, leading to far-reaching changes in social, economic and ecological relations. Yet whereas the health and environment risks posed by nanomaterials are attracting an increasing amount of...