Responsible Nanotechnology

The Most Dangerous Professor in America

Dr. Free-Ride (a.k.a. Janet D. Stemwede) has a humorous post on her Adventures in Ethics and Science blog, in which she enlightens us on a big online feud between Michael Bérubé and Dean Esmay.

Careful, this is some incendiary stuff!

It started with...

...Dean Esmay's approving support of President George W. Bush's "bold questioning of scientific authority". Esmay says:

[B]ecause so much science these days is funded by the U.S. government (i.e. the taxpayers) it is outright obscene to suggest that scientists shouldn't answer to our elected leaders. You do not have a right to demand billions of dollars from U.S. taxpayers, then slap a label on your chest and say, "We are scientists! You are not allowed to question us! Just give us your money and accept whatever we tell you!"

Bérubé responds:

Well said, my boy!  Those stuffed-shirt scientists think they know so much, and just like the media elite, they never stop to ask what real people think. And no one understands their barbaric jargon anyway! Just look at the contempt with which they treat ordinary folks who want their tax dollars to fund the Noonan Institute for Empathic Communication with Magic Dolphins, or the Very Scientific Discovery Institute for the Discovery that Adam and Eve Rode Dinosaurs to Church, or, indeed, the Esmay Center for Speculating that AIDS is Caused by Toxic, Rapidly-Reproducing Crystalline Organisms From Outer Space.

Recently, Bérubé was named one of the 101 most dangerous professors in America by some guy named David Horowitz. Now you can see why!

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Scientists Call for Anti-Aging Research

54 Scientists Call for Targeted Anti-Aging Research

This looks like a significant development. It will be interesting to see if the major news outlets pick it up.

There are at least two reasons why this is directly connected to CRN's work on nanotechnology:

1. Many of the most promising avenues for anti-aging therapy will rely on molecular manufacturing (MM). Miniaturization, precision, and low-cost massive production of new tools will be essential to rapid progress and widespread implementation.
2. The more such "radical" ideas as anti-aging are discussed in the mainstream media and by the general public, the more likely it is that CRN's calls to study and prepare for the impacts of MM will be heeded.

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Science, Politics, and Students

With a hat tip to Nick Anthis over at The Scientific Activist, here's a heads-up for students interested in science and its impact on society...

The first regional conference of Student Pugwash USA (SPUSA) will be hosted by Purdue University for two days beginning on 31 March 2006.

Student Pugwash USA (SPUSA) is an educational, nonprofit organization that strives to add a dimension to scientific study that goes beyond formulas and figures. Activities force young people to probe the reasons for scientific advancement and the implications of technology on citizens' everyday lives.

While examining all sides of an issue, SPUSA increases students' ability to think independently about the issues that affect society -- issues that range from international conflict to environmental protection, from genetics research to civil rights. SPUSA focuses on the interplay that lies at the juncture of science, technology, and public policy.

The Purdue conference is the first of a series of regional conferences this year sponsored by SPUSA. According to Sharlissa Moore, Program Coordinator, "It's open to science students of all disciplines—including science and philosophy and policy students. The conference will feature Dr. Arden Bement, Director of the National Science Foundation and focus on the topic of scientific integrity in science and engineering." Other topics include the intersection of science and politics and the roles of integrity and social responsibility in science.

The complete agenda can be found online, and if you are interested in registering or have any questions, please email Sharlissa Moore at smoore@spusa.org.

CRN likes SPUSA; in fact, we've linked to their nanotechnology info from our student basics page.

If you're a student in the Midwest and you attend this conference, drop us a note telling about it and we'll share your report with our readers.

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Anti-aging Drugs on Horizon

The day after our Responsible Aging entry, Red Herring posted an article that included this:

[D]rugs that prevent aging itself are on the distant horizon, and with them could come dramatic social changes, such as much later ages for everything from puberty to retirement, and massive inequality in life expectancy between those who can afford the life-lengthening compounds, and those who can't. These changes, in turn, would have a significant impact on the global economy.

"What we're talking about is not curing diseases...but slowing the aging process itself," said Alan Cohen, a graduate student at the University of Missouri, who on Friday moderated a panel on the topic at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in St. Louis. . .

While many scientists agree immortality through pharmacy is not yet worthy of serious debate, and many are cautious of even making hard and fast predictions about life-extending therapies, most agree they are worthy of discussion and tentative planning.

"Over the past couple of years, definitely, aging science has experienced momentum and I think we now know enough to consider the consequences of slowing down aging," Shin-ichiro Imai, assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology at Washington University.

It's fascinating how quickly the idea of radical life extension is moving from the extreme fringe toward the mainstream. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that so many reporters, editors, politicians, and bloggers are "baby boomers," now in their 50s and experiencing the pains of growing older.

Still, the increased awareness of anti-aging research and its potential are not enough to satisfy some advocates who argue that "we have a chance to defeat aging in our lifetimes," but that a "massive con game" could "suck the oxygen from serious attempts at real progress."

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Molecular Computer Implants

This story from New Scientist has little to do with nanotechnology and no direct bearing on molecular manufacturing -- but it's just so cool.

A molecular computer that uses enzymes to perform calculations has been built by researchers in Israel.

Itamar Willner, who constructed the molecular calculator with colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, believes enzyme-powered computers could eventually be implanted into the human body and used to, for example, tailor the release of drugs to a specific person's metabolism. . .

"This is basically a computer that could be integrated with the human body," Willner told New Scientist. "We feel you could implant an enzyme computer into the body and use it to calculate an entire metabolic pathway."

Martyn Amos from University of Exeter, UK, also sees great potential for such devices. "The development of fundamental devices such as counters is vital for the future success of bio-molecular computers," he told New Scientist.

"If such counters could be engineered inside living cells, then we can imagine them playing a role in applications such as intelligent drug delivery, where a therapeutic agent is generated at the site of a problem," Amos says. "Counters would also offer a biological 'safety valve', to prevent engineered cells proliferating in an uncontrolled fashion."

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Calling All Lurkers

OK, according to the latest stats, we're getting around 2,000 hits a day on this blog. Yet, almost all of our comments are from the same dozen or so people.

Now's your time to shine, lurkers! Just pop a comment here, no reason to be shy. Let us know who you are, where you're from, what you do, whatever. It will help you get to know some of the other lurkers and will even give you a few hits to your site if you have one (feel free to provide a link).

Think this was a great idea? Well it's not mine. It comes from Paul Stamatiou who got it from Bryan who got it from Veerle who found out about it via a napkin. For those of you still scratching your heads as to what a "lurker" is, Bryan will fill you in:

A lurker is a person that decides to stay shy in either a chat room, a forum or a blog, by not contributing their comments and electing to just watch the babble ensue in front of them. Now that made no sense, but I'm sure you got it. - Bryan Veloso

And yes, if you are a regular you can comment too.

Let the shining begin!

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Science Blogger Conference?

Bora Zivkovic at Science and Politics has a good idea:

There have been so many BloggerCons already that specialized conferences have already sprung up, like BlogHerCon and Podcastercon.

Why not have SciBlogCon somewhere within the next year or so? There are apparently gazillions of science bloggers around the world and it would be so cool to meet each other face-to-face and share a beer and stories.

I know a lot of science and science-related bloggers read our site. If you like the idea of gathering SciBloggers together somewhere, join the discussion.

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Nanotech Basics for Students

A few days ago, I had a terrific time meeting with and talking to a bunch of high school students in Toronto, Canada. I was at the World Affairs Conference, a student-run event that annually attracts approximately 700 teenagers from grades 10 to 12. This year's theme was "Blueprint for a New World."

After my presentation, which you can view here (PPT), I provided a handout to all the students. That content, along with additional information, has been added to CRN's website on a new page called Nanotechnology Basics: For Students and Other Learners.

If you're a teacher, a student, or a parent of a student, make sure to direct these eager learners to our new page on the basics of nanotechnology.

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Designing Nanomachines

Atomically precise rendering of proposed nanomachines is rapidly growing more sophisticated. Less than two years ago, images such as those shown here would not have been possible. This is the work of a young company called Nanorex, founded by Mark Sims.

The SRG-IIb (above) is a parallel-shaft speed reducer gear created by Mark Sims. It was designed and modeled completely from scratch using nanoENGINEER-1 (Alpha 6), the software modeling program his firm is developing.

"The goal of the SRG-II was to create a robust nanoscale gear complete with a casing and extended connector shafts," says Mark. "As you can see, the SRG-II looks every bit like a speed reducer gear."

This belt drive assembly, designed by Ninad Sathaye, is still under construction. The animation sequence shows partial results of an early version of the drive.

Above is a molecular pump design by K. Eric Drexler.

The SRG-III, above, is the third parallel-shaft speed reducer gear created by Mark Sims. A hybrid of the SRG-I and SRG-II, it is the first molecular gear train ever designed. With 15,342 atoms, the SRG-III is the single largest nanomechanical device that has been modeled in atomic detail.

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In a few more years, with computer speed and power continuing to grow exponentially, far larger simulations will be made, enabling designers to study highly complex devices with atomic precision. This is an important step on the road to building a desktop nanofactory.

With technical progress moving ahead so rapidly, it becomes ever more urgent to understand and prepare for the transformative impacts of advanced nanotechnology.

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog

Update on Defining Nanotech

I came across two new definitions of nanotechnology today:

Handling molecules with advanced tools to produce products of desired functionality. (from a news story in India)

Making things in the size-range of a few atoms to about the size of a virus molecule. (from a college news zine at Penn State)

The first one is quite similar to the definition that CRN has suggested: Engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale.

The second one is a little less precise, in that "things" is not well defined.

What's interesting, though, is that both of these definitions, like ours, stress the productive quality of nanotechnology. By contrast, the U.S. government defines it this way:

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale.

"Control of matter" at the nanoscale is a useful concept, but by encompassing nanoscience as well as engineering and technology, this definition seems too broad (probably it's intended to be highly inclusive for political reasons).

Science and technology are two different things. The former deals with discovery and understanding; the latter is focused on practical application of that knowledge.

Because the impacts of the two disciplines (science and technology) are often quite distinct, and because regulation or governance of the two should be treated separately, we think that dividing nanotechnology from nanoscience is advisable.

Mike Treder

Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog