[extropy-chat] Royal Society report on nano

[Adrian Tymes]

--- Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org> wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 29, 2004 at 04:53:45PM -0500, damien
> wrote:
> >
>
http://zdnet.com.com/2102-1103_2-5289179.html?tag=printthis
> > 
> > "Most nanotechnologies pose no new risks to
> health, safety or the 
> > environment, but we believe research and
> regulation is required immediately 
> > to address uncertainties about the effects of
> manufactured nanoparticles 
> > and nanotubes," Professor Ann Dowling, of the
> University of Cambridge, told 
> > a news conference. 
> 
> Sure, and plutonium is just a metal.

With handling precautions not dissimilar to the
previous-experimented-with radium.  (Besides, they
said "most": assemblers are one thing, but by volume
produced these days, most nanostuff is raw bulk INERT
coatings.  Active systems of any kind are relatively
uncommon; mechanically active systems with features
under 1 micron are mere lab prototypes, for the most
part.  At least, that's how it stands today.)