Ministry of NanoEthics?

hlovy writes "Here's part of a blurb that promotes, Nanotechnology: Atom and Eve in the Garden of Eden," an upcoming conversation between Foresight Institute founder Eric Drexler and ETC Group head Pat Mooney: "Recent studies indicate that nanoscale materials now being commercialized pose potential hazards for human health and the environment." The "studies" were actually incomplete surveys of inconclusive toxicology reports, commissioned by ETC Group, itself. Even Greenpeace admits that no complete scientific study of the toxicity of nanomaterials has been yet been performed. Read Howard Lovy's NanoBot for commentary."

Comments

Re:Common Problem..

[stratjakt]

Re: cloning, the animals thus far produced are largely sick and genetically inferior, and it seem obvious that you cant just grab dna from any old part of the body, only the stem cells seem to have the complete print. So will we learn to fill in the blanks, like the frog DNA in the dinosaurs of Jurassic park? I wouldnt want meat from a sick cow.

GM food advocates balked the same way at critics. Then they produced a modified corn that produced the same chemicals that make people allergic to peanuts, which if you know anyone with such allergies you'd know the reactions are extreme and easily fatal. Remember all the freakout and recalls of Doritos and taco shells, etc, etc? People adopted the corn widely and unchecked, noone knew which foods contained what?

I dont care how much pontificating the scientific community does, I dont trust some dude in a lab to invent the words tastiest cow. Serious long term study is necessary. The fact is, noone knows for sure what reprocussions could come down the road.