Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nano Safety Worries Scientists More Than Public

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the what-aren't-they-telling-us dept.

Nanotech Coward writes "The unknown human health and environmental impacts of nanotechnology are a bigger worry for scientists than for the public, according to a new report in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. The new report was based on a national telephone survey of American households and a sampling of 363 leading U.S. nanotechnology scientists and engineers. It reveals that those with the most insight into a technology with enormous potential — and that is already emerging in hundreds of products — are unsure what health and environmental problems might be posed by the technology."

4 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. not surprising by leomekenkamp · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well informed scientist see more possible causes for harm than the non-informed general public. This hardly comes as a surprise to me.

    --
    Wenn ist das Nunstueck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput.
    1. Re:not surprising by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well informed scientist see more possible causes for harm than the non-informed general public. This hardly comes as a surprise to me. Not always. Many times it's the other way around. Take, for example, genetically modified food. Most scientists working in this area see no harmful effects from GM food, yet many in the general public think GM food is going to kill them, cause cancer, or other such nonsense. Or human cloning. Many people in the general public are absolutely terrified of human cloning, yet I'd bet most scientists see no problem with this from a biotech standpoint, except for a few ethical considerations.

      It cuts both ways.
      --
      My blog
    2. Re:not surprising by kebes · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Disclosure: I do research in the (overly-broad) field of "nanotechnology."

      I went to a talk recently discussing the safety issues surrounding nanotechnology (health effects of nanoparticles, in particular). Several possible problems were identified, and there is vigorous ongoing research to determine the full health and environmental implications of this technology.

      In short, I get the impression that scientists are trying to "get it right this time." That is, we are all keenly aware that numerous scientific breakthroughs had unintended health side-effects (e.g. the originally unknown effects of radiation, carcinogens, etc.). So the scientific community is determined to identify the safety concerns as quickly as possible, before these technologies become widespread. This is, obviously, a good thing. Though possibly overly-cautious, this strategy should minimize the risk of public health concerns and evironmental damage.

      In any case, as you said it's hardly surprising that the people most intimately familiar with the technology are best able to predict its problems/shortcomings. Also worth noting is that the scientists working with these technologies/materials have a vested self-interest in identifying health problems, since they are the ones being exposed to these materials.

  2. That's understandable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's pretty easy for scientists to kill the public. Nano stuff seems a bit tougher to kill.