United States: World leader in Nanotechnology
February 14th, 2007No doubt that the United States is the world leader in nanotechnology and has produced the highest publications and patents. The government agencies are involved in popularizing the nanotechnology and addressing the societal and ethical issues and at the same time also focuses on the development and commercialization of nanotechnology.
The various departments in US government ha made contributions in National Nanotechnology initiatives and according to an estimate in the year 2005 more than $1000 million has been spent on nanotechnology initiatives. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has invested around $ 350 million alone. The investment contribution in nanotechnology initiatives from the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Energy is around $ 250 M and $ 200 M respectively. The other big investors in nanotechnology are National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Aeronautics and Space Applications (NASA).
The US government’s aim is to provide excellent research and development facilities and maintain the high research outputs such as technologies, publications and patents. The goal of these high research output technologies should provide public benefits and should create more jobs and the technology should be translated into useful commercial products. The government also focuses on developing educational infrastructure and resources to support future workforce demand of the industries.
United Nations Weighs in on Nanotechnology
February 8th, 2007Eventually, all governments want to monitor the impact and use of new technology. It is no different with Nanotechnology. The specter and promise of this breakthrough approach to manufacturing has caught the attention of the United Nations, which has chosen to weigh in on the potential environmental health and safety concerns posed by manufacturing with Nanoparticles.
The report is entitled, The 2007 Global Environment Outlook Year Book and it is produced by UNEP (United Nations Environment Program). Over 80 experts from around the world compiled the volume and in it, they discuss the environmental and social concerns and hazards involved with Nanotechnology. Some of the concerns raised address issues such as the possibility that Nanoparticles could be inhaled, penetrate the skin or otherwise create general levels of toxicity in the environment. The report also asks to consider the potential environmental impact of Nanoparticles released into the atmosphere and the soil.
Nanoparticles already being used in manufacturing should be the first focus of dealing with potential problems, according to the report. Since these are already being used in production, it should be easier to conduct tests to assess what kind of impact they are having on the environment.
As one would expect, the recommendations suggested by the United Nations in dealing with the problem head on is to establish a series of treaties or protocols among member nations and industries. By working together, they can establish a set of mutually agreed upon standards to keep Nanotechnology safe while continuing to benefit from its usefulness.
Technology almost always accelerates at a pace faster than government bodies are able to regulate it, and so perhaps it is best that world governments address the impact of Nanotechnology while it is still in its infancy.
Nanotechnology’s Ethical Dilemmas
January 29th, 2007It seems inevitable that any radical new technology that comes along can potentially pose ethical dilemmas, especially technology that crosses medical boundaries and holds the hope for life and death. Nanotechnology is certainly no exception, and indeed, K. Eric Drexler in his book Engines of Creation deals with the potential for evil as well as the potential for good. He speaks of the potential for Nanotechnology to destroy the Biosphere, and warns that Engines of Creation can become Engines of Destruction. The mini-robots, Replicators and Assemblers in his world can become so powerful so as to think faster than humans, act without the need for human labor and imagination, and ultimately take over the environment, the world and expand out into the universe with no one to stop them.
Such Apocalyptic visions based on ‘man versus machine’ are certainly not new, and to date, no technology has proven to be as bad as once feared. Despite our advances, for example, we do not, as of yet, have ‘thinking’ machines and it is not certain such advances are going to take place anytime in the near future. Nonetheless, we ignore the ethical issues at our own peril. Science seems to be progressing far more rapidly than many have anticipated, and if we don’t quickly begin a public discussion about Nanotechnology and its moral implications, we will be mired in such a debate when it is too late.
Fortunately, some observers realize this and have begun to engage in a public discussion about ‘NanoEthics’. This is the new term that has been coined for BioEthics as it is applied to the field of Nanotechnology. The forum for the discussion is a new Journal entitled NanoEthics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge at the Nanoscale. The Journal states that it will focus on the scientific, legal and philosophical issues at the center of the Nanotechnology ethics debate. More specifically it will deal with threats to individual well-being, as well as social norms, and political and economic stability.
It’s about time that such a publication has come along, where the issues that concern us all can be discussed in a reasoned and balanced manner, free from the hysteria and hype that accommodates these issues in the public media. Hopefully, the ethics of Nanotechnology will keep pace with the science, and we can make progress in a safe manner.
