2/3 of Americans think nanotechnology is immoral.

[Kämpfer]

wait, what?
engadget



Given the fact that most of the nanotech developments we've seen have to do with making smaller transistors or generating electricity, we're not exactly sure why a recent study conducted by the researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that two-thirds of American think nanotechnology is "morally unacceptable" -- perhaps they didn't hear about that team that used nanotech to inscribe the Bible on the head of a pin? Overall, Americans were far less accepting of pint-size technology than other countries -- 72 percent of French respondents thought nanotech was morally okay, as did 54 percent of the UK residents polled and 62 percent of the Germans. Still, we're left wondering why anyone would find a reason to object to nanotechnology -- unlike biotech, we just don't see a lot of moral dilemmas posed by the research. Well, apart from that whole gray goo thing -- but if that's the risk we have to take to finally score a pair of electric pants, you can sign us right up.

[Loker]

Well I am not sure I completely disagree....a lot of nanotech has been used in clothes and food already and there are some health concerns that are starting to come to light now like some issues with the spill resistant dockers and lung cancer....the industry has so far had little to no oversight and that has led to some seriously questionable practices....

I don't think it would be a stretch to call it immoral even....

[Kämpfer]

The stain resistant dockers are hardly nanotech, and as I remember they coat the pants with teflon fibers to ward off liquids. This is an example of an intensely popular polymer that has been shown to cause cancer in animals and yet you still use it to cook your meals.

That being said there is little understanding of how some elements behave on the nano scale and chemicals that are usually harmless can become reactive. If you think about it there is a lot of stuff that is potentially dangerous if you ingest it and nanotech just makes it easier to do so. Your new Benz with scratch resistant paint wont give you cancer, but the guys who paint it and breath the stuff in probably will have serious health problems. What it essentially comes down to is we need more research in nanotech and more regulation of industry in general. There are still other things far more likely to kill you than your new supercomputer. It's just the same old story where people are fearful of what they don't understand and more so of what they can't see.