by Andrew Maynard | Nov 26, 2008 | Nanotechnology
I’m sitting at my computer watching a surreal balletic movie—a sheet of highly aligned carbon nanotubes is being slowly stretched, then allowed to slowly contract. In the background is a soundtrack of traditional-sounding Chinese music. At least I think the...
by Andrew Maynard | Oct 31, 2008 | Environment, Nanotechnology, Oversight
Twelve months ago today I held a bag of multi-walled carbon nanotubes up before a hearing of the U.S. House Science Committee. I wanted to emphasize the discrepancy between the current state of the science on carbon nanotubes, and a tendency to classify this...
by Andrew Maynard | May 31, 2008 | Environment, Nanotechnology, Oversight, Policy
Why nano? Why care? For non-nanotech initiates, an obsession with nanotechnology must sometimes seem a bizarre occupation of the sad and lonely. And even within the nanotechnology community, who hasn’t had occasional doubts over the legitimacy of singling out...
by Andrew Maynard | May 21, 2008 | Nanotechnology, Oversight, Recommended
Mix carbon nanotubes and asbestos together (metaphorically) and you get an explosive mix—at least if news coverage of the latest publication coming out of Professor Ken Donaldson’s team is anything to go by. The research—published on-line today in Nature...
by Andrew Maynard | Mar 19, 2008 | Civic Science, Communication, Engagement, Nanotechnology
On March 18th, the science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke died in his home in Sri Lanka at the age of 90. A master developer and assembler of ideas, Clarke will be remembered fondly by many for igniting their enthusiasm for science, and how it might be used to...