Chemistry & Industry- Issue 3January 29, 2003FEATURES TERROR: Future Threats Hype about bioterrorism may not be so far-fetched, Marina Murphy reports (page 9) Despite their best efforts, terrorists have not been able to cause the widespread havoc that they would like. Today, bio-terrorists are limited by technology, but in the future, this will not be the case. Advances in genomics mean that the technology to interfere with life processes will be more readily available. We will be able to create artificial genes, proteins and life forms or alter existing toxins, antibiotics and vaccines. All of which means the nature of the bioterrorism threat will change drastically. Containing the problem will mean big changes, including copper bottoming international weapons conventions and perhaps imposing secrecy rules on scientists or on certain aspects of biological research. Remediation (pages 15-17) Steve Rhodes of RPS Group offers an overview of some of the options available for the remediation of brownfield sites. Nanotechnology (pages 13-14) It is crucial for investors in the sector to recognise the companies with viable technologies. Industrial Academic relations (pages 18-19) Chiral technology is an area that has benefited from good relationships between academic researchers and industrial sponsors. Matthew Moorcroft, of Frost and Sullivan's Fine Chemicals group, suggests that in the future companies that are ready to adopt a more dynamic and willing approach are likely to gain the respect of the academic community and create a good atmosphere for innovation. Society of Chemical Industry |
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| Related Nanotechnology Current Events and Nanotechnology News Articles New study confirms exotic electric properties of graphene First, it was the soccer-ball-shaped molecules dubbed buckyballs. Then it was the cylindrically shaped nanotubes. Now, the hottest new material in physics and nanotechnology is graphene: a remarkably flat molecule made of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal rings much like molecular chicken wire. Behavior modification could ease concerns about nanoparticles In an advance that could help ease health and environmental concerns about the emerging nanotechnology industry, scientists are reporting development of technology for changing the behavior of nanoparticles in municipal sewage treatment plants - their main gateway into the environment. UT Knoxville and ORNL researchers turn algae into high-temperature hydrogen source In the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits of not using petroleum to power vehicles. Caltech scientists develop DNA origami nanoscale breadboards for carbon nanotube circuits In work that someday may lead to the development of novel types of nanoscale electronic devices, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has combined DNA's talent for self-assembly with the remarkable electronic properties of carbon nanotubes, thereby suggesting a solution to the long-standing problem of organizing carbon nanotubes into nanoscale electronic circuits. New 'finFET' promising for smaller transistors, more powerful chips Purdue University researchers are making progress in developing a new type of transistor that uses a finlike structure instead of the conventional flat design, possibly enabling engineers to create faster and more compact circuits and computer chips. Findings show nanomedicine promising for treating spinal cord injuries Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident. Magnetic nanoparticles to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat Whether it's magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) giving an army of 'therapeutically armed' white blood cells direction to invade a deadly tumour's territory, or the use of mNPs to target specific nerve channels and induce nerve-led behaviour (such as the life-dependant thumping of our hearts), mNPs have come a long way in the past decade. Breakthrough in industrial-scale nanotube processing Rice University scientists today unveiled a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon-nanotube fibers that could lead to revolutionary advances in materials science, power distribution and nanoelectronics. An exquisite container In campy old movies, Lucretia Borgia swans around emptying powder from her ring into wine glasses carelessly left unattended. The poison ring is usually a confection of gold filigree holding a cabochon or faceted gemstone that can be broken to empty the ring's contents. It is invariably enormous - so large it is rather odd nobody seems to notice it. University of Cincinnati researchers create all-electric spintronics A multidisciplinary team of UC researchers is the first to find an innovative and novel way to control an electron's spin orientation using purely electrical means. More Nanotechnology Current Events and Nanotechnology News Articles |
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