New study says carbon nanotubes might be as harmful as asbestos

[XemaSab]

One of the most promising materials for the future of technology, carbon nanotubes, might be as harmful as asbestos if inhaled, according to a new study published today in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Animal studies indicate that these long and very thin carbon molecules could cause a cancer called mesothelioma in the lining of the lungs.

"The problem of asbestos was caused when it was released into the air, if it was handled inappropriately or incorrectly. Carbon nanotubes could do the same. With this information we should assume the worst, we should think of them as asbestos. But more research might relax that point of view," said Andrew Maynard, chief science adviser to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies in Washington and one of the authors of the study.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/20/BUDG10P518.DTL&tsp=1

(Why is this totally unsurprising? :shrug: )

[Teaser]

1. why should it be surprising or unsurprising?

Because it's technology?

Seriously, I want to know.

[XemaSab]

3. It seems like 3/4 of the time there's a technological panacea

it creates more problems than it solves.

Ethanol, fake sugar, fake fat, nuclear...

[Teaser]

4. no scientist I know believes in panaceas

everything is problematic.

[TheWraith]

7. Right, because damn science has never solved anything!

So they can take their antibiotics, and their running water, and their electricity, and they can shove it where the sun doesn't shine! I'm going to go live in a cave, then everything will be perfect! :sarcasm:

Really, that's an absurd attitude. It's nothing but romanticizing the past, and pretending like the problems we had then weren't worse than the ones we have now.

[truedelphi]

2. "More research might relax that point of view."

Sadly, really effective treatments for illnesses fall by the wayside as so much moeny time energy and hype get thrown into the nano technology side of investigating cures.

[Nihil]

5. Hmmm ...

> More research might relax that point of view.

cf.

> More money might relax those environmental laws.

Yep, I reckon it's just the natural re-phrasing instinct of
the industrialist breaking through again ...

[TheWraith]

8. What is that supposed to mean?

There's barely any real money spent on nanotech research, so what are these "effective treatments" you claim are being overlooked?

[Javaman]

6. Okay, take a deep breath and count backwards from 100...

It will all be over soon.

[kristopher]

9. This has been known for a long time

In the early 80's the Air Force was using a lot of carbon composites in aircraft structures. They had special designations for the aircraft that had such composites and procedures in place to take fairly extensive special precautions if they were involved in an accident that involved the aircraft burning. The smoke had carbon nanofibers that were both harmful to health if inhaled and extremely damaging to electronic equipment because of its ability to penetrate casings and cause shorts.