FORESIGHT NANOTECH INSTITUTE
WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST
May 3, 2006
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In this issue:
- Foresight Nanotechnology Challenges:
Clean Energy: Solar cell supplier Innovalight raises $7.5 million
Clean Water: Can nanotechnology make saltwater drinkable?
Health: Targeted quantum dots image tumor blood supply
Agriculture: Prospects for regulating nanotechnology in food
Information technology: Tiny wires trigger electric reversal
Space: Engineering alternatives for the first space elevator
- Foresight Lectures - Christine Peterson at Stanford
- Foresight Partners - NanoTech: From promise to reality
- Want more nano news? Become a member of Foresight
- Nanotech News & Events - Call for clean tech business plans
- Editor's Pick - Congratulations, Peter Diamandis
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FORESIGHT NANOTECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Foresight has articulated six critical challenges that humanity faces
which can
be addressed by nanotechnology. In the Weekly News Digest we identify
news items, research breakthroughs, and events citing current research
and
applications providing the stepping stones to solutions to these
challenges:
-----------------------
1. Meeting global energy needs with clean solutions
Foresight note: Heres news of additional funding for solar power
employing
nanoscale materials. Hopefully this funding activity will lead to
large-scale
application.
Headline: Solar cell supplier Innovalight raises $7.5 million
News source: IEE Times by Spencer Chin
Innovalight Inc., a privately held firm focused on developing low-cost,
nanotechnology-based printed solar cells, has raised an additional $7.5
million
in private equity financing.
This Series B financing led by Harris & Harris Group, Inc., includes
investment from existing investors Apax Partners, ARCH Venture
Partners,
Sevin Rosen Funds and Triton Ventures.
Innovalight plans to employ this additional capital to accelerate
development
of low cost, lightweight solar cells using a proprietary silicon
ink-based
technology.
Over 90 percent of solar energy modules are made from crystalline
silicon
wafers that are costly to produce and in critical short supply because
of
competing demand from the semiconductor industry.
"Today, solar energy represents a paltry two-hundredths of one percent
of the
total global electrical energy generated because current production
methods
are still too expensive," said Conrad Burke, president and chief
executive.
"Innovalight is developing a technology that could ultimately reduce
the cost
of producing solar-generated electricity tenfold."
www.eetimes.com/news/lates...ticle.jhtml
Innovalight
www.innovalight.com/index.html
-----------------------
2. Providing abundant clean water globally
Foresight note: This is radio program discusses nanotechnology and
desalination.
Headline: Can nanotechnology make saltwater drinkable?
News source: Earth & Sky Radio Series
Radio host Deborah Byrd: This is Earth & Sky. Some places are
struggling to
have enough freshwater to sustain a growing human population.
Radio host Joel Block: That includes some cities like Phoenix - the
state of
California - the Middle East - and, ironically, the coasts of many
nations.
Especially along the coasts, desalination can help. That's the removal
of salts
and other substances from saltwater to produce freshwater. Desalination
is
expensive. But it's already widely used in the Middle East, North
Africa and
the Caribbean, and California and Texas are planning desalination
projects.
Radio host Deborah Byrd: We spoke with Kamalesh Sirkar at the New
Jersey
Institute of Technology. He's using a new technology - nanotechnology -
to
purify saltwater. The most commonly used desalination techniques are
called
"distillation" and "reverse osmosis." The nanotech technique is also
expensive, Sirkar said, but it should work faster than other
techniques.
Radio host Joel Block: He's now trying to make it more energy
efficient, and
he's trying to solve the problem of scaling - a process in which salts
and
minerals clog up the system.
Radio host Deborah Byrd: Sirkar is optimistic. He predicts that within
about
three years, nanotech devices using his desalination technology will be
on the
market.
www.earthsky.org/shows/show.php
Kamalesh K. Sirkar
www.njit.edu/publicinfo/...rkar_bio.php
-----------------------
3. Increasing the health and longevity of human life
Foresight note: This research details how quantum dots can locate the
blood
source of cancer tumors, making it easier to surgically remove them.
Headline: Targeted quantum dots image tumor blood supply
News source: National Cancer Institute, Alliance for Nanotechnology
Using polymer-coated cadmium telluride/zinc sulfide (CdTe/ZnS) quantum
dots targeted to a molecule found on newly growing blood vessels, a
team at
the Stanford University Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence
(CCNE) has shown for the first time that quantum dots can image a
tumor's
blood supply. This development holds promise for the development of new
ways of detecting cancer as well as identifying the edges of a tumor
during
surgery.
Reporting its work in the journal Nano Letters, a group of
investigators led by
Xiaoyuan Chen, Ph.D., Sam Gambhir, M.D., Ph.D., and Shan Wang, Ph.D.,
all project leaders in the Stanford CCNE, described its construction of
a
CdTe/ZnS quantum dot decorated with 30 to 50 copies of a small protein,
or
peptide, known as RGD. This peptide binds specifically to a much larger
protein, called ?v?3, found on the surfaces of new blood vessels
growing in
response to tumor cell signals, as well as on some tumor cells. Tests
with
cultured human tumor cells confirmed that these quantum dots bound
tightly
only to those cells that have ?v?3 on their surfaces.
Based on these promising results with isolated cells, the investigators
explored
whether these targeted quantum dots would bind to human tumors growing
in
mice. In fact, tests with tumor-bearing animals showed that the quantum
dots
were visible in tumors within 20 minutes after injection. The
fluorescent
signal from the tumor-bound quantum dots peaked at six hours after
injection,
and optical images clearly outlined the tumors against a very low
fluorescent
background. Subsequent microscopic examination of the tumors showed
that
the quantum dots were congregated on the blood vessels growing in and
around the tumors.
nano.cancer.gov/news_cente...-05-01a.asp
-----------------------
4. Maximizing the productivity of agriculture
Foresight note: This conference features several speakers on food and
nanotechnology. Here we highlight one of the presentations at this
event.
Headline: Prospects for regulating nanotechnology in food
News source: Agra-net.com
Dr. Linda Katz, Director, Office of Colors & Cosmetics, at the U.S.
Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) / Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
(CFSAN) will give a presentation on Prospects for Regulating
Nanotechnology in Food at Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture,
scheduled for June 6-7, 2006 in Washington, DC. This event offers
attendees
an opportunity to capitalize on new developments being explored by
leading
manufacturers within the industry and the chance to avoid the potential
pitfalls
surrounding this innovative approach to technological development.
www.agra-net.com/portal/ma...render.jsp
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) / Center for Food Safety &
Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
www.foodsafety.gov/list.html
Christine Peterson, Vice President of Public Policy, will also speak at
this meeting.
foresight.org/news/index.html
-----------------------
5. Making powerful information technology available everywhere
Foresight note: Physicists observe "contrary conductivity" at the
nanoscale.
Headline: Tiny wires trigger electric reversal
News source: Small Times
Physicists have observed an unexpected reversal of conductive behavior
in
ultracold, ultrathin zinc wires.
Typically, a metal wire more readily superconducts, or transports
electricity
without resistance, when it spans superconductive electrodes. However,
that
wire loses its superconductivity if strung between electrodes of normal
metals.
Yet in recent experiments, ultrathin zinc wires did just the opposite:
They
conducted normally when between superconductive electrodes but became
superconductive when between normal electrodes.
The reversal is "very stunning, very surprising," says theoretical
physicist
Dung-Hai Lee of the University of California, Berkeley.
Led by Moses H.W. Chan, researchers at Pennsylvania State University in
State College observed the contrary conductivity. They created
nanoscale-
diameter wires within pores in thin membranes of polycarbonate or
aluminum
oxide and then placed the membranes between pairs of metal electrodes.
The
electrodes' shapes made it possible to measure the electrical
properties of
nanowires one at a time.
www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm
Moses H.W. Chan
www.phys.psu.edu/~chan/
----------------
6. Enabling the development of space
Foresight note: The ISDC meeting was one of the first to cover nanotech
for
Space. This year they are including a space elevator panel.
Headline: Engineering Alternatives for Design and Deployment of the
First Space Elevator
News source: The 25th Annual International Space Development Conference
A space elevator panel presentation at the Space Development Conference
that will be held in Los Angeles on May 4-6, 2006 will feature leaders
in
space elevator development.
Panel: Engineering Alternatives for Design and Deployment of the First
Space Elevator
May 5, 2006 - 4 p.m.
Speakers:
Brad Edwards -
www.spacealumni.skytland.com/con...242/
Tom Nugent - www.liftport.com/
Ben Shelef - www.elevator2010.org/site/index.html
The 25th Annual International Space Development Conference
isdc.nss.org/2006/
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FORESIGHT LECTURES
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THE SINGULARITY SUMMIT AT STANFORD
May 13, 2006
Stanford, California
Christine Peterson, Founder and Vice President of Public Policy for
Foresight Nanotech Institute, will speak at The Singularity Summit on
May 13,
2006 at Stanford University, California. Her focus will be on security
and
economic issues arising from accelerating change.
sss.stanford.edu/program/
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FORESIGHT PARTNERS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
If you attend or use any of our partners' events or services, please
tell them
you heard about it from Foresight Nanotech Institute.
-----------------------
May 16, 2006 - NanoTech: From Promise to Reality
Organized by IEEE San Francisco Bay Area Nanotechnology Council
Santa Clara, California
This 2nd annual all-day symposium will focus on alternative energy
including
photovoltaics and fuel cells.
ewh.ieee.org/r6/san_fran...ymposium.pdf
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BECOME A MEMBER OF FORESIGHT:
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Your support is critical to our success in advancing nanotechnology
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We have membership levels suitable for everyone.
List of member benefits:
foresight.org/members/index.html
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foresight.org/forms/php/donate.php
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NANOTECH NEWS & EVENTS:
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Headline: Scientist warns of nanotechnology dangers
News source: United Press International
A British scientist is warning that hundreds of nanotechnology products
are
about to go on sale despite a lack of biological safety testing.
Nanotechnology products -- containing materials that are 10,000 times
smaller
than the width of a hair -- are already being used in numerous
products, from
medical bandages to golf clubs and paints.
Edinburgh University Professor Anthony Seaton, one of Britain's leading
environmental health experts, says concerns that tiny particles from
the
products might cause respiratory, cardiac and immune problems had not
been
properly assessed, The Scotsman reported Wednesday.
Speaking with the newspaper ahead of a presentation he gave Tuesday at
the
Nanoparticles for European Industry conference in London, Seaton said
that
recommended nano testing "simply hasn't happened."
A recent report from a U.S. science watchdog suggested there are
already 200
products containing nanoparticles on the marketplace, with hundreds
more to
be introduced during the coming year.
www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php
-----------------------
Headline: A Humboldt Award for Lehigh University's Martin Harmer:
Nanotechnology research leader is renowned for studies of electronic
ceramics
News source: EurekAlert
Martin Harmer, director of the Center for Advanced Materials and
Nanotechnology (CAMN) at Lehigh University, has been awarded a
Humboldt Research Award for senior scientists by Germany's Alexander
von
Humboldt Foundation. The international honor, one of the most
prestigious
given by Germany, recognizes Harmer's lifetime research achievements in
materials science and engineering.
Harmer, a professor of materials science and engineering at Lehigh, is
world-
renowned for his studies of the properties of structural and electronic
ceramic
materials and their control at the micro- and nanoscale. He is
particularly
interested in developing novel transparent materials and nanomaterials
with
multi-functional properties. Currently, he is studying the sintering
behavior of
nanoparticles of gold and iron oxide, and the mechanism of the
conversion of
polycrystalline alumina into single crystal sapphire for lighting
applications.
As director of Lehigh's CAMN, Harmer leads a variety of projects. In
one, a
multi-disciplinary team of Lehigh researchers is working with peers
from
Harvard, Rice, Georgia Tech, UCLA and the Illinois Institute of
Technology
to study the economic and environmental impact of nanotechnology. The
project is supported by a five-year, $1.7-million grant from the
Nanoscale
Science and Engineering Center of the National Science Foundation.
"The real power of nano is evident when it supports discovery and
innovation
in other areas - areas such as medicine, computing, materials, and
environmental engineering," says Harmer.
www.eurekalert.org/pub_rele...50206.php
Martin Harmer
www3.lehigh.edu/engineerin...detail3.asp
-----------------------
Headline: NSTI Announces Winners of NSTI Nanotech Venture Awards to
Top Early Stage Companies at NSTI Nanotech 2006 Conference in Boston
News source: Genetic Engineering News
The Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) today announced its
Early
Stage Company Nanotech Venture Award recipients for 2006. The companies
will present at Nanotech Ventures 2006, which features more than 60
early
stage nanotech companies presenting exclusively to conference attendees
and
vetting teams comprised of some of the top names in nano business. This
year's Nanotech Venture Award winners were selected by a review team
comprised of business and investment leaders on the NSTI Vetting Team.
"Nanotech Ventures 2006 Early Stage Company Review provides an ideal
forum for seed to early-stage companies to showcase their technologies,
market advantages, and to search for funding and 'go-to-market'
partners,"
said Matthew Laudon of the Nano Science & Technology Institute, co-
producer of the event. "Over 150 early stage companies submitted their
business plans into the event, and about fifty percent were invited to
present.
The vetted companies are then given 15 minutes to present and address
on-site
feedback from the vetting team."
This year's 2006 NSTI Nanotech Venture Award winners are Nanopoint,
Inc.,
Progressive Cooling Solutions and OrionSolar Photovoltaics
www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx
NSTI Nanotech Ventures
www.nsti.org/Nanotech200...entures.html
-----------------------
May 17-19, 2006
NanoBusiness 2006 - Conference
Sponsored by NanoBusiness Alliance
New York, New York
www.nanobusiness2006.com/
The agenda for this meeting has been published
www.nanobusiness2006.com/program.php
-----------------------
Call for Clean Tech Business Plans - Deadline May 31, 2006
California Clean Tech Open
Sponsored by Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth
www.cacleantech.com/index.shtml
-----------------------
2006 Nanochallenge International Business Plan Competition - Deadline
June 16, 2006
Sponsored by Veneto Nanotech
www.nanochallenge.com/
-----------------------
Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes - Deadline June 30, 2006
The Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes, named in honor of pioneer
physicist
Richard Feynman, are given in two categories, one for experiment and
the
other for theory in nanotechnology. Established in 1993, these prizes
are given
to researchers whose recent work has most advanced the achievement of
Feynman's goal for nanotechnology: the construction of
atomically-precise
products through the use of molecular machine systems.
foresight.org/prize/
-----------------------
Foresight Institute Prize in Communication - Deadline June 30, 2006
The Foresight Institute Prize in Communication recognizes outstanding
journalistic or other communication endeavors that lead to a better
understanding of molecular nanotechnology and its high social and
environmental impact. This prize was created to encourage responsible
coverage of molecular nanotechnology as a means for engaging the public
in
dialogue leading to improved public policy on this important issue.
This prize
was established in 2000 and is generously underwritten by the law firm
Millstein & Taylor, PC.
foresight.org/prize/
-----------------------
Foresight Distinguished Student Award - Deadline June 30, 2006
The Foresight Distinguished Student Award was established in 1997 and
is
given to a college undergraduate or graduate student whose work is
notable in
the field of nanotechnology. This award highlights the winning
student's
research and underwrites the student's travel to the award conference.
This
prize is generously supported by Dr. James Ellenbogen, Ravi Pandya, and
James Von Ehr, II.
foresight.org/prize/
-----------------------
September 18-20, 2006
Commercialization of NanoMaterials 2006 - Conference
Sponsored by TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society)
www.tms.org/Meetings/spe...o06/home.html
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EDITOR'S PICK
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear readers -- When reviewing news for this digest, I often read about
something that I think is cool, but it doesn't fit within the usual
editorial
categories of the News Digest. This section highlights a nanotech
advance,
event or idea that I think is especially cool.
Dr. Peter Diamandis, who serves on Foresight Nanotech Institute's Board
of
Directors, will accept the 2006 Lindbergh Award at a ceremony next
week.
Peter and Arctic explorer Will Steger are recipients of this award,
which is
given by the Lindbergh Foundation to honor an "individual for his or
her
significant contributions toward the Lindbergh's vision of a balance
between
technological advancement and environmental preservation."
Congratulations, Peter!
- Judy
Headline: Peter Diamandis and Will Steger to receive 2006 Lindbergh
awards
News source: HometownSource.com
The Lindbergh Award Event is about extremes -- extreme ideas, extreme
temperatures and extreme places on and above our Earth.
"Peter Diamandis and Will Steger are both consummate explorers, each in
his
own very different, and very exciting way," said Reeve Lindbergh,
honorary
chairwoman of the Foundation and youngest child of Charles and Anne
Morrow Lindbergh. "Together they not only represent balance and the
Foundation's mission, they also reflect balance in human endeavors --
on this
planet and beyond?"
www.hometownsource.com/2006/M...ds.html
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Join the discussion - visit our blog Nanodot led by
Christine Peterson.
foresight.org/nanodot/
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The Foresight Nanotech Institute Weekly News Digest is emailed every
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Judy Conner, Director of Communications at Foresight Nanotech
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Special thanks to Foresight Nanotechnology Challenges Research
Volunteer
Michelle Hubbard, MSc Candidate, Department of Biology,
University of Saskatchewan
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WEEKLY NEWS DIGEST
May 3, 2006
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In this issue:
- Foresight Nanotechnology Challenges:
Clean Energy: Solar cell supplier Innovalight raises $7.5 million
Clean Water: Can nanotechnology make saltwater drinkable?
Health: Targeted quantum dots image tumor blood supply
Agriculture: Prospects for regulating nanotechnology in food
Information technology: Tiny wires trigger electric reversal
Space: Engineering alternatives for the first space elevator
- Foresight Lectures - Christine Peterson at Stanford
- Foresight Partners - NanoTech: From promise to reality
- Want more nano news? Become a member of Foresight
- Nanotech News & Events - Call for clean tech business plans
- Editor's Pick - Congratulations, Peter Diamandis
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FORESIGHT NANOTECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Foresight has articulated six critical challenges that humanity faces
which can
be addressed by nanotechnology. In the Weekly News Digest we identify
news items, research breakthroughs, and events citing current research
and
applications providing the stepping stones to solutions to these
challenges:
-----------------------
1. Meeting global energy needs with clean solutions
Foresight note: Heres news of additional funding for solar power
employing
nanoscale materials. Hopefully this funding activity will lead to
large-scale
application.
Headline: Solar cell supplier Innovalight raises $7.5 million
News source: IEE Times by Spencer Chin
Innovalight Inc., a privately held firm focused on developing low-cost,
nanotechnology-based printed solar cells, has raised an additional $7.5
million
in private equity financing.
This Series B financing led by Harris & Harris Group, Inc., includes
investment from existing investors Apax Partners, ARCH Venture
Partners,
Sevin Rosen Funds and Triton Ventures.
Innovalight plans to employ this additional capital to accelerate
development
of low cost, lightweight solar cells using a proprietary silicon
ink-based
technology.
Over 90 percent of solar energy modules are made from crystalline
silicon
wafers that are costly to produce and in critical short supply because
of
competing demand from the semiconductor industry.
"Today, solar energy represents a paltry two-hundredths of one percent
of the
total global electrical energy generated because current production
methods
are still too expensive," said Conrad Burke, president and chief
executive.
"Innovalight is developing a technology that could ultimately reduce
the cost
of producing solar-generated electricity tenfold."
www.eetimes.com/news/lates...ticle.jhtml
Innovalight
www.innovalight.com/index.html
-----------------------
2. Providing abundant clean water globally
Foresight note: This is radio program discusses nanotechnology and
desalination.
Headline: Can nanotechnology make saltwater drinkable?
News source: Earth & Sky Radio Series
Radio host Deborah Byrd: This is Earth & Sky. Some places are
struggling to
have enough freshwater to sustain a growing human population.
Radio host Joel Block: That includes some cities like Phoenix - the
state of
California - the Middle East - and, ironically, the coasts of many
nations.
Especially along the coasts, desalination can help. That's the removal
of salts
and other substances from saltwater to produce freshwater. Desalination
is
expensive. But it's already widely used in the Middle East, North
Africa and
the Caribbean, and California and Texas are planning desalination
projects.
Radio host Deborah Byrd: We spoke with Kamalesh Sirkar at the New
Jersey
Institute of Technology. He's using a new technology - nanotechnology -
to
purify saltwater. The most commonly used desalination techniques are
called
"distillation" and "reverse osmosis." The nanotech technique is also
expensive, Sirkar said, but it should work faster than other
techniques.
Radio host Joel Block: He's now trying to make it more energy
efficient, and
he's trying to solve the problem of scaling - a process in which salts
and
minerals clog up the system.
Radio host Deborah Byrd: Sirkar is optimistic. He predicts that within
about
three years, nanotech devices using his desalination technology will be
on the
market.
www.earthsky.org/shows/show.php
Kamalesh K. Sirkar
www.njit.edu/publicinfo/...rkar_bio.php
-----------------------
3. Increasing the health and longevity of human life
Foresight note: This research details how quantum dots can locate the
blood
source of cancer tumors, making it easier to surgically remove them.
Headline: Targeted quantum dots image tumor blood supply
News source: National Cancer Institute, Alliance for Nanotechnology
Using polymer-coated cadmium telluride/zinc sulfide (CdTe/ZnS) quantum
dots targeted to a molecule found on newly growing blood vessels, a
team at
the Stanford University Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence
(CCNE) has shown for the first time that quantum dots can image a
tumor's
blood supply. This development holds promise for the development of new
ways of detecting cancer as well as identifying the edges of a tumor
during
surgery.
Reporting its work in the journal Nano Letters, a group of
investigators led by
Xiaoyuan Chen, Ph.D., Sam Gambhir, M.D., Ph.D., and Shan Wang, Ph.D.,
all project leaders in the Stanford CCNE, described its construction of
a
CdTe/ZnS quantum dot decorated with 30 to 50 copies of a small protein,
or
peptide, known as RGD. This peptide binds specifically to a much larger
protein, called ?v?3, found on the surfaces of new blood vessels
growing in
response to tumor cell signals, as well as on some tumor cells. Tests
with
cultured human tumor cells confirmed that these quantum dots bound
tightly
only to those cells that have ?v?3 on their surfaces.
Based on these promising results with isolated cells, the investigators
explored
whether these targeted quantum dots would bind to human tumors growing
in
mice. In fact, tests with tumor-bearing animals showed that the quantum
dots
were visible in tumors within 20 minutes after injection. The
fluorescent
signal from the tumor-bound quantum dots peaked at six hours after
injection,
and optical images clearly outlined the tumors against a very low
fluorescent
background. Subsequent microscopic examination of the tumors showed
that
the quantum dots were congregated on the blood vessels growing in and
around the tumors.
nano.cancer.gov/news_cente...-05-01a.asp
-----------------------
4. Maximizing the productivity of agriculture
Foresight note: This conference features several speakers on food and
nanotechnology. Here we highlight one of the presentations at this
event.
Headline: Prospects for regulating nanotechnology in food
News source: Agra-net.com
Dr. Linda Katz, Director, Office of Colors & Cosmetics, at the U.S.
Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) / Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
(CFSAN) will give a presentation on Prospects for Regulating
Nanotechnology in Food at Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture,
scheduled for June 6-7, 2006 in Washington, DC. This event offers
attendees
an opportunity to capitalize on new developments being explored by
leading
manufacturers within the industry and the chance to avoid the potential
pitfalls
surrounding this innovative approach to technological development.
www.agra-net.com/portal/ma...render.jsp
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) / Center for Food Safety &
Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)
www.foodsafety.gov/list.html
Christine Peterson, Vice President of Public Policy, will also speak at
this meeting.
foresight.org/news/index.html
-----------------------
5. Making powerful information technology available everywhere
Foresight note: Physicists observe "contrary conductivity" at the
nanoscale.
Headline: Tiny wires trigger electric reversal
News source: Small Times
Physicists have observed an unexpected reversal of conductive behavior
in
ultracold, ultrathin zinc wires.
Typically, a metal wire more readily superconducts, or transports
electricity
without resistance, when it spans superconductive electrodes. However,
that
wire loses its superconductivity if strung between electrodes of normal
metals.
Yet in recent experiments, ultrathin zinc wires did just the opposite:
They
conducted normally when between superconductive electrodes but became
superconductive when between normal electrodes.
The reversal is "very stunning, very surprising," says theoretical
physicist
Dung-Hai Lee of the University of California, Berkeley.
Led by Moses H.W. Chan, researchers at Pennsylvania State University in
State College observed the contrary conductivity. They created
nanoscale-
diameter wires within pores in thin membranes of polycarbonate or
aluminum
oxide and then placed the membranes between pairs of metal electrodes.
The
electrodes' shapes made it possible to measure the electrical
properties of
nanowires one at a time.
www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm
Moses H.W. Chan
www.phys.psu.edu/~chan/
----------------
6. Enabling the development of space
Foresight note: The ISDC meeting was one of the first to cover nanotech
for
Space. This year they are including a space elevator panel.
Headline: Engineering Alternatives for Design and Deployment of the
First Space Elevator
News source: The 25th Annual International Space Development Conference
A space elevator panel presentation at the Space Development Conference
that will be held in Los Angeles on May 4-6, 2006 will feature leaders
in
space elevator development.
Panel: Engineering Alternatives for Design and Deployment of the First
Space Elevator
May 5, 2006 - 4 p.m.
Speakers:
Brad Edwards -
www.spacealumni.skytland.com/con...242/
Tom Nugent - www.liftport.com/
Ben Shelef - www.elevator2010.org/site/index.html
The 25th Annual International Space Development Conference
isdc.nss.org/2006/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FORESIGHT LECTURES
---------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SINGULARITY SUMMIT AT STANFORD
May 13, 2006
Stanford, California
Christine Peterson, Founder and Vice President of Public Policy for
Foresight Nanotech Institute, will speak at The Singularity Summit on
May 13,
2006 at Stanford University, California. Her focus will be on security
and
economic issues arising from accelerating change.
sss.stanford.edu/program/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
FORESIGHT PARTNERS
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May 16, 2006 - NanoTech: From Promise to Reality
Organized by IEEE San Francisco Bay Area Nanotechnology Council
Santa Clara, California
This 2nd annual all-day symposium will focus on alternative energy
including
photovoltaics and fuel cells.
ewh.ieee.org/r6/san_fran...ymposium.pdf
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NANOTECH NEWS & EVENTS:
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Headline: Scientist warns of nanotechnology dangers
News source: United Press International
A British scientist is warning that hundreds of nanotechnology products
are
about to go on sale despite a lack of biological safety testing.
Nanotechnology products -- containing materials that are 10,000 times
smaller
than the width of a hair -- are already being used in numerous
products, from
medical bandages to golf clubs and paints.
Edinburgh University Professor Anthony Seaton, one of Britain's leading
environmental health experts, says concerns that tiny particles from
the
products might cause respiratory, cardiac and immune problems had not
been
properly assessed, The Scotsman reported Wednesday.
Speaking with the newspaper ahead of a presentation he gave Tuesday at
the
Nanoparticles for European Industry conference in London, Seaton said
that
recommended nano testing "simply hasn't happened."
A recent report from a U.S. science watchdog suggested there are
already 200
products containing nanoparticles on the marketplace, with hundreds
more to
be introduced during the coming year.
www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php
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Headline: A Humboldt Award for Lehigh University's Martin Harmer:
Nanotechnology research leader is renowned for studies of electronic
ceramics
News source: EurekAlert
Martin Harmer, director of the Center for Advanced Materials and
Nanotechnology (CAMN) at Lehigh University, has been awarded a
Humboldt Research Award for senior scientists by Germany's Alexander
von
Humboldt Foundation. The international honor, one of the most
prestigious
given by Germany, recognizes Harmer's lifetime research achievements in
materials science and engineering.
Harmer, a professor of materials science and engineering at Lehigh, is
world-
renowned for his studies of the properties of structural and electronic
ceramic
materials and their control at the micro- and nanoscale. He is
particularly
interested in developing novel transparent materials and nanomaterials
with
multi-functional properties. Currently, he is studying the sintering
behavior of
nanoparticles of gold and iron oxide, and the mechanism of the
conversion of
polycrystalline alumina into single crystal sapphire for lighting
applications.
As director of Lehigh's CAMN, Harmer leads a variety of projects. In
one, a
multi-disciplinary team of Lehigh researchers is working with peers
from
Harvard, Rice, Georgia Tech, UCLA and the Illinois Institute of
Technology
to study the economic and environmental impact of nanotechnology. The
project is supported by a five-year, $1.7-million grant from the
Nanoscale
Science and Engineering Center of the National Science Foundation.
"The real power of nano is evident when it supports discovery and
innovation
in other areas - areas such as medicine, computing, materials, and
environmental engineering," says Harmer.
www.eurekalert.org/pub_rele...50206.php
Martin Harmer
www3.lehigh.edu/engineerin...detail3.asp
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Headline: NSTI Announces Winners of NSTI Nanotech Venture Awards to
Top Early Stage Companies at NSTI Nanotech 2006 Conference in Boston
News source: Genetic Engineering News
The Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) today announced its
Early
Stage Company Nanotech Venture Award recipients for 2006. The companies
will present at Nanotech Ventures 2006, which features more than 60
early
stage nanotech companies presenting exclusively to conference attendees
and
vetting teams comprised of some of the top names in nano business. This
year's Nanotech Venture Award winners were selected by a review team
comprised of business and investment leaders on the NSTI Vetting Team.
"Nanotech Ventures 2006 Early Stage Company Review provides an ideal
forum for seed to early-stage companies to showcase their technologies,
market advantages, and to search for funding and 'go-to-market'
partners,"
said Matthew Laudon of the Nano Science & Technology Institute, co-
producer of the event. "Over 150 early stage companies submitted their
business plans into the event, and about fifty percent were invited to
present.
The vetted companies are then given 15 minutes to present and address
on-site
feedback from the vetting team."
This year's 2006 NSTI Nanotech Venture Award winners are Nanopoint,
Inc.,
Progressive Cooling Solutions and OrionSolar Photovoltaics
www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx
NSTI Nanotech Ventures
www.nsti.org/Nanotech200...entures.html
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May 17-19, 2006
NanoBusiness 2006 - Conference
Sponsored by NanoBusiness Alliance
New York, New York
www.nanobusiness2006.com/
The agenda for this meeting has been published
www.nanobusiness2006.com/program.php
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Call for Clean Tech Business Plans - Deadline May 31, 2006
California Clean Tech Open
Sponsored by Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth
www.cacleantech.com/index.shtml
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2006 Nanochallenge International Business Plan Competition - Deadline
June 16, 2006
Sponsored by Veneto Nanotech
www.nanochallenge.com/
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Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes - Deadline June 30, 2006
The Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes, named in honor of pioneer
physicist
Richard Feynman, are given in two categories, one for experiment and
the
other for theory in nanotechnology. Established in 1993, these prizes
are given
to researchers whose recent work has most advanced the achievement of
Feynman's goal for nanotechnology: the construction of
atomically-precise
products through the use of molecular machine systems.
foresight.org/prize/
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Foresight Institute Prize in Communication - Deadline June 30, 2006
The Foresight Institute Prize in Communication recognizes outstanding
journalistic or other communication endeavors that lead to a better
understanding of molecular nanotechnology and its high social and
environmental impact. This prize was created to encourage responsible
coverage of molecular nanotechnology as a means for engaging the public
in
dialogue leading to improved public policy on this important issue.
This prize
was established in 2000 and is generously underwritten by the law firm
Millstein & Taylor, PC.
foresight.org/prize/
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Foresight Distinguished Student Award - Deadline June 30, 2006
The Foresight Distinguished Student Award was established in 1997 and
is
given to a college undergraduate or graduate student whose work is
notable in
the field of nanotechnology. This award highlights the winning
student's
research and underwrites the student's travel to the award conference.
This
prize is generously supported by Dr. James Ellenbogen, Ravi Pandya, and
James Von Ehr, II.
foresight.org/prize/
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September 18-20, 2006
Commercialization of NanoMaterials 2006 - Conference
Sponsored by TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society)
www.tms.org/Meetings/spe...o06/home.html
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EDITOR'S PICK
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Dear readers -- When reviewing news for this digest, I often read about
something that I think is cool, but it doesn't fit within the usual
editorial
categories of the News Digest. This section highlights a nanotech
advance,
event or idea that I think is especially cool.
Dr. Peter Diamandis, who serves on Foresight Nanotech Institute's Board
of
Directors, will accept the 2006 Lindbergh Award at a ceremony next
week.
Peter and Arctic explorer Will Steger are recipients of this award,
which is
given by the Lindbergh Foundation to honor an "individual for his or
her
significant contributions toward the Lindbergh's vision of a balance
between
technological advancement and environmental preservation."
Congratulations, Peter!
- Judy
Headline: Peter Diamandis and Will Steger to receive 2006 Lindbergh
awards
News source: HometownSource.com
The Lindbergh Award Event is about extremes -- extreme ideas, extreme
temperatures and extreme places on and above our Earth.
"Peter Diamandis and Will Steger are both consummate explorers, each in
his
own very different, and very exciting way," said Reeve Lindbergh,
honorary
chairwoman of the Foundation and youngest child of Charles and Anne
Morrow Lindbergh. "Together they not only represent balance and the
Foundation's mission, they also reflect balance in human endeavors --
on this
planet and beyond?"
www.hometownsource.com/2006/M...ds.html
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Join the discussion - visit our blog Nanodot led by
Christine Peterson.
foresight.org/nanodot/
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Special thanks to Foresight Nanotechnology Challenges Research
Volunteer
Michelle Hubbard, MSc Candidate, Department of Biology,
University of Saskatchewan
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