Questions & Answers
This document wants to give some answers to questions concerning safety and risks in nanoscale
science. It does not claim to be complete but rather wants to give some basic answers intelligible
to all to a few important questions. A
detailed report on safety aspects
was published by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, on 29th July 2004.
Click question to see the answer!
Current Safety Debate
What is the safety debate in nanotechnology all about?
What demands are being made in relation to nanotechnology?
What is the position of the management team of the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) with regard to a moratorium?
Research in general
What is one to make of the comparison of carbon nanotubes to asbestos fibres?
Soot particles in the atmosphere are known to be toxic - is it therefore not obvious that nanoparticles are also toxic?
Are there already any studies on the effect of nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes on human cells?
Research in the NCCR Nanoscale Science
Are there scientists in the SNI who are working on nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes?
Does the research conducted at the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) carry any risk to the environment or the neighbourhood?
Are ethical and sociological aspects of nanoscale science also studied at the SNI?
What safety precautions are taken in our laboratories? How do SNI scientists protect themselves?
Is only basic research performed at the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) or are there also possible applications for the research?
What is the position of the management team of the SNI with regard to the safety debate in nanotechnology?
How will the issue of safety continue to be treated at the SNI?
Background Information
What are nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes?
What products are there already on the market which contain nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes?
What is the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI)?
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