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Nano particles go by many different monikers: Quantum Dots, Nanostructures, Colloidal gold, Silver/Iron/Platinum Nanoparticles; but they all have one thing in common — they’re between 1 and 100 of a nanometer in size. How big is a “nanometer,” you say? A nanometer is about one-five-thousandth the width of a human hair. “It’s difficult to imagine dividing a meter up into a million pieces and then a nanometer is a thousandth of that. These are very tiny particles,” says nanomaterial researcher Pratim Biswas Ph.D. of Washington University in St. Louis. Today these microscopic molecules and atoms are being used in some very exciting research.

“These tiny particles could without a doubt go all the way to the placenta,” says Viennese Dr. Hans Peter Hutter. He added that nano particles can enter the body through the mouth, the nose, the digestive system or the skin. Once it is inside you, it can spread throughout blood vessels and individual cells. The effect of nanomaterials once inside the body is largely unknown, he warned. There are many potential benefits, as these particles can lead to stain-resistant fabrics, healthier food and effective cancer treatments; even so, Susanne Stark of the Consumer Information Association warns, “There are more questions than answers on the effects of nanoparticles.”

Despite rising worries over potential risks, 2009 has been a big year for the nano particle. MIT researchers discovered that nanoparticles carrying killer genes can effectively suppress ovarian tumor growth in mice. Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University researchers found success in animal trials of using a nano particle cream to treat erectile dysfunction, without all the usual side effects. University of Michigan studies confirm that a nanomaterial can be used to administer morphine on the battlefield, without dangerous side effects. Scientists at the Sharif University of Technology in Iran see promise in using coatings made of dioxide titanium nano materials to bolster the strength of steel and other building materials. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, silver nanoparticles are helping archaeologists examine ancient, diluted dyes by absorbing and enhancing the dye molecules, while also preventing fluorescent substances from reflecting too much light when a laser is shined on them. All these exciting breakthroughs are evidence that we can’t just walk away from this new science.

A History Channel documentary about threats to our world recently featured nanoparticles. In their “worst case scenario,” researchers wondered: What might happen if these little particles encounter a glitch in their programming and suddenly begin eating all the carbon-based materials on our planet? What if the glitch causes uncontrolled replication? Suddenly, these microscopic molecules will eat up every living thing on the planet, leaving a “grey goo” in its wake. This end-of-the-world theory seems pretty improbable, but it is important to study the risks and benefits of nano science.

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