Charles on Nanotechnology

[Kess]

Following the recent criticism of Prince Charles' promotion of alternative therepies by Professor Baum (give that man a medal! - in case anyone hasn't found it yet, the prof's original letter can be seen at http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/329/7457/118?ehom), it's interesting to see that Charles has spoken out again against the dangers of science, specifically nanotechnology (see http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=539977).

The following words of Charles caught my eye:

if we look at the EU's research programme for nanotechnology, only an estimated 5 per cent of total funding is being spent on examining the environmental, social and ethical dimensions of these technologies. That certainly doesn't inspire confidence.

Hmm, so what percentage of the billion-dollar alternative/complementary medicine market gets spent on research and testing to check that it really does work, then?

What exactly are the risks attached to each of the techniques under discussion, who will bear them, and who will be liable if and when real life fails to follow the rose-tinted script?

Again, wouldn't the "rose-tinted" jibe be better applied to those who happily follow Charles' alternative therepy route that (to quote Prof Baum) "places itself above the laws of evidence and practises in a metaphysical domain that harks back to the dark days of Galen".

OK, end of rant. Any comments?

 

[TeaBag420]

Your head's in the right place, but it's spelled "therepy".

 

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

If anything it shows even better Mr Windsor's fundamental inability to grasp science than his mad ideas on medicine. He wants more than 5% of the budget of this fledgling technology spent investigating risks that only arise at the wildest end of the spectrum of what nanotech might ever be able to do. I think perhaps someone should point out to him what nanotech currently does and how absolutely uncontroversial it is.

Just remember folks. Look at Charles and realise marriage between cousins is a bad idea.

 

[Soapy Sam]

Not if you do it all the time. You just have to cull the recessives.
I have no problem with that.
You have a problem with that?

 

[Zep]

I really DO thinks it's time to take Australia away from this ruling clique of clots, and fast-forward us into the 21st century. The Brits can do with them as they will (and I'd suggest there's a nice comfortable place for them on the far side of Orkney...).

 

[Kess]

Your head's in the right place, but it's spelled "therepy".

Duh! We're both wrong. It's therapy and therapies.

 

[Deetee]

If I remember correctly, Chuckie boy first got worked up about nanotechnology a few months back when someone forecast the planet being subsummed in a mass of grey goo. This was widely publicised at the time, but I thought had been completely debunked quite recently (but of course no widespread publicity came with it).

NE1 have info on this/a link?

 

[Dymanic]

Originally posted by Deetee


If I remember correctly, Chuckie boy first got worked up about nanotechnology a few months back when someone forecast the planet being subsummed in a mass of grey goo. This was widely publicised at the time, but I thought had been completely debunked quite recently (but of course no widespread publicity came with it).

NE1 have info on this/a link?

I first read about it here

"Plants" with "leaves" no more efficient than today's solar cells could out-compete real plants, crowding the biosphere with an inedible foliage. Tough omnivorous "bacteria" could out-compete real bacteria: They could spread like blowing pollen, replicate swiftly, and reduce the biosphere to dust in a matter of days. Dangerous replicators could easily be too tough, small, and rapidly spreading to stop - at least if we make no preparation. We have trouble enough controlling viruses and fruit flies.

The debunking I don't know about.

 

[Jon_in_london]

I really DO thinks it's time to take Australia away from this ruling clique of clots, and fast-forward us into the 21st century. The Brits can do with them as they will (and I'd suggest there's a nice comfortable place for them on the far side of Orkney...).

I think he should be transported to the antipodies