September 28, 2011 with Dr. Hildegarde Staninger.

In this modern age, we are experiencing the greatest technological growth in human history. Since the invention of the micro-chip, computers have become a inescapable and necessary part of our daily lives. From entertainment to health care to communication, we are constantly amazed at the technological advancements of modern times.

One of the most controversial of these advancements is that of nanotechnology; the development of materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres, a unit measure that is most commonly used on an atomic level, rendering anything of that scale impossible to see without a microscope.

While there are few practical applications of nanotechnology currently in use (scratch-resistant and stain-resistant clothing and material coatings are perhaps the most common), the theoretical applications are nearly endless, as this technology is still being studied and developed. Nanotechnology could be developed to improve medical drugs, allowing them to be delivered to specific cells and reduce side effects; to improve energy efficiency, such as developing a spray-on coating that can act as a solar conductor; tocreating lighter and stronger materials for uses as varied as aircraft construction to athletic shoes.

As with any technology in its infancy, there is a debate about the ethical implications of its uses. Author Michael Crichton famously wrote about a swarm of molecule-sized nanorobots that develop intelligence and become a large-scale threat in his novel, Prey. While this is perhaps the most popular – and fantastical – example of the potential consequences of developing such technologies, it does serve to open up the discussion about ethics and potential misuses of nanotechnology.

This week, Dr. Staninger welcomes in the first hour Dr. Daniel Moore, co-author of Nanoethics: The Ethical and Social Implications of Nanotechnology and member of the Hybrid Reality Institute, a think-tank that explores human-technology co-evolution and its implications for society, business and politics.

Dr. Daniel F. Moore: danielfmoore.com

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