3 ms·

First off, radio waves have been pervasively bombarding us across a wide spectrum for nearly a century. Radiation and it's effects are well understood and quan

First off, radio waves have been pervasively bombarding us across a wide spectrum for nearly a century. Radiation and it's effects are well understood and quantified with fields devoted explicitly to the research of it's effects on humans. Animals have been continuously eating food food that's mutated since animals have been mutating. People have not been smearing engineered nanoparticles over their face and putting them into their body in these quantities for any appreciable amount of time, except around places like coal mines, heavy industrial areas (especially where exhaust from combustion), asbestos lined buildings, and all sorts of other fun places directly linked with mesothelioma.

yummyfajitas 16y ago
No, humans have been exposed to nanoparticles ever since the invention of fire - combustion of most solid materials generates nanoparticles. Humans have been engineering nanoparticles since the invention of Lustre (a type of pottery). The only novelty with contemporary use of nanoparticles is that we can now create a uniform mix of them - until recently we could only find nanoparticles mixed with larger particles. You are correct in your observation that dust can be harmful, and I would be surprised if concentrated nano dust behaves differently. In particular, a very real danger from spray on glass might be silicosis - a non-cancerous disease caused by occupational exposure to glass dust. I'm only responding here to the social phenomenon of "omfg, scary new technology, CANCER", I'm not trying to engage in amateur epidemiology.
- adrianN 16y ago
  And it turned out that the nanoparticles produced by combustion are pretty cancerous. That's the main reason why there are limits on their concentration in the air. The smaller the particles are, the more dangerous. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate#Health_effects http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate#Health_effects

yummyfajitas 16y ago

No, humans have been exposed to nanoparticles ever since the invention of fire - combustion of most solid materials generates nanoparticles. Humans have been engineering nanoparticles since the invention of Lustre (a type of pottery). The only novelty with contemporary use of nanoparticles is that we can now create a uniform mix of them - until recently we could only find nanoparticles mixed with larger particles. You are correct in your observation that dust can be harmful, and I would be surprised if concentrated nano dust behaves differently. In particular, a very real danger from spray on glass might be silicosis - a non-cancerous disease caused by occupational exposure to glass dust. I'm only responding here to the social phenomenon of "omfg, scary new technology, CANCER", I'm not trying to engage in amateur epidemiology.

adrianN 16y ago
And it turned out that the nanoparticles produced by combustion are pretty cancerous. That's the main reason why there are limits on their concentration in the air. The smaller the particles are, the more dangerous. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate#Health_effects http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate#Health_effects