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KB6
http://www.physorg.com/news109905815.html

"...the proportion who said risks will outweigh benefits increased 27 points, from 4 percent to 31 percent, after being read the statement about potential risks and benefits."
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Not surprising: Several studies have shown that most people place greater emphasis on potential losses than potential gains. This extends to things like investments as well as safety issues.
magpies
Well obv the general public doesnt have a high lvl of awareness of technologys in general... And its the Gov/Corps aim to keep it that way anyhow so what do you expect... Nanotechnology has like 1billion times more risks to humans as a race then smoking does so just think how hard the spinsters at nanotech gov/corps must be pulling strings to bend the light around the eyes of the average person. These technologys have been said by the makers of them that they will change the human race into something it is not nor has been... When push comes to shuv how much do you really wana be a part of the "borg" and do you really think the "borg" are gona give you a choice? Cause thats one way this technology could lead us.
kaneda
I have to agree with much of the article. I don't trust much of nanotechnology and certainly don't believe it will do all expected of it as it is small enough that it's size could cause serious problems for it's operation. There are always down sides, like nanodust being ideal for causing lung cancer.
soundhertz
People felt the same about any emerging and mis/non-understood technologies. But what mitigates the fear factor is when these new things cure people, make pain leave, rejuvenate them in general, thus staving off ever longer the pain of living with disease and fear of dying from it. Nanotech in synergy with robotics genetics and chemistry will provide for continuing advances especially medically. We have been seeing and have enjoyed the benefits of continuing advances almost at any point you care to look in the past hundred years plus. But it's growing exponentially not linearly so we are seeing a faster rate of discovery. That translates to a slower, but also on it's own increasing rate, of application. Sure there's going to be bumps in the road, but I don't see anyone rejecting the majority of new tech and it's applications, especially when it comes to health, medicine, or clean energy - when it comes to controlling or curing issues of great fear.

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