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3D printing is allowing more complex three-dimensional structures to be manufactured than ever before. Could the convergence between this technology and nanotechnology eventually usher in a new era of artificial intelligence, asks Andrew D. Maynard.
Can peer review be improved by withholding information from referees? There is some evidence to suggest it might be, but the jury is still out, reports Alastair Brown.
Fumed silica has been used as an anti-caking agent in foods for several decades. Does new research suggest that the use of this engineered nanomaterial needs to be re-examined, asks Andrew D. Maynard.
DNA nanotechnology has proven to be a powerful approach for fabricating active nanostructures with biological functionality. Now, it is time to investigate more solutions from biology to downscale robotics, says Christian Martin.
Although numerous statements on ethics in nanotechnology have been published, they exist as seemingly disparate, stand-alone works. Inspired by a process that the field of genetic engineering went through in the 1970s, Chris Toumey suggests one way in which some clarity could be brought to the topic.
Nanomaterial risks are often considered in terms of novel material behaviours. But, as Andrew D. Maynard explains, does this framing end up obscuring some risks, while overplaying others?
High-capacity silicon anodes could improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, but their cyclability has been limited. Christian Martin analyses recent progress in nanoscale engineering that addresses this shortcoming.
Reflecting on a provocative report from 2002 on the benefits of fusing different technologies, Chris Toumey considers the importance of being realistic about the potential of nanotechnology.
Ten years after the publication of an influential report on the uncertainties in nanoscale science and engineering, Andrew D. Maynard asks, are we in danger of creating a new metaphorical grey goo?
Since the 1960s, improvements in integrated circuit design and processing have generated exceptional growth in the semiconductor industry. With feature sizes approaching a few nanometres and 450-mm-wide wafers looming, nanoelectronics is now facing its defining years, says Christian Martin.
