The author surveys an "upcoming series of academic conferences will attempt to explore whether and how nanotechnology can address the principles of green chemistry and green engineering."

WorldChanging.org has a lengthy interview with Chris Phoenix and Mike Treder of the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, a non-profit group helping to make sure molecular manufacturing is developed as safely as possible. In the article they talk about their policy task force (which includes folks like Ray Kurzweil, David Brin, and Jaron Lanier), the risks and benefits of nanofactories, and why open source is so important to the responsible development of nanotechnology.

Scientists are calling for a public debate into nanotechnology to dispel fears about the new science and prevent it being labelled as "another GM".

The invisibly small particles and fibers that scientists are producing in the hot new field of nanotechnology pose health and environmental risks great enough to justify banning, for now, certain cosmetics now found on the U.S. market and also halting the deliberate release of nanomaterials into the environment, according to an independent report commissioned by the British government.

Analysts debate the prospects for the best and worst case scenarios for nanotechnology.

The far-fetched theory that nanotechnology could lead to a 'grey goo' catastrophe has captured the public imagination despite being discredited by scientists.

First it was "gray goo," the threat of self-replicating machines populating the planet. Now an environmental think tank is raising the specter of "green goo," where biology is used to create new materials and new artificial life forms.

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Nanotechnology -- the science of materials that are atoms or molecules long -- has the potential to transform the world we live in, making it more interactive, safer and healthier, he said. But the technology also must be watched carefully to make sure it does no harm.

Hoping to both anticipate pitfalls and head off a publicity fiasco, policymakers and scientists are promoting research and public discussion on environmental, ethical, economic, and other societal implications of the burgeoning field of nanotechnology.

A recent study on buckyballs and fish adds fuel to critics' arguments that nanomaterials might be an environmental hazard. Some seek special regulations, but others aren't concerned.