Some forecasts have predicted the nanotechnology market to reach close to a trillion dollars by 2015, presenting investors with unique opportunities. However, the market for applications of nanotechnology is complex, multidisciplinary and highly segmented. It is therefore essential to gain an understanding of which market sectors nanotechnology is likely to impact most profoundly in the near term. That’s what we …
What Use Is Nanotechnology?
Technology Review, besides being a great magazine edited by Jason Pontin, who I have known since the heyday of Red Herring, also puts on some great conferences. So I was excited and honoured to be invited to EmTech Spain, a two day conference in Malaga focussing on emerging technologies. Along with my World Economic Forum colleague Javier García Martínez of …
Talking Cleantech In Melbourne
The Sir Mark Olifant Cleantech conference has been a lot of fun so far, from Eric Isaac’s opening overview of the the issues (and solutions) to Stefan Hajkowicz’s analysis of megatrends that will shape our future technology development. I’m still struck by how much cleantech seems to be focused in a few rather obvious areas, something which effectively prices a …
We Have The Technologies To Deal With Oil Spills, Why Don’t We Use Them?
Twenty Four hours ago my colleague Dexter Johnson asked my opinion about what nanotechnology could do to help clean up the huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and I reluctantly said “not much.” But this doesn’t have to be the answer, we probably have access to most of the technologies that we would need to make a big …
Geoengineering – Engineering an All Purpose Political Smokescreen?
There’s nothing like the mention of Geoengineering to get environmental groups even madder than putting a wasps nest down their trousers and beating them with a cricket bat, and for good reason. The idea that we could do something about climate change that didn’t involve re-engineering the political system would mean that we don’t have to live in caves, grow …
What is Synthetic Biology and Where Will It Take Us?
A twelve minute primer on synthetic and industrial biology and how just how much you can do in your garage or kitchen – from Rob Carlson taking tea with the Economist and discussing how we need emerging technologies to manage the risk of natural pathogens such as H1N1 or SARS 2.0.
Why We Won’t Grow Biofuels in 2029
Biofuels Watch has a little article entitled “Biofuels 20 Years From Now” which caught my eye not so much for its conclusion that we should grow non food crops such as the oily succulent Jatropha instead of maize, but for the woolliness, or at least the linearity of the thinking surrounding biofuels. There are two things happening here, and neither …
Time For A New Green Agenda?
Yesterday’s meeting started me thinking about why, despite some NGO finding another potential climate related catastrophe almost every day, there is a feeling of frustration and a lack of progress. It looks to be the fault of the Green movement itself. If we take a look at the history of the environmental movement, most if it sprang from the anti …