GM moratoriums beginning to lift 29 November, 2007

Jenna: In an announcement yesterday, the Victorian and New South Whales governments have become the first in Australia to allow farmers to grow genetically-modified food crops.
Under pressure from the Federal Government and farming groups, the Government is preparing to lift the 4 year moratorium on the growth of GM Canola, with other states expected to follow the lead.
Supporters say the move will be a great boost to the Australian agriculture industry, placing farmers on a level playing field with their overseas counterparts for the first time, who have been benefiting from this technology for more than 10 years.
Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran has told The Sunday Age it is time for Australia to move on, saying he strongly believes in the environmental and economic benefits of GM crops, and that farmers have much to gain, particularly in times of drought, from growing GM crops such as wheat and canola that use less water and herbicides than conventional crops.

A fresh look at nano 27 November, 2007

Kristin: We’re pleased to welcome Daniel Tune to Bridge8 for the summer. Daniel has just finished his third year of a Bachelor of Nanotechnology degree and will be developing and refining some of our techniques for demonstrating nanotechnology in schools and to public audiences. We’re also looking forward to Daniel sharing his expertise with us!

Miniature probes resemble utility fog 22 November, 2007

Sarah: You may be aware of Bridge 8’s innovative Utility Fog workshop, featuring a mass of nanoscale robotic ‘foglets’, which float through space. A group of French scientists has come up with an interesting invention which is remininscent of foglets. The newly developed probes, which are approximately 2cm in diameter, are particularly unique in that they float freely in water and wirelessly collect and transmit information such as temperature back to a laboratory setting. Hence they can be used to track the paths of tiny heat packets which travel through fluids, and should one day allow accurate monitoring of oceanographic and astmospheric currents. Ooh la la, je t’aime French science.

NanoAromatherapy? 21 November, 2007

Jenna: Wake up and smell the pencil lead, says Japanese stationery and writing instrument manufacturer Pentel, who has combined the power of nanotechnology with the knowledge of expert aromatherapists to develop a new type of fragrant pencil lead called “Ain supplio”.

They have been able to trap sweet smelling fragrant molecules in nanocapsules, like tiny bubbles, which are then infused into the pencil lead. The microscopic size of the nanocapsules gives them extra strength to hold their fragrance for long periods of time; about 3 years if kept in the unopened package, 2 years if kept in their plastic case, and more than 3 months out in the open air.

The pencils come in three flavours; Refresh, Healing and Positive, and are made of ingredients such as rosemary, mint, lemongrass and green tea, specially designed to enhance mental learning capacity. 

I can hear it now…“Sorry miss, I can’t learn today, my pencil has run out”!!

A robotic cockroach? Read on! 18 November, 2007

Sarah: For those of you interested in robots, Science magazine has focussed a recent edition (volume 318, issue 5853) on these mechanical devices.  The best part is a free 30 minute podcast (available in MP3 and transcript form) which features a fascinating interview concerning robotic cockroaches. The cockroach microrobots have been created by a group of Belgian researchers in order to learn about the collective decision-making behaviour of these charming insects. While not physical mimics of cockroaches (thank goodness for that - gross!), the matchbox-sized microrobots are accepted into cockroach society as a result of being (1) pheromone-infused and (2) capable of physically wandering amongst the insect groups. The studies showed that cockroaches, although not examples of social insects like ants or bees, do make collective decisions about behaviours such as taking shelter.  Modulating the behaviour of the microrobots could be used to sway the behaviour of a whole group of cockroaches. I wonder if I could hire one of those things to persuade any cockroaches lurking in my house to march out into the waiting beaks of the resident backyard magpies? Forget about Jetsons-style mechanical help with mopping and dusting, that’s what I would call a useful robot.

Graffiti Lab Reminder 14 November, 2007

Kristin: Just a reminder that applications for the Graffiti Research Lab Masterclass close this Friday 16th November.  Bridge8 is currently identifying nanomaterials that can be provided for participants’ work and play. More information is available through the Australian Network for Art and Technology at www.anat.org.au/grl.

Nano revolution in data storage 6 November, 2007

Sarah: Looks like my recent wishes for nanoscale components to make my laptop lighter might not be that far-fetched.  Experts strongly believe that nanotechnology will revolutionise data storage within about 10 years, giving us lighter, more robust and faster computer devices. Computer World and physorg.com both addressed this issue in recent discussions. For example, developments such as Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) could allow components such as the disc drive and memory chip to be merged into one item, making MRAM a likely candidate for becoming the universal memory item in nanoelectronic equipment.  The new development relies on spintronics, whereby the quantum spin of electrons is harnessed to facilitate extremely rapid data stroage and retrieval. Traditional computer storage components rely not on the quantum spin of electrons, but only on their charge.  New material usage will also contribute to novel technologies, such as the changover from silicon to nanoscale metal and carbon components in transistors and electric circuits.  I hate to get all Australian Idol on you…..but that’s what I’m talking ’bout! Love ya Marcia.

Which one would you rather look like? 5 November, 2007

Jenna: Zinc cream may be an Aussie beach icon and also one of the best creams for protection from the sun, but, lets face it, for use as an all over body protection, it would be pretty unattractive!

Zinc cream is made of zinc oxide, one of the best blocking agents of UVA and UVB rays. In its natural form, zinc oxide appears white due to visible light scatter produced by its large particle size and poor dispersion.
An Australian nanotech company APT have developed a clear form of zinc by producing nanoparticles of zinc oxide which do not clump together and therefore do not deflect light in a way as to appear white.

This product has been named ZinClear, and has been used in the new ‘Invisible Zinc by Megan Gale’. Megan has said that she wanted a high protection product that she could wear everyday on her face and body without overloading her skin with chemicals, and use of the nanotechnology product ZinClear in her new suncare range was the answer.