I had no idea nano silver products even existed. No more bathing for me

Ever since they put silver in my socks, those magpies have been after my feet like vampires after the blood of virgins...

Yeah I'll be sure to watch out for nano-silver particles floating in my air and water.

Lets see smell bad and not get laid... or kill a fish?

Oh noez! This will kill the beneficial Lactobacillus in our guts!

Holy Cow, that article is full of misinformation. First of all, the silver nanoparticles did NOT kill those fish. It was another element used during the experiment that killed the fish. Second, it has not been proven that nanoparticles are harmful to us at all. In fact, the by-products of producing wine are considered more harmful than nanoparticles. Not to mention we breathe in nanoparticles every day in the form of carbon. There are so many harmful elements we deal with every day that we know are harmful that are not nanoparticles. Maybe we should be giving our attention to those? We really need some facts before we jump to conclusions. Nanotechnology really stands to benefit mankind and solve our energy problems by making more efficient solar panels, fuel cells and batteries. In fact, A123 Systems just came out with their Prius add-on that will get you over 100 miles to the gallon. It infuriates me when I see ignorant statements made like the one in this article. Simply uninformed.

@cronked:
We didn't know that cigarettes were harmful for years...you can't say that something is safe because it hasn't been proved harmful

Nano??? OMG Apple should sue them!!!!!!!

I take colloidal silver, aka nano-particles on a regular basis with no adverse effects, rather the opposite, helps with my sinuses.

Ever wonder what the nano-particles in spray-on anti-perspirants do to your lungs when they are inhaled?

Being designed to absorb moisture...that just can't be good for the lung tissue!

private companies are being used to determine the effects of nano particles.

there just hasnt been enough known about nano particles, apparently.

I honestly do not understand this thing for anti-bacterial stuff. Nano silver is now in washing machines, socks and air conditioners and we have sterilising hand wash and all manner of sterilising stuff for sale for use in the home. It's just crazy. Hospitals who need to use antibacterial agents and antibiotics, are running out of options due to the increasing resistance of the bugs because this stuff is everywhere.

This kind of thing is going to f*ck us from both ends, it poisons the environment and makes stronger more resistant bugs while at the same time reduces our immunity. Because the bugs aren't around for us to develop an immunity too until it's too late and we get hit by a super-strain like MRSA [en.wikipedia.org]

I urge you all to not buy into this kind of antibacterial sensationalist marketing. It's going to bite us hard in the end and by the time we figure it out it may be way, way too late. All because people can't stand smelly feet.

@iridius: Colloidal silver is only microscopic sized, nano silver is much smaller and usually applied to things as a coating. The effect however is similar, it's antibacterial.

The sky is falling! The sky is falling! We thought silver was good! Now it's bad! It's like eggs and milk and water and smoking!

Sheesh... For one, what problem is nano-silver really the solution to? To phrase it a little differently, do we really need nano-silver on/in any of our products? Second, even if it is on/in our products, how harmful can it really be? In sufficient quantities, anything can be fatal. I'm guessing there would have to be much more concentrated over a short period of time before it has any real effects on much of anything. And, if we're going talking about such concentrations, please let me know where I can harvest it. It'll be cost-effective to extract it judging by current market prices.

If we're going to ban nano-silver, we may as well ban dihydrogen monoxide.

@cronked: it still doesn't mean it doesn't have an effect on our bodies.

Anyways, as far as all the stuff...well, you know those NiCd batteries that are STILL used?
*Nickel-Cadmium*
Cadmium is actually just as (if not more) toxic than lead.

I mean harmful stuff is everywhere and we create it our selves.

Honestly, we still need to regulate all this stuff...anything can be bad if not in moderation.
Hell, you can even get water poisoning from drinking too much water!

"Honestly, we still need to regulate all this stuff...anything can be bad if not in moderation."

We need a Department of Moderation to monitor our habits.

I wouldn't mind being informed whether or not a product uses nanomaterials, but I hope they don't completely take them off the market (or create a byzantine regulatory structure that makes it too complicated/expensive to innovate in the market). You can't say something is harmful just because it hasn't been proved safe. And freedom includes the freedom to make choices others consider bad.

@cronked: Nanotech will change the world, but I would be very surprised if we don't get a kick from these things. Things like cells did not evolve in the presence of nano particles. We need to be very careful.

@Tired_: Did you read Friggs post? Using silver products can turn you blue! Permanently!

[www.doh.state.fl.us]

And if we are putting something in our body, it better be PROVED safe. You have it backwards. Glad to see you trust the Chinese and our pharmaceutical companies with your life.

I,m not surprised by this at all
I,ve always wondered how governments decide wot level of radioactivity is "safe" when we really know very little about the long term affects of exposure .
This is just another example of cost versus human life
Just my opinion

@cronked: this is less about Nanotechnology in general and more about nano-silver particles, which are small enough to do weird things to our bodies if we're exposed to them on a regular basis. This is all pretty standard science, look it up or something.

And yes, it has been shown to have a detrimental effect on fish habitats.

Unfortunately our society lives in the here and now - never thinking about the future or anything else. How much money can I make now? How can I remove this pesky sock-smell using a technology that may or may not kill us all 100 years from now? I won't be around by then so it doesn't matter because I will be filthy rich and won't have smelly socks in the grave. Humanity turned very selfish in a relatively short period of time in history. If we could all just think beyond ourselves just a little bit, we wouldn't have 3/4 of the problems or worries we have today.
Nano tech (and any other advancement)is great so long as it's used in a manner that benefits all life from concept to finish. If somewhere in the middle of the creation/supply-chain there's a hazard or a detriment - the whole concept failed.

OMFG we're all going to turn into giant Smurfs!

I suppose none of those idiots with stinky feet ever tried *washing* them.