The BBC amongst many others is reporting on an article in The Independent, author by Prince Charles, which warns of the possible serious ramifications of research into cutting-edge fields such as nanotechnology.
"Discovering the secrets of the Universe is one thing; ensuring that those secrets are used wisely and appropriately is quite another.
"What exactly are the risks attached to each of the techniques under discussion, who will bear them, and who will be liable if and when real life fails to follow the rose-tinted script?"
He expressed concern that only an estimated 5% of the EU's nanotechnology research budget is being spent on "examining the environmental, social and ethical dimension".
"That certainly doesn't inspire confidence," he writes.
What seems to have caused a slight furore in acedemic circles is his equating the risks of nanotechnology with the Thalidomide disaster. The full article can be read here. Prince Charles' commentary can be read here.
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