Nanoethics Group to Discuss Human Enhancement - Nanotechnology Now, USA
Nanotechnology is expected to deliver applications to dramatically improve medical aid, some of which can also enhance "normal" human capabilities. The US military is already working on such innovations as an exoskeleton that gives superhuman abilities to its bearer, such as being able to leap walls in a single bound or change from flexible fabric into armor. Other performance-enhancing technologies may include making an individual smarter, more productive, more athletic, more attractive, and even live far beyond today's average lifespan. But such scenarios conjure up images of today's steroid use in sports and therefore the need for safeguards, bring back to the forefront such questions as: Is there a difference between therapy and enhancement, and if so, should there be limits to how and when we may enhance ourselves?

Testing tiny solutions - Daily Record, USA
Much is known about the benefits of nanotechnology, and more than 500 consumer products on the market already incorporate the science. But little is known about its risks, both to human health and the environment, and what types of public policies would protect consumers.
Researchers are interested in questions such as what effect nanoparticles have on the environment when they are disposed of in sewers or landfills, how they affect the human body and other living organisms when they are included in skin creams or even food, and how the technology should be regulated to ensure consumers are informed and safe.