Research in Action: There Was a Fly That Swallowed Some Nanonwires...

I'm missing something here. As far as I can make out, the purpose of the experiment was to get the picture? To what real purpose?

Sounds like a bet that was lost.

"This bright field image, entitled Carbon Nanowires in Daphnid, shows a live daphnid (water flea), a model system for environmental toxicology, after ingesting carbon nanowires made soluble in natural organic matter."

So what was/is the conclusion?

Looks to me as a pointless exercise or experiment without a real objective.

You would think that this type of toxicology research would be concurrent with the development of these materials, not with with their commercialization. But we know virtually nothing about how nanoparticles interact with biological and ecological systems (when not used purposefully, i.e. phosphorescent microscopy or drug delivery).... let me see if I can find that website.....

http://www.nano.gov/ ....why its right here..... the first article on the first page.

so that little bugs life (and ours) is the point.

Ed Bear