Nanotechnology is the catch-all term used to describe, in short, science and engineering on an insanely small scale. Carbon nanotubes – one of the more common nanoscale structures in use today – are long, thin cylinders of carbon roughly 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

These molecular scale tubes are stronger than steel yet lighter than aluminum and today, they are being developed for use in a variety of consumer products. But under a microscope, CNTs look identical to asbestos fibers, leading scientists to believe that they could cause similar health problems. In this video we traveled to North Carolina State University to meet Dr. Jamie Bonner to learn more about his research on the potential toxicity of carbon nanotubes.

“Could carbon nanotubes be the next asbestos?” asks Dr. Bonner. This is one of the questions that his research at NCSU seeks to address. “The truth is, we don’t really know.” Carbon nanotubes, he explains, are now being made in many countries worldwide. But they’re being treated the same as plain old pencil-lead graphite, rather than regulated like a new and potentially toxic substance.

“Right now,” says Dr. Bonner, “governments are moving ahead very fast in terms of pushing the technology and production issues, but the health and safety issues are really lagging behind.” So is this reason enough to halt research – to have some sort of moratorium on nanotechnology before we’re faced with a new epidemic of nano-linked disease?

“I would say ‘proceed with caution’ ”, says Bonner. “Almost any time we embark on something new that could be beneficial to society, there’s going to be risk. But we can minimize that risk if we put money into research and into the right places.” “It’d be crazy not to move forward with nanotechnology with all of the benefits it could bring…but at the same time we have to be careful.”