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Home > News > Scientist Smackdown: Can Nanoparticles Damage Human DNA?

November 10th, 2009

Scientist Smackdown: Can Nanoparticles Damage Human DNA?

Abstract:
"Nanoparticles can cause DNA damage across a cellular barrier." That's the title of a paper published in Nature Nanotechnology that inspired a number of ominous news headlines (two examples: Nanoparticles ‘can damage DNA‘ and Nanoparticles can damage DNA at a distance: study). The stories that followed basically sang the same tune—that nanoparticles can damage our cells' genetic material even from a distance (a relatively short distance of four cells away). However, experts are speaking up in response to the media hype, and argue that this study should have never been covered in the news. This particular study has little relevance to human exposure risks, experts say, and it is deeply flawed in other ways [ScienceNOW Daily News]. At least one expert called the study "meaningless," however other scientists were more diplomatic and have pointed to a number of interesting questions the study raises that are worth pursuing.

Source:
blogs.discovermagazine.com

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