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(Nanowerk Spotlight)
Not surprisingly, it has been scientists in The Netherlands - a country
that has long been conducting large-scale and long-term field studies
on the benefits of certain plants to mental and physical health
(scientists refer to this effort as the ?great coffee house
smoke screen studies?) ? that have come up with a nanotechnology
discovery that could well revolutionize many consumer products from
food to toys. |
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In a report released today, April 1, the Dutch scientists report that a nanoparticulate substance found in Cannabis sativa, also know as marijuana, has an amazing ability to kill fat cells in the human body.
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?After we discovered these amazing nanoparticles, which we tentatively
have termed ?splifferenes?, we ran a series of tests to identify the
most beneficial uptake route into the human body,? Arry van Dope tells
Nanowerk. ?We were a bit surprised that splifferenes retain their full
effectiveness to destroy both white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown
adipose tissue (BAT) only in aerosol form. This means that inhalation
appears to be the most effective way of benefiting from this amazing
substance.? |
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Splifferenes' amazing physical and chemical properties make them
suitable for a wide variety of industrial applications. For instance,
they are water-soluble and therefore can easily be added to all kinds
of food. Their physical toughness and high melting point means they can
be applied in nanofabrication techniques like atomic layer deposition
or spin-coating and applied as an ultra thin, only one atom layer thick
coating to any product. |
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| Molecular structure of splifferenes. This image shows the actual colors under an electron microscope.
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As far as physiological implications are concerned, Splifferenes start
their beneficial work immediately after they get into the bloodstream.
Basically, that means that as soon as you drink, chew, smoke or lick
any substance that is enriched with splifferenes, your body starts
destroying fat cells ? so effectively you will begin loosing weight
immediately. |
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Hoping to ride an early wave of commercialization, the Dutch research
group has already filed for patent protection and registered the
trademark ?Royal Spliffmeister Edition? for a range of planned
products. |
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An early adaptor of emerging technology, the adult industry is jumping
on the commercial opportunities that splifferene coatings could offer
for adult toys. Firms are falling over themselves in securing licensing
rights for the new coatings, and licking their lips in anticipation of
a new generation of nanotechnology enabled toys. |
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The hot new industry?s insider website Nanofetish.com
reports that a prototype pocket rocket called ?Deep Coat? is the first
product using a strawberry flavored splifferene thin-film coating. Tom
Peeping, the site?s editor, is convinced that nanotechnology will
quickly penetrate all areas of adult entertainment paraphernalia. ?Can
you imagine? he says, ?all these gorgeous stars in our industry never
having to go on a diet again? We have calculated that during an average
workday with the usual activities, an actress would consume enough of
these nano thingies to burn off an extra 2,500 calories!? He also
announed the first movie featuring splifferene products ? "Thong with a
Bong" ? to be released in the summer. |
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Moving over to the neighboring film industry, Hollywood is abuzz with
gossip about which stars already have undergone nanosculpting. This
experimental new cosmetic procedure uses subdermal injections of
concentrated splifferene solutions to eliminate undesired body fat
anywhere on the body. ?Has she been nano?d?? is has become an often
heard question at LA parties these days. Since it leaves no scars and
works within minutes this treatment appears to be the holy grail that
aging film stars having been waiting for. And you know that once
Hollywood stars have adopted something it won?t be long before it hits
the mainstream. |
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The nanotechnology community is so enthusiastic about possible
revolutionary breakthrough products that for instance the Project for
Exposing Nanostuff (PEN) has announced a new category called ?NanoHigh?
in its nanomaterial database, which just celebrated its 50,000th entry
(an amazing shape-shifting diaper with super soaky and aroma enhanced
nanofiber coatings and thin-film based acoustic alarm). The NanoHigh
category will include mood enhancing and stimulating botanical and
pharmaceutical nanoproducts. |
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?We are rigorously testing these products ourselves before we include
them in our database,? a lead scientist at PEN tells Nanowerk. PEN has
invited Nanowerk staff to participate in some of these highly
scientific tests and we will report about the results in an upcoming
Nanowerk Spotlight (tentatively titled ?The highs and lows of
nanotechnology?). |
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Not to be outdone, the Institute for Cool Nanotechnology (ICON) has
convened an international group to assess cultural impacts of
splifferene-based materials and products. A two-day workshop in May is
designed to engage an international, multidisciplinary group of experts
in developing a framework for understanding the interactions of
splifferenes with various sectors of society. Prior workshops focused
on predicting health-related impacts; this workshop emphasizes the
tools and practices needed to assess the hipness factor for
splifferene-based products. In conjunction with the workshop, ICON is
also sponsoring a product testing. |
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Conceding that ?we don?t have all the data yet to properly evaluate
this new technology? the U.S. administration nevertheless issued a
brief communiqué: ?Leadership in science remains vital to America?s
economic prosperity, energy security, and global competitiveness. This
technology not only provides critically needed short-term economic
relief but also represents a strategic investment in our nation?s
future. It will create thousands of jobs and breathe new life into many
local economies, while helping to accelerate new technology
development, renew our scientific and engineering workforce, and
modernize our nation?s scientific infrastructure.? |
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A usual, regulators are not too worried at this point. While the FDA
confirmed that it hadn?t heard about this new nanomaterial yet, the EPA
is contemplating setting up a study group to explore potential
implications of splifferenes in the food chain and the environment. ?We
are collecting data at this point,? said an EPA spokesman. ?As a
government agency we can?t be seen becoming to proactive. As always,
the Nanowerk Nanomaterial database is one of our most valuable sources
of information to get a grip on what?s going on.? |
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The impact of this discovery on the existing market for diet products,
a global $35 billion industry in the United States alone, could be
devastating. Not surprisingly, industry associations and spokes persons
for the large manufacturers are up in arms. |
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?We don?t think it?s safe,? says a spokeswoman for the Council for
Responsible Weight Loss. ?These European scientists are playing with
the hopes and fears of overweight Americans. While our main products
FatBuster and Sliminator are successfully being used by tens of
millions of consumers in the U.S., these nano things are just wrong.
Scientists shouldn?t put military-grade technology into our food. In
our opinion the consumer will never go for this and this whole
Spliffmeister business will go up in smoke.? |
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?The human body is not a test lab for Dr. Strangelove?s frankenfood,?
the clearly agitated director of the conservative think tank ?The Great
American Enterprise? tells Nanowerk. ?First of all, it?s a European
effort, and we all know that the Dutch almost share a border with
France. These liberal societies don?t value life as we do here in the
greatest country in the world. If we had wanted to invent this, we
would have. But the bottom line is that these so-called splifferenes
could easily destroy our American way of life ? imagine how many
industries and countless jobs would be destroyed if we only had slim
people run around.? |
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Already, giving in to enormous pressure from lobbyists, a group of law
makers from both parties are drafting a resolution that would make
Royal Spliffmeister products illegal to sell or possess anywhere in the
United States. An exception for medical reasons is likely to be
included. |
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Representatives of some of the large food manufacturers are less
pessimistic, though. One industry source, who spoke to Nanowerk on
conditions of total anonymity, actually was very enthusiastic about
this new research. |
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?We see a tremendous opportunity to use these new nanomaterials not
only to create exiting new, tasty no-fat products but we are already
working on extending this research to no-calorie, no-carbs, and
ultimately super tasty no-anything products. Thanks to the fluorescence
of splifferenes we now can even make our candy bars glow in the dark.? |
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Analysts are also taken with the market opportunities arising from
splifferene-based food supplements. Two of the leading nanotechnology
market research firms for once agreed: ?Finally there seems to be a
product on the horizon that could mean the long-awaited commercial
breakthrough for nanotechnology. There is a tremendous opportunity for
exciting, paradigm-shifting lifestyle products that will open a
completely new area of fun foods. We see huge business opportunities
across the value chain for outside-the-box product design.? |
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?South Beach, North Beach, whatever ? these diet fads are toast,? says
one of these analysts, who was testing a foot-long Spliffmeister
experimental product himself. ?Imagine? he says, ?you can now forget
about things like zero-calorie sodas. Just buy the regular, fully
loaded, good-tasting stuff and drink it with a splifferene coated straw
or glass. The splifferenes will completely neutralize your calorie
intake as you sip your beverage. And of course, Coke Nano and Bud
Nanolight are already in the making. By the way, say, why is the sky
turning pink??? |
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While we here at Nanowerk usually shy away from commercial predictions
and reporting on often wacky so-called nanotechnology products, we
totally buy into the bright future for splifferenes. As a matter of
fact, the Royal Spliffmeister will be the winner of Nanowerk?s first
?Nanotechnology Product of the Year? award, to be launched later this
year. |
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Finally, it?s safe to say that the commercial success for splifferenes
is as good as guaranteed now that these nanoparticles even find
approval among the otherwise techno critical crowd. Activist groups,
ranging from Fans of the Earth to Treehuggers United, after having
visited Dr. van Dope?s laboratory in Amsterdam for a live
demonstration, are united in their praise for the new substance. ?Who
would have thought that nanotechnology is so, like, exiting,? said a
spokeswoman. ?It opens up totally unexpected new perspectives and
experiences. This stuff is great ? never seen colors that clear! No
need to chill. Not only is the wow-factor surprising but we are not
talking creepy nanobot stuff here. This is, like, a totally natural
substance.? |
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By Michael Berger. Copyright 2009 Nanowerk LLC |
