Listen to the Future Tense Interview | How to Listen

Britain's Prince Charles recently registered his royal concerns on an unexpected topic: nanotechnology. As you might already know, nanotech refers to products and processes on an extremely small scale -- a nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Nanotech image courtesy of Accelrys.com

The prince likened nanotech to thalidomide -- a drug linked to widespread birth defects in the 1960s. In the U.S., the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology might not go that far, but nonetheless has concerns about nanotech. Executive Director Mike Treder says the center is most focused on a process called "molecular manufacturing." (Thanks also to CRN research director Chris Phoenix for important background information.) Jeff Horwich guest-hosts.

Start-up to Make iTunes Sing on Linux -- Linux users have requested this program more than any other, and now they may be about to get it.

Vonage Users Hit by Nationwide Calling Disruption -- Users of the nation's top independent provider of Voice Over IP telephone service suffered through a major outage Monday.

Giant Monitor Could Have Entertainment, Homeland Security Uses -- Researchers at Purdue are fine-tuning a 12-foot wide, high resolution monitor. It could be used in television production, or for viewing scientific simulations and satellite imaging.

Or for Duke Nuke'Em.