Harvard and Nano-Terra Inc. plan to announce the exclusive licensing for more than 50 current and pending Harvard patents to Nano-Terra. The deal could transform the little-known Nano-Terra into one of nanotechnology’s most closely watched start-ups. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Harvard said that it would receive a significant equity stake in Nano-Terra in addition to royalties. The patents cover methods of manipulating matter at the nanometer and micron scales to create novel surfaces and combinations of materials. The New York Times

The "NanoMetro Mashup" map revealed that the two greatest areas of concentration can be found in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Boston metropolitan area. But nanotechnology shouldn't be thought of as something limited to those coastal spots. Forty-seven of the 50 states now have at least one nanotechnology company or academic research center. CNET News

For now, nanotechnology is limited to somewhat mundane applications, including stain-resistant clothing, transparent cosmetics and antimicrobial surfaces for medical and household products. Promoters, however, have not been shy about predicting how nanotechnology might transform everything from health care to energy production. But when the same folks talk to health and environmental regulators, those promises tend to be replaced with soothing assurances that there is no reason — at least not yet — to presume that nanotechnology is unusual enough to present unique regulatory concerns. The New York Times

A type of nanotechnology used in a wide range of consumer products to kill germs will be regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency as part of a change in federal policy. The EPA said Wednesday its decision will require manufacturers that use bacteria-killing particles of silver to provide scientific evidence that they won't harm waterways or public health. The Washington Post

Urgent research into the potential dangers of nanotechnology needs to be carried out in order to convince the public of its future value in fields such as medicine and computing, scientists urged on Wednesday. Reuters