Approx 2.5 kg of carrots.

The other answers to your questions I will get when I can get some facts together.

They may end up supplying the cycle industry, too. I passed on the info to a pal who edits one of the the cycling magazines and her was very interested and is telling his industry contacts.

Why is Ron that anybody who expresses an opinion that is at odds with your own gets branded 'negative?'
Yes, I am sceptical, but I am also a realist. Somehow I can't see two fishing boffins getting a big loan to open a factory making fishing rods out of carrots?
If it's such a great idea and financially viable why not get these guys to go on 'Dragons Den' and convince them?
In fact I am so confident, I will donate £100 to any charity of your choice if carrot fibre rods have edged carbon fibre rods out of the marketplace in 5 years time.
The only way I will lose is if one of the major players in the carbon fibre production market latches on and converts their production to natural fibres.
Even then its too early to say whether its long term properties would be ideal for rods and poles.
One thing that wont happen is major manufacturers operating one plant for carrot fibre and one for carbon and poles.
If they make just one type of rod maybe, but the big players make everything from fly rods to 20m poles.
No, I reckon my money's safe...

I think the Common boastful expert has a point!!

I'll pop and see a therapist tomorrow!

Best book me in and all!

They certainly did not get finance just for the manufacturing of fishing rods form carrots. They are in the process of develping an engineering material that in time will replace carbon fibre in a lot of applications.

There is a problem with the supply of carbon fibre at the moment and other materials are needed to plug the gap.

I don't think such materials will have edged Carbon fibre fully out of the market place in 5 years, or even in 10 years. What I do think is that these materials will have secured a considerable slice of that market.

The carrots used are not as you think. They are mainly the residue or waste from the carrot farming industry that would in many cases be dumped.

Oh and both Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell were thought to be mad when they were young men.

And further.

I have just spoken to one of the technical sales managers at the company I represent in CT USA. Before her current position she was involved in nanofibre technology and research.

She referred me to the following website:

www.azonano.com

I will quote a few very important points in this website:

"Despite the hype surrounding nanotechnology, the progress achieved in the last 5 years is remarkable as shown by the dramatic amount of investment spending from both the public and private sectors which totals over $6 billion!!!

The result of this investment is now being seen in ultralight, ultrastrong materials that will give significant fuel and energy savings. Some spectacular materials have been developed, including low cost filtration media to give sterile water. There is also the control of structures and properties at sub-atomic levels not hitherto known to scientists and engineers.

Replacement of chips by superchips, lighter and stronger aircraft and vehicle components, super fuel cells and super batteries."

The manufacture of simple fishing rods and other sporting goods are only a small part of it.

Much of this is waiting in the wings to transform our lives during the next 10 years! Exciting times indeed!

Weapons?

Ron I don’t doubt the potential nanotechnology holds out for us in the future if it used for good, but Jonny says weapons and he’s right! Nanoweapons will make the nuclear weapons industry redundant overnight. They are, or I should say, will be, the ultimate equivalent of the perfect biological weapon that can be used against man or his weaponry in the most targeted of ways, that can’t at the moment be done with other biological weapons.

They could within seconds, when perfected, render a complete army unfit to fight for as long or short as you wanted, as those using them will have complete control over what and how those weapons do it.

I suspect “nanological” warfare note it was coined on FM first, is not to far away in the future.

Now than is scary! And something we should in my opinion be concerned about!

But we digress away from carrots and fishing rods here

Ron it's my understanding that type of technology these guys are using, is to strip out the pure nanofibre carbon tube from carrots for use in making the rods.

And there are some concerns being expressed already about the environmental and health effects to the workers working in this embryonic industry.

Yes Jonny and Phil, you are both right, nanotechnology has a tremendous number of applications in weaponry.

I believe the process involves extracting nanofibres from plants and mixing them with a resin and some carbon fibres.

How this is done is of course proprietry.

As regards environmental and health isses, much much much less than the manufacturung of primary metals.

With respect Ron your last statement is incorrect. Nano health effects are greater, as they have the ability to be absorption through the skin and will penetrate deeper into the lungs because of the minute size.

The human body has not evolved to cope with what is a man-made created substance of such microscopic size. The respiratory system evolved to trap particles of dusts in microns not nanocrons.

There is some evidence coming forward that workers in this industry are suffering interruptions in their DNA structure.

But you are OK if you are protected by a nanofilter.

Actually in the true metric system we should not use the term: "micron". They are in fact "Micrometres" but since this term is also applied to a simple measuring device, the term "micron" has necome common.

"Modifications of DNA" - yes.

The ultimate weapon? Are we that close?

If you ask me, we are!

I've had a quick scan of this .........
...... am I the only one who sees this for what it is?
....... or am I the only plonker by assuming everyone else is a plonker? ........
....... but really, I'm the only plonker, 'cos nobody else could be that dim!

......... you cant even make good wall-paper paste from carrots!!

......... it's not even April 1st.

This has truely been an interesting read but as yet no one has answered (or asked) the question that is most foremost in my mind-

Will fishing rods made from carrptt fibres help me to fish better in the dark?........

Only if you buy enough of them Budgie, their quiver tips are good though I bet.

"There is some evidence coming forward that workers in this industry are suffering interruptions in their DNA structure. "


if you don't believe him have a good look at the colour of dale winton.