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Public engagement resources for the Monday April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse
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Nano & Society Posters

Posters featuring the science and society connections for nanotechnology; accompanied by a facilitator guide.

DESCRIPTION

The "Nano & Society" poster series provide an entry point for exploring the relationship between nanotechnology and society. They can be displayed on their own, used to spark an open-ended conversation, or paired with suggested activities. Topics include acceptability of risk and promise of new technologies including water quality, energy, invisibility cloaks, tracking devices, sunblock, space elevator, nanobots, flying cars, and toys such as Benny the Bear, 

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - Does nanotechnology belong in toys showing a child holding Benny the bear
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - What would you do if you had an invisibility cloak?
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - What’s hidden in your sunblock?
  • Poster showing flexible solar cells in a ribbon
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - Why don’t we have flying cars?
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - Does nanotechnology belong in toys showing a child holding Benny the bear
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - What would you do if you had an invisibility cloak?
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - What’s hidden in your sunblock?
  • Poster showing flexible solar cells in a ribbon
  • Nanotechnology and society poster  - Why don’t we have flying cars?

DESCRIPTION

The "Nano & Society" poster series provide an entry point for exploring the relationship between nanotechnology and society. They can be displayed on their own, used to spark an open-ended conversation, or paired with suggested activities. Topics include acceptability of risk and promise of new technologies including water quality, energy, invisibility cloaks, tracking devices, sunblock, space elevator, nanobots, flying cars, and toys such as Benny the Bear, 

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES

OBJECTIVES

BIG IDEA

Nanotechnology is relevant to everyone’s lives, and has important societal and ethical implications.

LEARNING GOALS

  • Nanoscience and nanotechnology lead to new applications.

  • Like any technology, nanotechnology has risks and benefits.

  • Because nanotechnology has new applications, including innovative applications for known materials, we need to evaluate and reevaluate risks and benefits carefully.

  • It is important for scientists, engineers, government officials, and citizens to carefully assess the risks related to nanotechnology, and to implement safeguards protecting the environment, people who work with these technologies, and people in the broader community.

  • Values shape technologies.

  • Technologies affect social relationships.

  • Technologies work because they're part of systems.

NANO CONTENT MAP

Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do.

Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanoengineering lead to new knowledge and innovations that weren't possible before.

Nanotechnologies—and their costs, utility, risks, and benefits—are closely interconnected with society and with our values.

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2010
OWNING INSTITUTION

Arizona State University 

FUNDING

Developed for the NISE Network with funding from the National Science Foundation under Award Numbers 0532536 and 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.