Science and Technology Innovation Program
Events
Public Awareness of Nano Grows - Majority Remain Unaware
Research findings released from the first major national poll on nanotechnology in more than two years indicate that while more Americans are now aware of the emerging science, the majority of the public still has heard little to nothing about it.
George Whitesides Discusses Converging Technologies
Professor George Whitesides, of Harvard University, sits down with the Science and Tech. Innovation Program to discuss Converging Technologies
The Promise of Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is used to make hundreds of different consumer products and is already revolutionizing medicine. The Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts, is assessing the enormous potential while keeping an eye on environmental and safety concerns.
Did You Feel It? Citizens Contribute to Earthquake Science
Thanks to new technology, people can immediately help seismologists assess the scope and impact of earthquakes by providing valuable firsthand data. The recent east coast quake, centered in Virginia, provided the back drop for our discussion with Colorado-based seismologist, David Wald.
Carbon Nanotubes That Look Like Asbestos, Behave Like Asbestos
A major study published today in Nature Nanotechnology suggests some forms of carbon nanotubes could be as harmful as asbestos if inhaled in sufficient quantities. The study used established methods to see if specific types of nanotubes have the potential to cause mesothelioma — a cancer of the lung lining that can take 30-40 years to appear following exposure. FULL STORY
The Politics of Search Engines
Helen Nissenbaum,Research Associate and Lecturer at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton UniversityRecent research articles by and other information about Helen Nissenbaum.
There's a Sensor in Your Pocket
Existing technologies in today's mobile phones and web services enable new approaches to citizen science, giving individuals and communities the power to shape the world around them in new ways. Read more in a paper commissioned by the Foresight & Governance Project.
Taking Games Seriously
The Wilson Center's Foresight and Governance Project recently convened game developers and policymakers to explore the application of computer games to challenges facing our public sector. The first "Serious Games Day" featured computer games that address issues such as government recruitment, first responder training, and budgeting.
