Nano worries scientists more than public

Scientists worry more about possible health and environmental hazards of nanotechnology than the public according to a new study.

In the past, controversial technologies such as nuclear power, genetic modification of foods and stem cell research have all met with some public outrage but nanotechnology, so far, has not followed this trend.

The risks of nanotechnologies have not been researched in depth. Scientists responding to a survey of American households showed concern that new forms of nanotechnology pollution may materialise, whereas the public were more worried about a possible loss of privacy due to tiny surveillance devices and the loss of jobs. 30% of scientists answering the survey expressed concern about health hazards whereas only 20% of the public reflected these worries.

The study’s lead author Dietram Scheufele, Professor of life sciences communication and journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison said: “Nanotechnology is starting to emerge on the policy agenda, but with the public, it’s not on their radar.” Scheufele explains that the lack of news media on the topic has caused a communication gap. The worry is that this could undermine public support for funding of nanotechnology research in the future.

Nanotechnology is already in many day-to-day products; golf clubs, tennis rackets, food containers and sun cream but it may be public ignorance that explains the subdued public response. The results of this study hope to encourage scientists to build new channels of communication to spark public interest in the new technology.

The study appeared in Nature Nanotechnology.

Leila Sattary