Small Wonder: UW-Madison scientists are at the cutting edge of a technology with great potential and risks - The Isthmus, USA

Two years ago, Powell helped organize a conference at the UW-Madison to pull ordinary people into the nanotech debate; 13 citizens turned out for three days of intensive discussions with scientists. "We decided it would be nice to have these meetings where people could interact with the scientists," says Powell. "But we wanted it to go beyond that."

The conference also led to the formation of the Citizens Coalition on Nanotechnology, which continues to try to engage citizens, scientists and policymakers in discussions about this emerging field.

Nanotech watcher Andrew Maynard assesses its risks - The Isthmus, USA

Dr. Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor for the Washington D.C.-based Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, has spent the last couple of years trying to ensure that, as new nanotechnologies emerge, they do so responsibly. As an internationally recognized expert in nanosafety issues, Maynard speaks to people worldwide about the exciting possibilities and potential risks of the technology.

Enough talk already: Governments should act on researchers' attempts to engage the public over nanotechnology - Nature, USA
The benefit of the public engaging with scientists years or even decades ahead of the arrival of such technologies lies in the broadening of the bases of knowledge, mutual trust and — most importantly — critical appraisal.
Few governments have put solid investment in the one type of research most consistently and urgently demanded by these groups — on the health and environmental risks of technologies already embedded in hundreds of products on store shelves.
Regrettably, the governments of two countries that have taken strong leads in nanotechnology — the United States and Britain — have failed to respond.

A Citizen Jury for Science - Wired Science, USA

Teaching the public about science is a start, but it's not enough: that's not genuine interaction. Involving art with science is worthwhile too, but the art world can also seem rarefied and inaccessible. And trying to take scientists out of the ivory tower by framing science as hip and sexy is generally disastrous

Swiss Federal Offices publish Report on the Risks of Engineered Nanomaterials - providing solid ground for subsequent political actions - InnovationSociety, Switzerland

The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) have published the Basis Report to the Swiss Actionplan „Risk Assessment and –management of engineered nanoparticles“. The new report provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge in several areas. It serves as a basis to the deduction of recommended actions and measures to protect employees, the population and the environment.

Tiny particles that are used to tackle the biggest issues - The Guardian, UK
Nanotechnology - at the scale of about a millionth of a millimetre - is already being used in everyday objects, from trousers that have been coated with nanoparticles to make them stain-resistant to sun creams. But it can also be used to tackle big issues - and they don't come any bigger than global warming.

Sunscreen safety - MLive.com, USA
The Environmental Working Group has a new database rating sunscreens on how well they work AND how hazardous their ingredients are. The weird thing is that many of the top-rated products contain micronized titanium dioxide, which Consumer Reports recently issued a warning about.