Nanotechnology knowledge gaps
The majority of the U.S. public knows little to nothing about nanotechnology, according to a major national poll.
Nearly 60% of U.S. residents have heard “nothing” or “just a little” about nanotechnology, according to the first nationwide poll on the subject in more than 2 years.
Conducted by the independent research firm Peter D. Hart Research Associates and commissioned by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, the statistically representative poll of 1014 adults found that among all major U.S. demographic groups, most people willing to take a position on nanotechnology said its risks outweighed its benefits.
Older Americans and women are most likely to use consumer products containing nanomaterials, such as skin-care products and cosmetics, but the survey shows that these groups are the least informed. It also finds that most Americans believe that the federal government (55%) and universities and independent researchers (54%) have a role in overseeing scientific and technological advancements such as nanotechnology. The U.S. federal government’s role in regulating nanotechnology is currently being worked out.
