Commentary
Nature Nanotechnology 2, 732 - 734 (2007)
Published online: 25 November 2007 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2007.392
Subject Category: Ethical, legal and other societal issues
Scientists worry about some risks more than the public
Dietram A. Scheufele1, Elizabeth A. Corley2, Sharon Dunwoody3, Tsung-Jen Shih3, Elliott Hillback3 & David H. Guston4
- The Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 440 Henry Mall, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA;
- The School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, 411 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, USA;
- The School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 821 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA;
- The Department of Political Science, Arizona State University, PO Box 874401, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA.
Correspondence to: Dietram A. Scheufele1 e-mail: scheufele@wisc.edu
Abstract
A comparison between two recent national surveys among nanoscientists and the general public in the US shows that, in general, nanoscientists are more optimistic than the public about the potential benefits of nanotechnology. However, for some issues related to the environmental and long-term health impacts of nanotechnology, nanoscientists were significantly more concerned than the public.
