• Technology

• Health

• Environment

• Project Co-ordinator: Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Rathgeber

• Contact: Dr. rer. nat. Stephan Lingner, Dipl.-Geol.

• Memorandum: G. Schmid et al.: Nanotechnology. Assessment and Perspectives., Springer 2006 (Wissenschaftsethik und Technikfolgenbeurteilung, Vol. 27)

• Duration: 07/03–06/06

• Funding: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

• Further Information on “Nanotechnology”

Nanotechnology is considered a key technology of the 21st century. It allows a far-reaching miniaturization and thereby opens ways to new products with enhanced and, in some cases, completely new functionalities.
Investigating this new technology raises questions that are traditionally dealt with separately by the different scientific disciplines. However, in order to provide decision makers with recommendations for action in the relevant societal sectors such as politics, economy and research, there must be a dialogue among the various scientific departments, transcending the borders between the single disciplines and dealing, not only with purely scientific and technological considerations, but also including such things as the philosophical aspects of science, as well as the pertinent economic and toxicological implications.
To serve as an example, the project examined areas of nanotechnology which are expected to assume societal relevance in the near future and how a scientific shaping of this technological development can be realized. In doing so, the definition of nanotechnology which the Europäische Akademie study group, devised, “Miniaturization and New Materials”, has been used.

Nanotechnology