Welcome to the 2020 Science Archive
2020 Science started life in 2007 as a nanotechnology blog written by Andrew Maynard on SafeNano. In the following years it developed into a personal blog addressing emerging technologies, responsible innovation, risk, science communication, and the intersection between science and society more generally.
Andrew made he decision to wind the blog down in 2019 as his focus and writing developed in new directions. This archive contains most of the original posts (there have been occasional clean-ups of content). For more recent articles etc. please visit andrewmaynard.net. And thanks for visiting!
BROWSE THE ARCHIVE
Science influence on Twitter – August update
It's the middle of August, and time for my regular two-monthly update on science tweep influence on Twitter. Back in April I posted data on three indicators of "influence" for ~400 science-focused Twitter users - based on David Bradley’s list of “Scientific Twitter...
TED talks future-tech
I've just posted a series of five attention-grabbing talks on future technologies from TED (the Technology, Entertainment, Design conferences) over at Mashable, where I contribute the occasional guest blog. If you are more interested in the transformative power of...
New study seeks to link seven cases of occupational lung disease with nanoparticles and nanotechnology
A new study about to be published in the European Respiratory Journal links workplace nanoparticle exposure to seven cases of serious and progressive lung disease in China - leading to two patient deaths - and presses a number of "hot" buttons when it comes to the...
Nanoparticle exposure and occupational lung disease – six expert perspectives on a new clinical study
The recent tragic account of seven Chinese workers suffering—apparently—from nanoparticle-induced lung disease, is likely to raise serious concerns with anyone potentially exposed to similar particles. Yet without the benefit of insight from scientists and others...
Is nanotechnology poised for the ride of its life?
In the wake of a new study linking “nanotechnology” to two deaths and five additional cases of lung disease, the emerging technology of the ultra-small could be in for a rough ride. Yet the real risk is that in the rush to use or even abuse the findings, the science...
Reflections of a “scientific illiterate”
Reviewing Unscientific America: How scientific illiteracy threatens our future, by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum My name is Andrew, and I am scientifically illiterate. Just thought I’d get that off my chest! And before you protest too much, I do have some pretty...
Nanotechnologies – five years on
This piece was originally published by the Responsible Nano Forum as a foreword to reflections on the 5th anniversary of the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering report "Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties.” On July 29th 2004,...
TED talks science – 5 classic science talks, plus a couple of bonuses
The internet is littered with videos of science lectures and science talks - witness the recently posted "100 Incredible Lectures from the World's Top Scientists" for instance. But it's not easy to sift through the tedious, the impenetrable and the down right boring,...
Anything I can do, you can do better!
Art makes a mockery of experts and empowers the marginalized. At least that's how I feel at the moment! Having broadcast the news of Tim Jones' fabulous Exquisite Corpse of Science project, I thought it only fitting that I do what I've been telling everyone else to...
The biggest science-art project in history?
Okay, so there may be a dash of hyperbole there, but following up on the success of his Exquisite Corpse of Science project (see my previous post), Tim Jones is hatching an ambitious plan to create the world's largest interconnected montage of drawings representing...