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
Experiments in science engagement – the exquisite corpse!
Tim Jones has just posted a video of a new science engagement technique he's working on over at his blog Zoonomian. I was so impressed with the result that I asked his permission to post it here also. Before explaining what this is, take a look at the video - it's...
Nanotechnology: Weighing the risks of regulation
I’m often intrigued by the evolution of an article from its early drafts to the final version. To complement today’s commentary on nanotechnology regulation in the journal Nature, written jointly with David Rejeski, I thought it would be interesting to post an early...
Engaging the public on nanotechnology
Following up on my last post - Geoengineering the planet with nanotechnology ice-cream? - here's a short video Zoe Papadopoulou and colleagues put together on The Cloud Project from my visit in June: [flashvideo file=/movies/20090707/ice_cream.flv...
Geoengineering the planet with nanotechnology ice-cream?
Scientists and engineers have their moments. But it they are hard pressed to beat art students when it comes to sheer audacious creativity. Earlier this year I received an email so intriguing I couldn't help but follow up on it. The email was from Zoe Papadopoulou, an...
Industry critics give nanotechnology sunscreens the thumbs up
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) - a US-based non-profit organization committed to using public information to protect public health and the environment - has just released what is probably the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the safety and effectiveness...
Nanotechnology on Twit TV’s Dr. Kiki’s Science Hour
Just a quick post (at least, as far as the text goes). Last week, I had the pleasure of appearing on Twit TV's Dr. Kiki's Science Hour with Kristen Sanford and Leo Laporte. The conversation covered nanotechnology from every conceivable angle. I should have known with...
Can innovation tunneling help organizations survive disruptive change?
A couple of days ago, @michael_nielsen posted a thoughtful article on his blog tackling rapid and disruptive changes in the scientific publishing business - especially the challenge of overcoming organizational immune systems that actively obstruct change and...
Celebrity scientists – it takes more than stardust
It’s been a few weeks now since the men’s style magazine GQ launched the “Rock Stars of Science” campaign. I’m a staunch advocate of raising science’s profile, but the whole campaign has had me on edge, and I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on why. Was it...
Confluence: Where communication, coupling and control collide
Part 7 of a series on rethinking science and technology for the 21st century Yesterday, I listened to respected economists discussing geoengineering; gave a Skype interview on nanotechnology from the comfort of my own home; and watched as reactions to Michael...
Science influence on Twitter – June update
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 Friends.” Intrigued to see how these Tweeps' influence evolves over time, I will be updating these data...