Overview
Français
ABSTRACT
Debates associated with the development of nanotechnologies illustrate the questions raised by technological progress in general. Although significant benefits are envisaged, presented and sometimes overrated by scientists, aside from the hopes raised and expected progress, questions are raised on how the consequences induced by these new technologies can be mastered; these questions, sometimes criticisms are raised by the scientific community as well as by representatives of associations from the "civil society". The aim of this article is to present this very rich debate via certain examples from three key sectors: nanomaterials and their applications in the domain of sustainable development, health and medicine, as well as that of information and communication technologies.
Read this article from a comprehensive knowledge base, updated and supplemented with articles reviewed by scientific committees.
Read the articleAUTHORS
-
Jean-Yves BOTTERO: CNRS Research Director at the European Research and Teaching Center for Environmental Geosciences, Aix-en-Provence, France
-
Jean-Marc GROGNET: Director of Research at the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA)
-
Louis LAURENT: Scientific manager of the Paris-Saclay campus project
INTRODUCTION
The debates surrounding the development of nanotechnology are a good illustration of the questions raised by technological progress in general. On the one hand, major benefits are glimpsed, presented and sometimes over-expressed by scientists, technologists and industrialists. On the other hand, alongside the hopes raised and the progress expected, questions are being raised as to how to control the consequences that these new technologies may entail, with these questions, and sometimes these criticisms, coming as much from the scientific community itself as from representatives of associations from "civil society". The aim of this article is to take the measure of this very rich debate through a few examples drawn from three key sectors: nanomaterials and their applications in the fields of sustainable development, health and medicine, and information and communication technologies.
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
CAN BE ALSO FOUND IN:
This article is included in
Eco-design and sustainable innovation
This offer includes:
Knowledge Base
Updated and enriched with articles validated by our scientific committees
Services
A set of exclusive tools to complement the resources
Practical Path
Operational and didactic, to guarantee the acquisition of transversal skills
Doc & Quiz
Interactive articles with quizzes, for constructive reading
Nanotechnologies: promise and debate
Nanotechnologies: challenges and risks
Bibliography
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
