ABSTRACT

This chapter provides an introduction to two perspectives on nano images: that of nanoscience and that of research on the ethical, legal and social aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Nano images—images of objects or states of affair at the nanoscale—are increasingly found not only in the scientific literature, but also in documents on nanoscience and nanotechnology policies; in education and popularisations; and to an increasing degree in popular culture and art. For instance, at the time of writing, ‘nanoart’ had its own page in the English and Italian versions of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. Messages conveyed may be more or less intentional and more or less explicit from the perspective of the authors. For instance, when this brochure was published, the European Commission at the same time was spending money and effort to recruit women to science through their science-and-society policies.