Forum Archive
Forum is an experimental program that engages members of
the public in conversations about the impact of science and technology
on the individual, society, and the environment. In the past, we've discussed a variety of topics including urban transportation, nanotechnology, and BODY WORLDS 2. Please follow the links below to find additional information about these topics as well as copies of the presentations and agendas for your reference.
- Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy (Forum)
- Climate change concerns, rising energy costs, and dwindling natural resources are causing people everywhere take a closer look at the relationship between human activity and our environment. The emerging field of nanotechnology presents great promise to address these issues, but it carries a great deal ... (details).
- Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology in Health and Healing (Forum)
- Using materials so small they're at the level of atoms and molecules, nanotechnology is widely seen as having huge potential in the world of medicine. It is already being used to create invisible sunscreens and highly specific cancer detectors, and many predict that nanotechnology will dramatically transform the medical world ... (details).
- Wind Energy and The Community (Forum)
- Offshore wind farms offer the promise of renewable electricity without the need for fossil fuels. As wind turbines become more and more efficient, policymakers and communities are weighing the environmental and economic benefits of wind-generated electricity against potentially negative impacts on wildlife, ... (details).
- Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology in Health and Healing (Forum)
- From invisible sunscreen to highly specific cancer detectors, new nanotechnology applications are everywhere, and they have the potential to dramatically transform the medical world. Should these treatments be available before we are aware of their potential risks? This free Forum was a combination ... (details).
- The Next Gold Rush: Bioprospecting, Medicine, and the Environment (Forum)
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The latest scientific discoveries enable us to harvest genetic materials from a wide variety of sources: the canopies of subtropical rainforests, the deep waters of oceans, and the steaming hot springs of our national parks. Through a practice called "bioprospecting," we are able to use these materials ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Revolutionary Science.
- Children and Computers: What Is the Recommended Daily Allowance? (Forum)
- Whether they're playing games, using the Web for research, or instant messaging friends, children of all ages are increasingly using computers. But how much of a role — and what type of role — should computers and online interactions play in their daily lives? The Museum conducted a series of four Forums on this topic ... (details).
- Nanofuture: Privacy and Security (Forum)
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Two forums were held on issues of privacy and security, heightened by anticipated developments enabled by nanotechnology. These were held before and after the videotaping of a "Fred Friendly Seminar" program, broadcast on PBS. Both of these events are described below.
Forums in this series:
Monday, ... (details).
This presentation is part of the ongoing series Nanofuture: Privacy and Security.
- The Body Worlds Forum Series (Forum)
- September 29, 2006 Over My Dead Body A collaboration between Forum and Lectures & Special Programs Where is the line between the sacredness of human life and death, and the use of human remains for display and education? Where do museums fit in? For decades, Connecticut's Mattatuck Museum has grappled ... (details).
- Nanotechnology: Risks and Benefits (Forum)
- This Forum hosted three events at the Museum in 2006. At the bottom of this page, you can download the agendas, discussion questions, and Powerpoint presentations from each Forum, as well as a collection of general nanotechnology resources and an introduction to nanotechnology written by Kristen Kulinowski of Rice University ... (details).
- Bionics and Prosthetics: Darth Vader and the Human/Machine Boundary (Forum)
- Engineers have to make tradeoffs when designing prosthetic limbs. By considering our personal preferences between the options, we increase our awareness of the decisions and limitations facing engineers. It also helps us think about the broader social implications as prosthetic research develops: Darth ... (details).
- Rethinking Urban Transportation: The Future (Forum)
- Every single one of us is an expert on transportation, because whether you walk, bike, take the T or drive, you get from your front door to wherever you are going. This forum addressed the question: how does the transportation system that you rely on affect your quality of life? Read about the issues ... (details).
