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Fact or Fiction? employs graphic panels and constructible toy “nanobots” to teach visitors what’s real in nanotechnology, and what remains science fiction. Learn about the potential risks and benefits that could come with nanoscale robots, and the challenges that still prevent us from creating them. Build a toy nanobot—what could it do if it were real?

This illustration shows the circulatory system across 10 orders of magnitude. Using the conventions of visual perspective the image travels in one continuous “landscape” from the human scale at the top to the atomic scale in the foreground. Placing objects from the circulatory system in one frame clarifies the connections between components, highlighting the system’s reliance on structures at very different scales. This illustration won the NSF/Science Magazine Visualization Challenge in 2008. This illustration is available as a poster with annotated text, a banner, a poster without annotations or a graphic file, and also appears on the "Everything is Made of Atoms" Poster with other parallel zooms into a butterfly wing and a computer chip.

"Exploring Materials - Nano Gold" is a hands-on activity in which visitors discover that nanoparticles of gold can appear red, orange or even blue. They learn that a material can act differently when it’s nanometer-sized.

"Exploring Tools - Mitten Challenge" is a hands on activity in which visitors build a Lego® structure while wearing mittens. They learn that it is difficult to build small things when your tools are too big.

"Exploring Size - Memory Game" is a card game exploring the different size scales - macro, micro and nano - objects within these different scales and the way these objects are measured. Visitors compete to find matching pairs of cards.

This interactive component is about cutting-edge medical treatments that are being developed with nanotechnology. Gold Nanoshells, demonstrates how tiny nanoparticles of gold are being used to destroy cancerous tumors. Visitors inject gold nanoshell marbles into the bloodstream and watch as the gold nanoshells are absorbed by cancerous cells. The visitor then activates an infrared laser and watches as the laser heats up and kills the tumor cells while leaving the healthy tissues unharmed.

Creating Nanomaterials is an interactive, multimedia component of the Intro to Nanotechnology exhibit package that demonstrates how scientists are using the ability of molecules to self-assemble to create consumer goods with surprising properties. Visitors place and observe “molecules” on an air hockey table. When the air hockey table is activated, the “molecules” hover and assemble into patterns all by themselves—just like molecules in nanomaterials.

"Build a Giant Puzzle!" is a hands-on activity in which visitors assembly large cubes to make nano related images. They learn how different objects are related to nano.

"Exploring Products - Sunblock" is a hands-on activity comparing sunblock containing nanoparticles to ointment. Visitors learn how some sunblocks that rub in clear contain nanoparticles that block harmful rays from the sun.

Every time we use a credit card, swipe a subway pass, or send an email we are sharing personal information about ourselves. Just how is the information used? How do we balance an individual’s right to privacy vs. community safety? What do you consider a civil liberty? And who ultimately sets these standards? This forum asks participants to consider and discuss several nanotechnology application scenarios and the possible opportunities, impacts, risks, and benefits. Forum participants will deliberate in small groups and create a group response to the overarching question, “how can nanotechnology affect someone’s privacy”. Finally, each group will make a brief report to everyone on the group’s thoughts and recommendations.