I’m always wary of popular science articles about my field of research: nanotechnology. For some reason (probably related to yet-to-be-invented nanorobots), the word nanotechnology strikes fear into the hearts of many. I felt I had reason to be optimistic, though, when a friend sent me a blog post about nanotechnology from the New York Times. The author, Diane Ackerman, consulted none other than Carl Sagan for her first book; I hoped she might be reporting on nanotechnology with the same perspective and insight.

Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case. I really enjoy Ackerman’s style (I have a fondness for literature in general and Walt Whitman specifically.) She could have used his poetry in explaining a nanoscience concept in a way that appeals to lovers of literature or science. Instead, she resorts to fear-mongering and misrepresentation of the fundamental science of these new technologies.

The Fletcher Lab in the Department of Bioengineering at Berkeley will host their annual art show on May 18, 2012 from 5-8 pm in the B1 Atrium of Stanley Hall. This year is the ninth annual Fletcher Lab Art Show.

I discussed the Fletcher Lab Art Show with Viviana Risca, a member of the Fletcher Lab. In the Fletcher lab’s original lab space, the only windows happened to be in the microscopy rooms and had to be covered.  As Professor Daniel Fletcher puts it, “We had quite a bit of wall space in our ‘urban cave’ but nothing much to look at.” Along with the original group of students and postdocs, he started the Lab Gallery, as it was originally called, as a way to stimulate artistic creativity, have fun, and invite others in the biophysics and bioengineering communities to get to know the Fletcher Lab a little better.