Nanoparticles are omnipresent. They are everywhere around and even inside us. They are not simply very small pieces of matter, they are different and consequently of very big interest for fundamental research. Nanoparticles are also a major topic in the media since a few years and this general interest is due to the numerous potential applications in various fields comprising catalysis, materials science, medicine, electronics or informatics. But nanoparticles also raise anxieties. They are invisible and it is not easy to understand or predict their properties, especially concerning our health.
This public lecture addresses the properties of nanoparticles and aims at giving an introduction to the fascinating nano-world. The reasons of why nanoparticles have extraordinary characteristics are discussed and several existing and possible future applications are demonstrated. Finally the dangers of nanoparticles are addressed and a rough guide in order to evaluate the existing or possible dangers of nanoparticles is presented.
This lecture will be held in English aims at the general public, no knowledge in physics or chemistry is needed.
