Nano for the Public: An Exploranation Perspective

Public understanding of contemporary scientific issues is critical for the future of society. Public spaces, such as science centers, can impact the communication of science by providing active knowledge-building experiences of scientific phenomena. In contributing to this vision, we have previously developed an interactive visualization as part of a public exhibition about nano. We reflect on how the immersive design and features of the exhibit contribute as a tool for science communication in light of the emerging paradigm of exploranation, and offer some forward-looking perspectives about what this notion has to offer the domain.Funding agencies: Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsradet)Swedish Research Council [2011-5569]; Norrkoping Visualization Center C (NVAB); NanoForm project organization