News from the Bottom: The Backstory

Blogger's Note: As a bottom-feeder, myself, I of course had to get the lowdown on "News from the Bottom". When I discovered that, no, it was not a porn site, I reluctantly continued my investigations, primarily to determine whether these damned college kids are any threat to me. Aren't they supposed to be doing a lot of ("bottoms-up") drinking and dancing? I watch MTV, I know what college kids are supposed to do. But, no, these young folks decided to (imagine me saying this in a high-pitched mocking tone) "think about nanotech's implications." What a bunch of dorks. Anyway, I decided to let them speak for themselves. This is the only college bottom I'd ever hope to attract -- even back in my own dorky college days. -- Howard

By Ashley Shew
Associate Editor
News from the Bottom

News from the Bottom - the Only Online Student Journal of Nanotechnology's Implications - is proud to feature the work of students and non-academics on the societal, ethical, legal, epistemological, and historical implications and aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Written and edited by students, News from the Bottom's name refers to two things: Feynman's "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" speech envisioning nanotechnology and the bottom rung of the academic ladder (at which we are operating).

News from the Bottom is supported through the help of University of South Carolina's Honors College and NanoCenter. Founding editor Jamie McIntyre has experience in journalism and on research in the societal implications of nanotechnology. She positioned the journal to address a variety of issues with nanotechnology and to give voice to people of many levels.

Papers in Volume 1 of News from the Bottom come from a very varied group of people: from a law student who spent 20 years working in the electronics industry to we undergraduates who try to envision the nanoscale. The content in each issue has no less variety. Issue 2 features papers of students thinking about the medical implications of nanotechnology, about the way technological language can be incorporated into English language courses, about a code of ethics for nanotechnology, and about Indian music playing the nanoscale.

We invite papers from all levels of student and from regular joes. We're interested in incorporating voices that might not otherwise have a venue into a discussion on nanotechnology. We're students, and we're thinking about this stuff too.

Please check out News from the Bottom at http://schc.sc.edu/nfb/ or email us at NanoEditors@gmail.com.