Images and Imaginations: An Exploration of Nanotechnology Image Galleries

Throughout the brief history of nanoscience and nanotechnology, the prominence of digital images and animations is noteworthy. Many appear in online image galleries that provide an important public interface for presenting and promoting scientific research. In this essay, the authors examine a selection of images from image galleries, identify some of their features and functions, and discuss how the artistic and scientific conventions used to present these images define nanotechnology for both researchers and members of the broader public.