Sciencehorizons encourages technology talk

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What will life be like in 2025? It is a thought to inspire hours of daydreams about robot butlers and flying cars.

If you have such fantasies, the UK government wants to hear from you via Sciencehorizons. Launched today by the Department for Trade and Industry, the interactive program will gather people's comments and concerns to help steer the direction of technology policy and regulation, said Minister for Science and Innovation Malcom Wicks.

"Science and technology is now an intrinsic part of our daily lives and this will only increase in the future," said Wicks. "Over the coming decades, we're going to have some huge ethical debates about science as new discoveries are made and new technologies emerge. We will all need to be part of making informed decisions about how we develop and use scientific and technological advances."

The project encourages members of the public to hold discussion groups - in schools, village halls or even the pub - using information packs available on the Sciencehorizons web site, and then send in the results to government policymakers.

"What's important about Sciencehorizons is that we're inviting anyone and everyone to get involved in the discussions, not only the scientists. We want discussions about science to involve the whole community," Wicks said.

Throughout the spring, public discussions will be held featuring students from schools across the UK.

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