Imagine, molecule-size machine that could develop anything by simply
arranging atoms in the appropraite order.  this technology could make
anything, extemely fast and cheap, and make it perfect.  From reparing
te body internaly, to ultimat warfar.  This is called NANOTECH, the brain
child of K. Eric Drexler, a professor at MIT.  Has anyone else heard of this?

48 responses total.

This response has been erased.

Let me guess...

"Can you believe it?  You will.  It's coming from AT&T."

I've heard of  it. The name may be someones "brain child", but it has
been clear ever since the inudustrial revolution started that making
things smaller to accomplish things is often advantageous.

 But will it run WINDOWS 95?

   For a general understanding of Nanotechnology, read
_The Engines of Creation_ by Drexler.

   There are certainly dangers in this technology, just like any
other.  But I think that it will evolve slowly enough (to disagree
with Drexler on the speed) that none of the horror situations of
nanotech will come about.

        This item is now linked to cyberpunk.  Come join us in our discussions
of the fronteirs of technology.

I thought Drexler was out in California somewhere.

The final application of nanotechnology will be an insatiable,
self-replicating little machine that turns everything it touches
into worthless gray goo.  In a matter of hours, Earth will become
a ball of gray goo.  This may be inevitable, but I'm not exactly
looking forward to it.

You mean the equivalent of Vonnegut's "Ice-9" may become a reality?

If you want to see an interesting spin on nanotech, read "Blood Music"
by Greg Bear.  It give's a glimpse of what may yet be.  After all, you
and I are made up of thousands of tiny machines...

Chemistry aRe Me - Go! Ions! Go!

I expect that the biological nano-machines (both part of us and not) would
overcome the non-biological ones sooner or later.  Probably some virus
would be offended and would clobber the little robots before they got too far.

Nanobytes (ala troglobytes, etc) have had roles on several occasions
in Star Trek Next. They have been both good, and bad.

Gee, I wonder if there will be laws like the Fergeson Narcotics Law of 1912
that declares users that do not follow the directions of use for this 
comodity felons. Busted for recreating or gaining capital via nano-tech, the 
plot-lines for tv are endless.
And Murder VIA nano-tech, OOOh, so cool!

I've heard about nanotech for a long time. If you want to read two fictional
sources that deal with nanotech, read Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams and
Cyberpunk 2020 from R. Talsorian Games.

Actually, I think that the most likely form of nanotech will probably be
in the form of biologically manipulated living creatures.  Actually, come
to think of it, we have been doing this for a long time.  Beer is made 
this way, etc.

I want some nano-thingies that will massage the endings of all my pleasure 
nerves on command!  Who needs drugs!

HERE!!

Re #16: Yeah, and if you do that, we'll be attending your funeral in two weeks
<or however long it takes him to starve.>

What about water?  He'd be a goner in two days flat....

This is true. For those who don't know what's going on, someone here wants to 
wire their pleasure centers to a switch that they could throw every time they
wanted a jolt. This <as fun as it might sound> is stupid, because when they did
experiments like this in the 60's and early 70's with rats, the rats ignored
everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, food, sleep, sex, whatever- in order to  get
that all-important jolt. About a week later, the rats all dropped dead. Of
course if this person STILL wants to get it done, go ahead; just let us know
what type of flowers to bring to the funeral.

        Ofcourse people aren't rats and hopefuly would remember to eat
and drink :-).

For an interesting article on nanotech, see the issue of MONDO2000 with
musician Jane Siberry on the cover.  It's a quarterly, and I thnk this is the
last issue, not the current one.

        Nanotechnology is interesting but who want living
parasite changing things inside of thier body?
Just think if I wanted to assasinate a president I could develope 
a robot and place it inside his or her body. I love technology but 
I don't we are that mature for them at this time 

Huh?  You already have thousands of parasites living inside your
body, everything from mites in your eyelashes to E. coli in your
intestines.  I think your body would be hard-pressed to keep
working properly if you got rid of them all.

What I'm saying is that with new technology there most also
come a sense of responsbility.... I'm not willing to trust
the private sector or government when it comes to this 
type of technology... I don't think were morally responable yet!

I don't know maybe I'm paranoid when it comes to this type of tech
I visions of nanobots created to kill people
P.S
Humans have million of parasite living on and in them
we allso have an immune system to deal with them, but how does
our antibodies fight of a robot with A.I. ?

I am curious what is the "true" cutting edge of this technology. I have 
seen an episode of Star Trek where nanites take over, and in a WIRED issue
of scenarios, they talk about biochips with huge memory being invented in 
the early 2000s, but I have not heard what is going on right now. Is there
anyone on this confer that actually works with nanotechnology? How does 
nanotechnology differ from genetic engineering? Can anyone provide answers?

Nanotechnology is conceptual only. No one is doing anything. At this point
in time they can imbed lots of little motors, or strain gauges onto a 
chip, but most of what you read is sci-fi.

its pretty damn funny -  all the most interesting conferences on grex seem
to just DIE after not even a year.

Nanotech now in 1997 is relly becoming a huge issue im interested to see what
some of you haave to say bout this technology now 2-3 yrs latedr...

lets keep this one active!!!!

I 'm definitely interested in keeping up my end of the conversation, although
you might have to wait a week or two from time to time, because I read this
conference irregularly.

What is new with respect to nanotech to make it a huge issue?
there is all kinds of interesting research going on, but no clear
motion towards any specific applications happening that I know of

I have heard that someone has made nano-guitars.  Perhaps they will make
nanobots to play them?

Nanoguitars, with those tiny little strings, would be inaudible, because 
the pitch would be ultra-ultra high. Of course you could a zillion of 
them on one chip, and place it in the audio amplifier. Would anyone 
notice?

Well, the concept is cool anyway.  I mean, in my mind, why should anyone care
if a sports shoe is hyped by one sports star or other?  But aparently, the
idea is cool enogh to attract attention.  (anyone have a substatute for the
word "cool"?  "great" or "nifty" just doesn't cut it anymore.)
("hot" is a bit overused, and has sexual connotations--not that having sexual
connotations is a bad thing, it's just some great that doesn't have a sexual
meaning is a good idea  (grunt!))

I wonder if Nimrod (the Sentinal) from the X-MEN universe is a nanotechnic
creation???
This creation can be scary to ponder and it also can be just as beautiful...
just like nuclear energy...

Olmec (#23) has a point.  These things if developed as a weapon can 
be devastating.  These things can be tailored to kill nerve cells or 
or replace them!  Perhaps they control the pain receptors or 
something.   Unlike real viruses these nano killers are not worried 
about surviving.  I think the military will develop this first, kind of 
like the atomic bomb or the computer.

i think that development of technologies like this is rather
foolish...obviously it has many positive capabilities but look at how
dangerous it is. it reminds me a lot of nuclear energy...sure it provides so
much energy but it is so dangerous. you can make a hydrogen bomb as powerful
as you want(as long as you dont run out of hydrogen)...i dont know how someone
didnt stop to think of that before they developed the technology...i just
think we are making too many things that can cause major disasters 

All it takes for this type of thing to get out of hand is someone with the
tech to make some robots that turn evrything it touches to gold and then gold
will be worthless, allong with all the other tings we value most. Basically,
it will be fun for about 5 minutes, then it will get out of and and will
become annoying to the point where its lethal.

Hmm On the subject of microscopic weaponry, people should read "The Diamond
Age" by Neil Stephenson. It has loads of these things in it. 
(On the subject of gold, I'm not convinced that the unlimited supply of
formerly "precious" elements would have that severe an impact on the world,
except in countries which rely on them for their finances. The world economy
moved beyond the reaches of things like that ages ago.

in a more scientific light: to my greatest knowledge, the largest nanotech 
leap has been the theorizing and development of nanowires, which are carbon
complexes resembling extended bucky balls.  the wires are capable of carrying
charge and could be used as tunnels for directed ion exchange to pass signals,
but have so far not been fruitful.  if this is the extent of nanotech now,
look for electronic technologies in a closer future.

we are at a point, however, where silicon is not moving fast enough for us.
i suggest moving this dying conference towards silicon alternatives which may
be implimented in my lifetime.  for example, electronics based on light for
signal travel.  my two cents.

One thing I've always wondered about nanotech - prolly just because I don't
know much about it:  wouldn't something that small (a wire in the form of one
long molecule, for instance) be too fragile to be of practical use?

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss