From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Wed Aug 21 2002 - 13:05:56 MDT
>From: "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury@aeiveos.com>
>Yes Brian, but the problems with most materials constructed by
>oceanic life are the slow cell division time of eukaryotic
>cells (~24 hours) and the lack of nutrients (one depends
>on ocean currents).
>The approach I would like to take is to build things based on
>bacteria because the replication time can be < 20 minutes so
>you can build your structures much faster. It shouldn't be
>particularly difficult to add the biomineralization programs
>of diatoms or abalone to bacteria. You have to realize what
>humans are good at compared with nature -- mass transfer.
>So humans can construct large slurry pipelines or truck
>convoys to provide the necessary materials the bacteria
>need (other than those that can be obtained directly from
>the atmosphere). The combination of faster replication time
>and increased essential element availability allows one to
>grow things much faster than "natural" systems do.
And then all we need is a hot young geotech to do the design.
I thought this was excellently portrayed in Neal Stephansons
"Nanopunk" novel "The Diamond Age." ( or " A Young Ladies
Illustrated Primer")
Or say the ability to turn liquified insects into a fiber stronger
than kevlar at room temperature, the way any spider can.
Chapter 9 of "Natural Capitalism".
Brian
Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
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