From: Dickey, Michael F (michael_f_dickey@groton.pfizer.com)
Date: Wed Aug 28 2002 - 12:59:18 MDT
This is indeed very cool. My question is, Why hadnt someone come up with
this before? I mean, the Van Der Walls force is no mystery and hasnt been
for at least a few generations. Why didnt somebody relate attractive
abilities of multiple microscopic fibers utilizing the van der walls force?
Why did we have to wait to find an example of this in nature to realize its
possible. This is no hidden mystery in science based on some crazy new
quantum mechanical idea. Is it because the way science is taught? rote
memorization of facts with no emphasis on critical thinking? Is it because
people have to become too specialized (knowing more and more about less and
less, so to speak) to make it anywhere in science? Not enough 'thinking
outside the box' or thinking about the implication of things?
Inventors find new applications for existing technologies, they rarely
invent fundamentally new technologies, but often create revolutionary new
uses for existing ones.
Michael
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert J. Bradbury [mailto:bradbury@aeiveos.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 12:18 PM
To: Extropy List
Subject: Gecko's use nanotech
Slashdot had a comment on a CNN article that scientists
have unraveled what allows Gecko's to stick to walls.
Turns out they are using millions of hairs with tiny
pads that use van der Walls forces to bind their feet
to whatever surface they are climbing on.
URL:
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/08/26/science.geckos.reut/index.html
Cool!
Robert
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