Re: The All-Purpose Nanite (was Re: "Cyberpower" and futur)

From: Eugene Leitl (Eugene.Leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)
Date: Fri Nov 29 1996 - 07:40:46 MST


On Thu, 28 Nov 1996, Chris Hind wrote:

> [...]
> >3) Do you have any idea how many people would die in nanowar?
>
> Depends. If the secret gets out like the atomic bomb did then many people
> would suddenly have nano as well as nano protection so it would equalize
> the effect. Perhaps then only 3rd worlds would be fighting with nano while
> the more responsible larger countries would use it as often as they use the
> atomic bomb which is fairly rare.

But don't you see that Drexlerian nanotech (if indeed feasible) means a
new energetic minimum for the area currently occupied by the squishy ecosphere?
Do you think the Blue Goo will be able to contain the explosive breeding of
Gray Goo?

Nope, camerado. What one might achieve (though I doubt it) is a tiny
movable "eye of the tornado" with the soft human in the midst, protected
by a bristling perimeter nanoguard. The entire biosphere will be slime.
These humans, which were unprotected, and these where a breach of the ice
occured would be slime. Virtually everything would be slime.

(After a while, evolution would start anew, beginning from this new
energy minimum. It might achieve sapience, time given. But it won't
feature any squishies).

'gene



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