macleod@drivax.UUCP (MacLeod) (12/02/87)
In article <1526@mmm.UUCP> cipher@mmm.UUCP (Andre Guirard) writes: >In article <1445@m-net.UUCP> russ@m-net.UUCP (Russ Cage) writes: >>In <2411@watcgl.waterloo.edu> kdmoen@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Doug Moen) writes: >>>[...] If it *does* turn out to be possible to build Grey Goo, >>>then by the time fabrication technology catches up, perhaps we can have >>>a wide spectrum of Goo killing techniques already available. Goo seems almost inevitable. It should not be a big problem, of itself; the definition of Goo (for those not familiar with the problem) is that of a nanomachine that will use any available energy and raw material to reproduce itself periodically. If it reproduces at 2x per year you have one problem, relatively minor; if it reproduces at 512x per minute, you have quite another. Goo will probably be built out of destructable materials, or with various lethal trapdoors, like death in sunlight or at some laser frequency. The real danger is heuristic Goo that changes its spots. It's at this point that you start to rely on Good Guy Goo that's smarter and replicates faster than Bad Guy Goo and lies down and dies altruistically when it's finished with the Bad Goo. The impact of this level of technology on society must not be underestimated. I think it may pick us up and tear along the dotted line. In some respects, the AIDS viruses look like engineered nanomachines. They attack the body in a way that's almost too clever for nature to have come up with; they are a meta-disease. Before the AIDS crisis is over, we may have to build up enough nanotechnology to confront AIDS on the viral level with tailored organisms that parasitize the AIDS virus or neutralize it in some other way. This should be the gateway to serious cellular-level nanotechnology, such as repair of damaged DNA, and should enable us to deal with cancer and other viral disorders.
bob@its63b.ed.ac.uk (ERCF08 Bob Gray) (12/04/87)
In article <2783@drivax.UUCP> macleod@drivax.UUCP (MacLeod) writes: >In article <1526@mmm.UUCP> cipher@mmm.UUCP (Andre Guirard) writes: >>In article <1445@m-net.UUCP> russ@m-net.UUCP (Russ Cage) writes: >>>In <2411@watcgl.waterloo.edu> kdmoen@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Doug Moen) writes: >>>>[...] If it *does* turn out to be possible to build Grey Goo, >>>>then by the time fabrication technology catches up, perhaps we can have >>>>a wide spectrum of Goo killing techniques already available. > >Goo seems almost inevitable. It should not be a big problem, of itself; >the definition of Goo (for those not familiar with the problem) is that >of a nanomachine that will use any available energy and raw material to >reproduce itself periodically. If it reproduces at 2x per year you have >one problem, relatively minor; if it reproduces at 512x per minute, you have >quite another. I can hear the squeals from the anti-nuclear type lobby already Can you PROVE it is safe? Campaign against the Grey Goo! prevent Nano-technology! and not a :-> in sight. Bob.
kent@soma.bcm.tmc.edu (Kent Hutson) (12/11/87)
In article <2783@drivax.UUCP> macleod@drivax.UUCP (MacLeod) writes: >In some respects, the AIDS viruses look like engineered nanomachines. Forgive me, but I don't quite understand that statement. Could you explain in more detail. When you talk of nanotechnology, does that include genetic engineering? You might also be interested to know that AIDS vaccine testing will begin in 1988 at six different centers in the U.S. Unfortunately, however, Dr. Robert Couch, director of the center here, said an AIDS vaccine is not likely to be available to the public before the mid-1990's. [information from Nov. 1987 issure of Baylor Medicine] >serious cellular-level nanotechnology, such as repair of damaged DNA, >and should enable us to deal with cancer and other viral disorders. There is very promising research being done in the area of DNA repair right now, here at Baylor College of Medicine. For example, there are researchers trying to use viruses as a vehicle to deliver functional DNA to the proper sites in a living animal's genome in hopes of correcting for the animal's own genetic defects. One of the problems (of many) is finding a form of the virus that won't mutate back into a pathogenic form. This sounds like what you consider to be a problem with nanotechnology. I still don't understand the difference between "nanotechnology" and present-day genetic engineering. Kent -- Kent Hutson Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas kent@soma.bcm.tmc.edu
glg@sfsup.UUCP (G.Gleason) (12/16/87)
In article <3278@soma.bcm.tmc.edu> kent@soma.UUCP (Kent Hutson) writes: >I still don't understand the difference between "nanotechnology" >and present-day genetic engineering. The difference is that "nanotechnology" is a broader class of mechanisms, not restricted to being composed of organic molecules. Drexler points to genetic engineering as being the present day beginnings of nanotechnology. Gerry Gleason
norm@mtgzy.UUCP (XMRN70000[bsm]-n.e.andrews) (12/19/87)
In article <3278@soma.bcm.tmc.edu>, kent@soma.bcm.tmc.edu (Kent Hutson) writes: > In article <2783@drivax.UUCP> macleod@drivax.UUCP (MacLeod) writes: > >In some respects, the AIDS viruses look like engineered nanomachines. > > Forgive me, but I don't quite understand that statement. Could you > explain in more detail. When you talk of nanotechnology, does that > include genetic engineering? > > There is very promising research being done in the area of DNA repair > This sounds like what you consider to be a problem with nanotechnology. > I still don't understand the difference between "nanotechnology" > and present-day genetic engineering. > > Kent > -- I've edited Kent's words somewhat. Here's what I propose as the significant difference: The most significant difference between nanoengineering and genetic engineering is that genetic engineering is based on organic chemistry, while nanoengineering is not. The nanomachines may be made entirely of inorganic materials. Some of what falls under genetic engineering could be included in the wider category of genetic engineering. The latest Scientific American has an article on nanomachines. Norm Andrews AT&T Information Systems Room MT-2C402 200 Laurel Avenue Middletown, New Jersey 07748 (201)957-5786 vax135!mtuxo!mtgzy!norm