dmo@turkey.philips.com (Dan Offutt) (06/21/89)
Suppose active shields are not ready in time. Here is what I think will happen: Some people will build sealed domains based upon static barriers against nanomachinery. The biosphere outside of the sealed domains will be much altered and perhaps destroyed. Each sealed domain will have to be almost self-sufficient. Outsiders will not be allowed to enter a sealed domain because there are too many hidden corners in the human body in which hazardous nanomachines could "hide". But sterilization methods should be feasible for simple substances. Water can be distilled, for example. So a certain amount of trade should be possible. And it may eventually become possible to develop artificial immune systems for people, testing out prototypes in animals by exposing them to the outside world. Some of these sealed domains will be built to permit growth. People in them will sterilize raw materials from the damaged biosphere and use them to expan thier sealed ddomain. So, in the long run, the biosphere may be rebuilt into a network of carefully-interacting semi-isolated ecosystems, containing a small subset of species of living things now inhabiting the biosphere. Dan Offutt dmo@philabs.philips.com [In building your sealed domain, make sure that the entire exterior surface is of some substance which cannot be combined with oxygen for an energy gain. This leaves out plastic, metal, wax, tar, wood, and most common building materials besides stone or brick. However, stone and brick are porous. About the only thing left is glass. Don't throw stones... --JoSH]