Dangers of Molecular Nanotechnology (MNT) Prt 2

NANOWEAPONRY: THE NEWARMS RACE - Nanofactories make the manufacture of many kinds of weapons possible with incredibly accurate computerized systems. While older technologies were both difficult and costly, nanoweapons could be manufactured easily and quickly. Conventional style weapons made more powerful and new weapons such as poison-carrying nanorobots could be made by the billions nearly cost-free and delivered remotely. Once inhaled, they might even be tailor-made to kill only people with specific genetic signatures, thus used as a means for ethnic cleansing. An arms race could trigger reckless development and testing of new weapons with unpredictable results. Experts agree this is probably the #1 potential danger of molecular nanotechnology.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND EXISTENTIAL DANGERS - The use of nanofactories to make countless cheap, durable products could lead to 'disposable thinking' where products are created en mass and discarded in abundance, overwhelming recycling needs and the environment.

Poor nations might use biomass (carbon-rich trees) as fuel for nanofactories, leading to increased deforestation.

Experimentation in nano-augmentation of plants and animals (for example, to make them larger, smaller, faster, stronger, etcetera) could easily lead to runaway consequences in the wild ("green goo" vs "gray goo") that could threaten existing plants and animals, affect the food chain, and pose unforeseen threats to human life. This is a prime concern.

Ecophage ("gray goo"), though only a remote possibility due to the complexity of designing self-replicating nanorobots (replibots) capable of the task - and the heat signature the process would trigger that would alert watchdog systems in place — remains at least mentionable in that it is not impossible.

ECONOMIC IMPACT - Another high concern among the potential dangers of molecular nanotechnology is that many predict MNT will arrive suddenly and in full force. The sudden advent of nanofactories producing clean, cheap, durable, products would adversely impact most sectors in the job market. Skilled labor, factory workers, and many lines of distribution would no longer be needed as corporations switched to nanotechnology or folded. Stocks would be critically affected and the likelihood of economic upheaval, high.

DANGERS OF REGULATION - Though MNT has the potential to be the great equalizer, making products, medicine, and drinking water available to the entire world, its ubiquitousness would depend on how it is regulated, by whom, and to what purpose. Many corporations are likely to be motivated by potential windfall profits. They may legally protect then overprice nanotechnology, putting its benefits out of reach for those who need it most, while not passing the savings to the general public.

Other fronts of regulation also frame potential dangers of molecular nanotechnology. If development is too restrictive one set of problems is created (including inadvertent encouragement of a completely unregulated black market); and if restrictions are too lax, another set of problems is created (including possible damage to the environment and increased risk to the public).

UBIQUITOUS SURVEILLANCE - Again one of the benefits of MNT becomes a source for potential danger. Miniaturization of computer technology will allow unprecedented surreptitious surveillance of individuals. Spybots could be inhaled without even being aware. Increased computer power would allow a government to keep real time surveillance records on each and every citizen in a nation, no matter how large the population. The need to regulate the use of home nanofactories could conceivably be an excuse for such an invasion of privacy.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND ROBOTICS - One of the most controversial dangers of molecular nanotechnology is that it will open the door to computers that think faster than the human brain, giving machines a superior edge. As robotics and AI combine to relieve humans of doing tasks that machines can do better, faster and cheaper, some believe we may be paving the way to our own destruction. Will nations secretly create armies of AI-enhanced, nano-augmented (think bionic) supersoldiers to fight wars? Will politicians opt for AI-enhancements? Nano-augmentation? Who will it be available to, and are we as a race headed towards total dependency on machinery to the extent it becomes part of our biology? Will there be equity or will a new class divide be created, similar to that depicted in Gattica? If we do not embrace AI-enhancement and nano-augmentation will intelligent machines ultimately decide we are unnecessary?

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[furyberserk]

Humans can eat insects.

A single insect provides more protein than a large steak.

Reaction...

"I'm still not gonna eat a bug" - Humans are stupid :D

[hubbabubbarubbalubba]

This is extraordinary. Now people who say the human body is not a biological machine can go fuck themselves.

[trakkaton]

@ExtantFrodo

Wow, you are making a LOT of mistakes. It's not "us" who are going to war. We are slaves that are oppressed, exploited and murdered by the terror regime that rules the planet. THEY are the ones who pay gov hackers who work against us with our money, and they jail dissident hackers who want to free us with our money. You are living in Lala-land, not reality. Reality is not some open, free market of advanced technology. It's a huge concentration camp. And intentionally so.

[majoraswrath132]

@SovereignBeing

I laugh at your argument.

[ExtantFrodo]

which is the number one reason to get cracking with nanotech. Cheap personal spaceflight. Safe survival and maintenance in long term space habitation. Space, which affords abundance a billion billion billion times that of earth laughs at every war we have over resources. Laughs at the death we spew in this ridiculous effort to gain stupid crap that's available in such abundance.

[ExtantFrodo]

In fact there are free molecular modeling tools you can DL and start designing nanosystems today that you could implement the day nanotech assemblers become available. There's no NWO stopping you from making defenses against any offenses you can think of that they might implement. You might be the next "Norton Anti-virus" of the nanoworld. If you think the solution is going Luddite then you are sadly mistaken. Our destiny is the other direction. To the stars. Bringing life to the galaxy.

[ExtantFrodo]

@SovereignBeing Even if there are people who deem themselves part of "the NWO" their mindset is based on archaic, prenanotech mentality and economics. Almost everything set forth as their motive is rendered null and rather pointless in a post nanotech world. Expand your imagination as to how nanotech can be applied around every corner and every aspect of our world and social structure. Think about what YOU would like to have it do for you. It can probably be done.

[SovereignBeing]

@ExtantFrodo - well it appears u are not aware of the NWO agenda..

which is behind release this technology.. they want a world where any dissenters or free thinkers, will either be chipped and controlled or eliminated.. so being a subversive, i dont think i would have a choice.. i wouldnt trust any foreign chip in the body, how ever personally adaptable or creative enhancing u think it appears to be.. but of course we have nano tech so will no doubt be done without our consent..

[ExtantFrodo]

@SovereignBeing Oh it's much more than just not pushing buttons. Buttons don't give you full immersion feedback. Imagine being able to directly make motion pictures on a screen. It would be true parallel communication instead of this crappy limited serial verbal and written BS.

Borg? I guess some might go that route. I don't know that I would. I can see the privacy issue, but why do you presume you'd be controlled and would you not have a unique personality? These do not come default with BMI.

[SovereignBeing]

@ExtantFrodo - Well i didnt say they monitored u through RFID.. seems u know how they do it..

all im saying is i dont trust this tech, what would u personally use this for? to operate computers & machinery, so life would be easier without having to press buttons.? basically they want a borg race of chipped humans totally zombified and controlled, without any say in the most basic of personal rights, devoid of privacy and any hint of a unique personality..