[extropy-chat] Smalley, Drexler and the monster in Lake Michigan

[Max M]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote:

> I think people are missing a couple of important issues here.  Right now
> a Drexler type assembler arm probably is *effectively impossible*.
> [And one can comfortably ignore nanorobots.]  The reasons are poorly
> developed methods and very high costs.

I usually don't post "me to" posts, but this is a very good overview of 
the possible routes to nanotech.

I strongly believe myself that the road to nano goes through enzyme 
chemistry. Ensymes are the closest thing to nanotech that we currently 
have a chance of understanding and synthesizing. They also have most of 
the features of small nanobots, fast, efficient and reusable.

Which is why protein folding and proteomics is so important.

Organic chemistry/biology also gives us a lot of flexible reusable 
designs to borrow from.



regards Max M Rasmussen, Denmark