vitrohype asked:

atoms into structures — playing with the building blocks of life itself, or in this case nanoblocks — theoretically anything allowable by the laws of physics can be created fast and cheap. Requirements include a few square feet for the nanofactory, the software, and an electrical outlet. Criminals, terrorists, disturbed individuals, governments, and antisocial groups of all stripes would be incredibly empowered by such technology. Additional potential dangers of molecular …

Personal Nanofactory

Britt Gillette asked:

The world of the post-Industrial Revolution is one of vast material wealth, where average citizens enjoy a lifestyle that in generations past would have been the envy of kings and queens. Yet, in spite of this great material prosperity, most of the world ignores God, believing Him to be irrelevant in their quest for personal happiness. Unfortunately, this will not change in the near future.

In the coming days, the indulgent opulence of this world will only increase. For the bible reveals that, in the last days, the world will be a place of unprecedented material wealth and abundance.

Ironically, emerging technological developments also augur a world of unrivaled wealth and prosperity. And the catalyst for this great boom will be a technology of tremendous power.

The Coming Era of Molecular Manufacturing

A significant breakthrough is on the near-term horizon for mankind. The development of a revolutionary technology known as molecular manufacturing (MM) promises to usher in a new era of material abundance never experienced in the history of mankind, and it promises to do so in an extremely short timeframe.

Molecular manufacturing is the ability to manufacture products from the bottom up, one molecule at a time, with atomic precision. The central component necessary for the development of molecular manufacturing is a fabricator. A fabricator is a nano-scale device capable of precisely positioning molecules. Once a fabricator has been created, humans can use computer software to direct the fabricator to secure and position compounds at the precise locations where chemical reactions occur. Using this method, a network of fabricators working in tandem (i.e. “a nanofactory”) could construct atomically perfect objects of any size by repeating this process over and over. A simplified way to visualize this concept is to think of a fabricator as an atomic magnet able to attract and repel molecules.

Once achieved, this advancement will result in an almost endless number of relatively cheap products whose flexibility, durability, and power will rival today’s products by several orders of magnitude.

Staggering Wealth Will Be Created

It’s quite difficult to underestimate the implications of such a revolutionary technological breakthrough. The process of molecular manufacturing will eliminate much of the cost built into today’s consumer products, costs such as manual labor, shipping, warehousing, distribution, factory overhead, and raw inputs. In fact, in many cases, common dirt contains most of the molecules necessary for manufacturing the most popular consumer goods. This means that MM will literally make most products “dirt cheap.”

As Mike Treder and Chris Phoenix point out in their paper “Challenges and Pitfalls of Exponential Manufacturing”:

“Exponential general-purpose molecular manufacturing obviously would be worth at least hundreds of billions of dollars, and perhaps hundreds of trillions. It is only a matter of time before the technology arrives, and when it does, the consequences could be staggering.”

Personal Nanofactories

Just as the personal computer launched the era of desktop publishing, the development of MM will launch the era of desktop manufacturing. In this era, the “personal nanofactory” will become one of the most important household appliances. In fact, in many ways, personal nanofactories will resemble a desktop printer or a microwave oven. As a result, individuals will be to produce most of the products necessary for meeting their daily needs at a fraction of today’s cost.

Steve Burgess describes how this will happen in his article “The (Needed) New Economics of Abundance”:

“The advent of PNs should bring the cost of most nonfood necessities to near zero. Much of the raw material for most objects we commonly use can be found in air and dirt, with a few fortified materials thrown in. If we build things from the molecules up (and conversely, break things down into their component molecules for reuse), materials cost will nearly disappear. Information would then become the most expensive resource. Meanwhile, computing power – information management – continues to expand exponentially even as its cost drops precipitously. Furthermore, as true artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, computers will become self-programming, and information cost may drop even more dramatically. It’s already happening. Today, most of our products contain greater and greater information content (technology) at lesser and lesser cost. It appears that even food eventually could be manufactured on the kitchen countertop at practically no materials cost.”

Human Creativity Will Be Unleashed

Molecular manufacturing will unleash an explosion of human creativity as information becomes more valuable than most of the world’s physical objects. The need for most of today’s workers will disappear, and with most of their necessities provided in abundance, people will be able to spend their leisure time engaged in creative pursuits.

As Mike Treder and Chris Phoenix further explain in “Challenges and Pitfalls of Exponential Manufacturing,” this creative explosion will markedly increase the productivity, size, and reach of the global economy:

“Given a portable, self-contained, self-building factory system that can make a wide range of products directly from blueprints in essentially unlimited quantities, it should not be difficult to design and rapidly construct new products, whenever and wherever desired. An explosion of creativity similar to the World Wide Web could develop quickly. The good news is that general-purpose exponential manufacturing could create a level of low-cost abundance far beyond the capabilities of any present-day economy.”

This low-cost availability will be enabled by the combined power of desktop manufacturing, computer software, and the Internet. Just as today’s software, music, and book downloads are sold at a fraction of the cost of their retail counterparts, tomorrow’s physical goods will be downloadable as well. Treder and Phoenix address this concept in their article “Three Systems of Action: A Proposed Application for Effective Administration of Molecular Nanotechnology”:

“It may be only a matter of time until the manufacture of products becomes as cheap as the copying of files. Molecular nanotechnology will help this process along, because the first practical self-duplicating factory will almost certainly be designed on the nanometer scale. A tabletop model might weigh a kilogram. The amount of raw materials required to produce a new factory might cost only a few dollars or Euros, and a well-designed factory could process that much material in an hour or so. Once one such factory exists, it and its copies can be used to make an unlimited number of tabletop factories, cheap enough to give away. Building a new product would be as simple as emailing its blueprint to the factory – which might be sitting beside your computer.”

In the same article, Treder and Phoenix further elaborate on the effects of molecular manufacturing:

“If personal nanofactories were ubiquitous, then their products would be readily available. The only limits would be raw materials – which would be completely renewable – and licensing fees for the products. If a product design were created and given away, as Linux is given away, anyone who wanted or needed one could have it. Any product that could alleviate poverty or suffering might be instantly available to everyone. As soon as a need was recognized, designers and programmers would be motivated by the desire to gain reputation through filling the need and by the knowledge that their work could improve the lives of millions of people.”

Solar Power Will Finally Realize Its Potential

Part of the reason material objects will become so cheap and abundant is due to the ability of MM to radically increase the efficiency of already existing technologies. Energy, which is today one of the costliest inputs in the manufacturing process, will become as cheap and abundant as sunlight.

In “Challenges and Pitfalls of Exponential Manufacturing,” Treder and Phoenix describe why this will be the case:

“The efficient, inexpensive construction of strong and lightweight structures, electrical equipment, and power storage devices would allow the use of solar power as a primary and abundant energy source. Computers and display devices could become stunningly inexpensive and available to nearly everyone.”

Solar power simply isn’t a primary energy source in today’s economy. But this isn’t because the technology doesn’t work or because energy corporations have successfully launched some worldwide conspiracy to thwart it. It’s because solar power isn’t as cheap and efficient as alternative energy sources like oil and coal. With the advent of molecular manufacturing, this will no longer be the case. Solar power will become the cheapest and most efficient source of energy on the planet.

In What Timeframe Will This Occur?

The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology estimates that it won’t be long before molecular manufacturing is developed. In “Estimating a Timeline for Molecular Manufacturing,” they state:

“Assuming all this theory works – and no one has established a problem with it yet – exponential general-purpose molecular manufacturing appears to be inevitable. It might become a reality by 2010 (assuming the possibility, which we can’t rule out, that a large, well-funded, secret development program has been in operation somewhere for several years), likely will by 2015, and almost certainly will by 2020. When it arrives, it will come quickly. MM can be built into a self-contained, personal factory (PN) that makes cheap products efficiently at molecular scale. The time from the first fabricator to a flood of powerful and complex products may be less than a year.”

Essentially what this means is that sometime between tomorrow and the year 2020, molecular manufacturing will become reality. And when it arrives, the world will be turned upside down.

What Does All This Mean?

What this means is that sometime very soon the world will experience great social tribulation and economic upheaval as the revolutionary changes of molecular manufacturing are thrust upon an unsuspecting global population. However, assuming a small group of people doesn’t monopolize the technology for themselves, the benefits of molecular manufacturing will quickly lead to an unprecedented degree of material abundance throughout the world.

And for those who are patiently awaiting the earthly return of Jesus Christ, the development of molecular manufacturing will bring with it many of the signs associated with the time period just prior to His return. For the bible states that, in the end times, the world will experience great social, political, and economic upheaval. And the bible also tells us that, in the end times, the world will become hypnotized by the creation of never-before-seen physical beauty, wealth, and prosperity.

The World in the Last Days

While most people associate the biblical tribulation period with unparalleled destruction and widespread misery, the bible reveals that some will experience abundant prosperity. We first learn this in Revelation Chapter 6, when the rider on the black horse appears:

“When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, ‘Come!’ And I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And a voice from among the four living beings said, ‘A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley for a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.’” Revelation 6:5-6 (NLT)

This passage foreshadows a time of great famine throughout the world. However, the command not to “waste the olive oil and wine,” both of which were luxury items when this passage was written, is a reference to the fact that some will still indulge in the luxuries of this world while others scramble just to survive. While the end times will herald scarcity and famine for some, it will feature wealth and opulence for others.

John’s Amazement

The unparalleled material prosperity of the end times generation is clearly illustrated in Chapters 17 and 18 of the Book of Revelation, where the apostle John is allowed to view the City of Babylon, the world center of commerce in the last days. The following verse summarizes his reaction:

“I stared at her in complete amazement.” Revelation 17:6 (NLT)

Many commentators believe John is left speechless because of the utter debauchery he witnesses in this vision, yet up to this point in time, John has been blessed with many extraordinary visions of the future. And none of them left him speechless and “staring in complete amazement.” Could it be that he was simply mesmerized by the worldly temptations available to those who inhabit this world of endless material abundance? Let’s examine what the bible says.

A Place of Extravagant Luxury

According to the bible, the earth – and particularly the city of Babylon – will be home to extravagant luxury in the last days:

“merchants throughout the world have grown rich as a result of her luxurious living.” Revelation 18:3 (NLT)

In fact, the desires of an overwhelmingly materialistic society will lead to great arrogance and pomposity on the part of the human race:

“She glorified herself and lived in luxury, so match it now with torment and sorrow. She boasted in her heart, ‘I am queen on my throne. I am no helpless widow, and I have no reason to mourn.’” Revelation 18:7 (NLT)

The following passages continue to point out the unparalleled luxury of the City of Babylon in the last days, citing her wealth as the source of worldwide weeping in the aftermath of her destruction:

“And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains.” Revelation 18:9 (NLT)

“The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and bodies – that is, human slaves. ‘The fancy things you loved so much are gone,’ they cry. ‘All your luxuries and splendor are gone forever, never to be yours again.’ The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out, ‘How terrible, how terrible for that great city! She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens, decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls! In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone!’ And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out, ‘How terrible, how terrible for that great city! The ship owners became wealthy by transporting her great wealth on the seas. In a single moment it is all gone.’” Revelation 18:11-19 (NLT)

As the bible makes clear, the end times will be a period of great material abundance. From the materialistic viewpoint of the world’s inhabitants, life on earth will resemble heaven. But due to their excesses, arrogance, and rampant sin – from a spiritual standpoint – the world will resemble hell.

The Church in the Last Days

In His message to the seven churches, Jesus issued a grave warning concerning the evils of materialism and arrogance. And although this warning is relevant to every Christian throughout the ages, it is thought by many to be a message specifically tailored to those living in the last days:

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen – the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: ‘I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me – gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.’” Revelation 3:14-19 (NLT)

The Christian churches of this generation bear a striking resemblance to the one Jesus describes in the passage above. Today’s church is one of passive indifference toward Jesus. Self-reliance, or reliance upon personal development mantras and gurus, has replaced reliance upon God. The prosperity gospel of “ask and ye shall receive” has replaced the salvation gospel of Christ and the cross. In many instances, contentment with one’s career, social, or economic status has replaced the need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In effect, the pagan god of materialism has become the object of our worship, and this is a road that leads to utter ruin.

A Promise from Christ

Despite the pathetic spiritual state of today’s church, all hope is not lost! Jesus follows His warning with a promise of victory for all who seek Him:

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. ‘Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.’” Revelation 3:20-22 (NLT)

So how does one become victorious? By loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul – for this is the beginning of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And with aid of the Holy Spirit, one can overcome the temptations of this world.

Remember, material wealth is not in-and-of itself a sinful thing. Only when we become attached to the things of this world, removing God from the number one position in our lives, do we allow the world to corrupt us. Therefore, it is we who are sinful, for we allow outside forces to distract us from God’s purpose for our lives:

“Happiness or sadness or wealth should not keep anyone from doing God’s work. Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 7:30-31 (NLT)

God’s Work

The people of the end times will be lovers of self – greedy, arrogant, and self-centered. But those who believe in Christ should ignore selfish desires and concentrate of the work of God, an endeavor which will provide everlasting dividends:

“Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NLT)

Material abundance should never be used to fulfill our own selfish desires. Instead, it should provide a position of strength from which we can serve others. Jesus used the stories of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31) and the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21) in order to illustrate the folly of abusing one’s position of material abundance. Whether poor or wealthy in this world, the ultimate goal of each and every person should be a rich and rewarding relationship with Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Our generation is one of enormous wealth and prosperity relative to previous generations. Unfortunately, this state of material prosperity has caused many to live their lives independent from God. They’ve simply forgotten Him, thinking they have no need for Him.

In the last days, this problem will grow increasingly worse as the world experiences an explosion in material abundance due to the development of molecular manufacturing. Yet, despite the fact that most people will realize material wealth beyond their wildest dreams, discontent will continue to plague mankind. Almost 2,000 years ago, James addressed the source of this discontent:

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can’t possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole motive is wrong – you only want what will give you pleasure.” James 4:1-4 (NLT)

A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only pursuit that will bring lasting contentment. Those who wish to know Him must realize that friendship with this world makes them an enemy of God. A person cannot serve two masters. For he will hate one and love the other. Those who wish to belong to Christ cannot serve both Him and their materialistic desires.

To this end, the Book of Ecclesiastes provides some astute observations which a wise person will take to heart:

“Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what is the advantage of wealth – except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers!” Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 (NLT)

Don’t live your life under a cloud of frustration, discouragement, and anger. This is the lot of those who seek out wealth in an effort to placate their emptiness. They hope to replace God with money! But those who are wise and live in the light will put God first, and He will give them ample reason for joy.

nanofactory

Britt Gillette asked:

This article continues our study of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. In Parts 1 and 2, we examined the riders of the white horse and the red horse respectively. We will now study the one who follows them, the rider on the black horse.

This third horse appears in verses 5 and 6:

“When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, ‘Come!’ And I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And a voice from among the four living beings said, ‘A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley for a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.’” Revelation 6:5-6 (NLT)

What does the symbolic language of this verse tell us about the rider on the black horse? We can identify several points:

1) He rides a black horse. The color black is a symbol of famine.

2) He holds a pair of scales in his hand. The rider (the Antichrist) will be in full control of the world. The scales in his hand indicate a need for him to carefully measure and ration the food supply. We know this because the next verse indicates a scarcity of food.

3) “A loaf of wheat bread or 3 loaves of barley for a day’s pay”. Three loaves of barley equal approximately one pint. This is generally regarded as a minimum sustenance diet. Therefore, this verse foreshadows a time when an entire day’s wage will barely yield enough food to survive.

4) “Don’t waste the olive oil and wine”. “Olive oil and wine” symbolize luxury items that were exclusive domains of the rich during the time the Book of Revelation was written. From this verse, we learn that the famine referenced in the preceding sentence does not affect the wealthy.

I believe the four horsemen in Revelation 6 represent the Antichrist and the initial phases of his rise to power. In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, I speculated the Antichrist might use molecular manufacturing to conquer the world. If this is the case, how do the actions of the rider on the black horse coincide with the development of molecular manufacturing (MM)? Is there any reason to believe this technological breakthrough, which will bring widespread abundance, will also be accompanied by famine?

Aside from the fact that scarcity and inflation often go hand-in-hand with war, and war is triggered by the rider on the red horse, ample evidence suggests molecular manufacturing will, of its own accord, lead to profound economic upheaval.

The Coming Economic Tribulation

The development of molecular manufacturing will usher in a time period of unprecedented economic tribulation, and no part of the world will escape its impact.

The development of molecular manufacturing will lead to the proliferation of nanofactories – small, portable, fully-automated manufacturing systems about the size of today’s washing machines. Supplied with basic raw materials, a nanofactory will be able to break down molecules and reassemble them into basic consumer products. A nanofactory will cost little to operate and will be capable of producing approximately two tons of products per day. As such, it seems likely that a single nanofactory could supply all the daily product needs of a typical contemporary American household at a fraction of today’s cost.

Nanofactories will be far more efficient and powerful than the factories of the industrial revolution. They won’t require large tracts of real estate, high-wage employees, high energy inputs, reengineered assembly lines, continual capital expenditures, or most of the traditional costs associated with the factories of past generations. In addition, because of a nanofactory’s precise placement of molecules, its products will be nearly flawless, yielding an error rate of less than one-tenth of one percent. As a result, basic consumer products will cost a fraction of what they cost today, and they will be far more durable and powerful.

But nanofactories will also be different for another reason – they will be capable of manufacturing copies of themselves. So instead of simply making basic consumer products, a nanofactory could also produce a second nanofactory. The implications of this are staggering. At low cost, a single nanofactory could conceivably produce two nanofactories, which could produce four, then eight, and so on. In a matter weeks, the first nanofactory could populate the world with billions of additional nanofactories. The world economic order will be thrown into a tailspin as entire industries literally become obsolete in a matter of weeks. The current global economic order based on the tenet of scarce resources will be turned on its head when faced with a world of sudden abundance. As Steve Burgess states in his work “The (Needed) New Economics of Abundance” – “Abundance, paradoxically, could be highly disruptive.” This means the seemingly miraculous benefits of molecular manufacturing will come with a price tag of global political, military, and economic instability.

Although the widespread deployment of this transformative technology will not be rolled out in a single day, knowledge of its existence and near future adoption will send shockwaves through capital markets around the world and literally crush certain industries. Molecular manufacturing will eliminate the need for much of today’s supply chain, including massive factories, transportation networks, and storage facilities. International trade will come to a screeching halt, as it will no longer be necessary in most cases (it seems likely some markets will continue to thrive, such as handmade Cuban cigars, authentic French wine, and a number of other historically sought after luxury items).

In a process we’ve come to know as “creative destruction,” many industries, such as shipping, distribution, commodities (including all generic/non-branded consumer products), commodity retailing, and petroleum, will likely lose over 90% of their current market value. On the flipside, some sectors of the economy, such as services, intellectual property, branded products, and prime real estate, will likely undergo a significant increase in value. Nevertheless, the short-term damage will be far-reaching, and the sudden and surprising emergence of MM will likely cause widespread panic in the short-term.

Millions will be unemployed. Personal fortunes will be destroyed. As a result, consumer spending will contract, creating a tenuous situation threatening a complete global economic meltdown. In the midst of this economic tumult, a temporary solution or an entirely new economic system will have to be devised in order to deal with the immediate aftershocks of MM’s introduction and the subsequent humanitarian crises.

Mike Treder, in his Future Brief commentary “War, Interdependence, and Nanotechnology,” discusses the many benefits and dangers of molecular manufacturing. One of the problems he tackles is the potential negative impact on the current economic system:

“We also must consider the potential negative impacts of advanced nanotechnology on our current socio-economic structure.

Low-cost local manufacturing and duplication of designs could lead to monetary upheaval, as major economic sectors contract or even collapse. For example, the global steel industry is worth over $700 billion. What will happen to the millions of jobs associated with that industry – and to the capital supporting it-when materials many times stronger than steel can be produced quickly and cheaply wherever (and whenever) they are needed?

Productive nanosystems could make storable solar power a realistic and preferable alternative to traditional energy sources. Around the world, individual energy consumers pay over $600 billion a year for utility bills and fuel supplies. Commercial and industrial uses drive the figures higher still. When much of this spending can be permanently replaced with off-grid solar energy, many more jobs will be displaced.

The worldwide semiconductor industry produces annual billings of over $150 billion. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the industry employs a domestic workforce of nearly 300,000 people. Additionally, U.S. retail distribution of electronics products amounts to almost $300 billion annually. All of these areas will be impacted significantly if customized electronics products can be produced at home for about a dollar a pound, the likely cost of raw materials. If any individual can make products containing computing power a million times greater than today’s PCs, where will those jobs go?”

Although we have faced the problems associated with job displacement in the past (i.e. the replacement of the horse and buggy industry with the automobile industry), these transitions usually took place over many years and decades. Following the development of molecular manufacturing, they will take place in a matter of weeks and months.

In the “Dangers” section of its website, The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology poses many questions about the initial economic shock of molecular manufacturing, citing the disruption of the current economic order as a strong possibility:

“The purchaser of a manufactured product today is paying for its design, raw materials, the labor and capital of manufacturing, transportation, storage, and sales. Additional money – usually a fairly low percentage – goes to the owners of all these businesses. If personal nanofactories can produce a wide variety of products when and where they are wanted, most of this effort will become unnecessary. This raises several questions about the nature of a post-nanotech economy. Will products become cheaper? Will capitalism disappear? Will most people retire – or be unemployed? The flexibility of nanofactory manufacturing, and the radical improvement of its products, imply that non-nanotech products will not be able to compete in many areas. If nanofactory technology is exclusively owned or controlled, will this create the world’s biggest monopoly, with extreme potential for abusive anti-competitive practices? If it is not controlled, will the availability of cheap copies mean that even the designers and brand marketers don’t get paid? Much further study is required, but it seems clear that molecular manufacturing could severely disrupt the present economic structure, greatly reducing the value of many material and human resources, including much of our current infrastructure. Despite utopian post-capitalist hopes, it is unclear whether a workable replacement system could appear in time to prevent the human consequences of massive job displacement.”

Many of these questions remain unanswered, and if the world continues to be ignorant of molecular manufacturing and its imminent development, these questions are likely to be answered for us by whoever develops the technology.

The Initial Economic Consequences

If international trade stops, if shipping and distribution companies go bankrupt, what will happen to those nations that rely heavily on imported goods? It will take at least several days if not weeks to outfit these nations with their own nanofactories and MM capability. As a result of this temporary initial disruption in the supply chain, the basic laws of supply and demand will determine the prices for the basic necessities of life. Although this will not be a permanent disruption, until enough nanofactories are deployed, it could mean these nations will face much higher prices and/or shortages.

Such a situation would likely result in massive inflation, government-mandated rationing, or both. Is this the meaning of the scales in the hand of the rider on the black horse? It is a possibility.

If Revelation 6:6 foreshadows a massive gulf between the living standards of the rich and poor, this would not be an entirely surprising outcome. CRN poses the idea that, even after its full-scale deployment, MM may not be the utopian dream for which people have hoped.

“The price of a product usually falls somewhere between its value to the purchaser and its cost to the seller. Molecular manufacturing could result in products with a value orders of magnitude higher than their cost. It is likely that the price will be set closer to the value than to the cost; in this case, customers will be unable to gain most of the benefit of “the nanotech revolution”. If pricing products by their value is accepted, the poorest people may continue to die of poverty, in a world where products costing literally a few cents would save a life. If (as seems likely) this situation is accepted more by the rich than by the poor, social unrest could add its problems to untold unnecessary human suffering.”

The idea that molecular manufacturing’s development will initially result in a global war followed by unprecedented economic instability directly correlates with the predicted behaviors of the first three horsemen of Revelation 6. The crippling of international trade, coupled with the bankruptcy of many obsolete industrial age industries, will result in worldwide economic upheaval. The idea that such a scenario might result in temporary food shortages or significantly higher food prices is more than probable. When taken in context with the characteristics of the white horse of Revelation 6:2 and the red horse of Revelation 6:4, it seems quite possible that the four horsemen of Revelation 6 foreshadow the development of molecular manufacturing, a revolutionary technology that may well be developed within the next 3 to 5 years, and almost certainly will be developed by the year 2020.

In Part 4, we’ll conclude this series with an examination of the rider on the fourth and final horse.

nanofactory

Britt Gillette asked:


According to the bible, in the last days, a unified global government will rule the world. The head of this global government, the Antichrist, is one of the more infamous figures in human history, and not a single individual on the face of the earth will lie outside of his jurisdiction:

“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

This global government will emerge in our generation because current technological trends will soon make it inevitable. The catalyst for this consolidation of global political power will be the development of molecular manufacturing (MM), a revolutionary technology of unprecedented capability and strength. It’s a technology that could arrive as soon as tomorrow and almost certainly will arrive within the next decade.

Molecular Manufacturing and Geopolitical Instability

International relations since World War II have largely been shaped by the existence of nuclear weapons. Likewise, the era to come will largely be shaped by the existence of molecular manufacturing. The development of MM will have a much more significant impact than the development of atomic weapons, and the stakes will be much higher. This is because world domination could easily be achieved with the creation of molecular manufacturing.

MM is the ability to manufacture products from the bottom up, one molecule at a time, with atomic precision. The development of MM will lead to the creation of the personal nanofactory, a desktop appliance capable of creating everyday products from basic feedstock (molecules). The consequences of such a technology are so profound, they are probably beyond the ability of a single individual to comprehend.

Since a nanofactory is capable of self-replication, the first could manufacture a duplicate copy of itself. Those two then become four, become eight, and so on. As a result, this compounding capital base could create a massive and decisive military force within days. As Dr. K. Eric Drexler described in his book, Engines of Creation, “a state that makes the assembler breakthrough could rapidly create a decisive military force – if not literally overnight, then at least with unprecedented speed.”

The Circumvention of MAD

Since the Soviet Union emerged as the world’s second nuclear power in 1949, international stability has been built on the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). The prospect of MAD has successfully prevented the eruption of World War III by making a potential military conflict between nuclear powers equally undesirable to each party involved. This has led many to believe that victory in such a conflict is unattainable. With current technology, this assumption is probably correct. However, once molecular manufacturing emerges, this will no longer be true. A MM-enabled power could easily circumvent MAD.

A nation in possession of nanofactories is capable of rapidly manufacturing and deploying billions of microscopic/macroscopic machines at relatively little cost. These machines could comb the oceans for enemy submarines and quickly disable the nuclear arsenals they carry. Similar acts of sabotage could be carried out simultaneously against land-based nuclear facilities and conventional military forces in a matter of hours, if not minutes. Rendering its enemies utterly defenseless, the MM-enabled nation could conquer at will without fear of nuclear retaliation.

The Race Toward Molecular Manufacturing

The development of molecular manufacturing opens the door for its initial user to completely dominate world affairs. A nation equipped with contemporary technology attempting to defend itself against a MM-enabled nation is akin to a small band of cavemen armed with rocks and spears attempting to overpower a modern day army.Given the stakes involved, it’s reasonable to believe multiple nations are currently in pursuit of a molecular manufacturing capability – just as Germany, Japan, and the United States covertly and simultaneously pursued the creation of an atomic bomb.

If Germany had been the first to succeed in the development of atomic weaponry, it’s almost certain that Hitler would’ve used this advantage to drive the Allied Forces from the European Continent, perhaps totally defeating the United States in the process. In contrast, the United States, as the world’s first nuclear power, could’ve used its position to prevent rival nations from acquiring the same capability. In fact, the United States could’ve used its position to create an impregnable world empire.

In similar fashion, the leading MM-enabled nation can create its own empire if it uses its initial advantage to prevent competing nation states from developing a molecular manufacturing capability of their own. However, in all probability, this is not just one of several options, but the only option. Unlike, the nuclear era, the prospect of MM proliferation is simply intolerable.

This is because of the inherent instability of an arms race between competing MM-enabled nation states. This nightmarish prospect is identified by The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology as one of the foremost dangers posed by molecular manufacturing:

“The nuclear arms race was stable for several reasons. In virtually every way, the nano-arms race will be the opposite. Nuclear weapons are hard to design, hard to build, require easily monitored testing, do indiscriminate and lasting damage, do not rapidly become obsolete, have almost no peaceful use, and are universally abhorred. Nano capability will be easy to build (given a nanofactory), will allow easily concealable testing, will be relatively easy to control and deactivate, would become obsolete very rapidly, almost every design is dual-use, and peaceful and non-lethal (police) use will be common. Nukes are easier to stockpile than to use; nano weapons are the opposite.”

CRN also agrees that a molecular manufacturing monopoly will be an attractive policy option for the nation that first develops molecular manufacturing:

“Each nation will see only a few possibilities: 1) an arms race that will probably be unwinnable since it will develop into a disastrous war; 2) developing ahead of everyone else and establishing dominance; 3) some other nation developing earlier and establishing dominance; 4) international cooperation and trust sufficient to ensure safety; 5) a multinational organization willing and able to keep the peace.”

“Option 1 is undesirable; Option 3 is probably unthinkable for any of the current large powers; Option 5 is probably unacceptable to the U.S., as the world’s sole superpower; Option 4 may be seen as unfeasible. Only one nation can succeed at Option 2. This implies that a preemptive strike option (whether military attack, or sabotage or derailment of nanotech development efforts) will appear very attractive to a number of powerful nations.”

If Option 4 were feasible, then we would have world peace now. Option 5 is only feasible if the multinational organization in question is given sufficient authority and military power to disarm and regulate the nations of the world. By definition, this would be a global government.

So, essentially, once molecular manufacturing is developed, the developing nation has two options:

1) Conquer competing nations so as to prevent them from constructing a rival MM capability.

2) Given the available options, it should come as no surprise that world domination will win out.

The Inevitability of Global Government

Once the leading MM-enabled power uses its advantage to destroy the potential molecular manufacturing capability of suspected rivals, it will then face a much tougher decision: how to go about governing the world. The leading nation will need to institute some form of a global regulatory body to insure that molecular manufacturing does not fall into the wrong hands. Only two choices seem viable:

1) Federalism – a centralized governing authority that oversees the entire world population.

2) Confederation – a loosely associated collection of states who work together to administer world government.

Option 2 would still require a leading authority to maintain a monopoly on molecular manufacturing and extinguish any attempts to create a rival power – whether that power be a nation, a group, or an individual. As a result, both options inevitably lead to a centralized global government – a global government that must maintain constant vigilance toward the possible threat of an emerging power. This constant vigilance will require continuous global surveillance.

A Surveillance Society

Imagine a scenario in which a single individual in possession of unrestricted technology and resources could conquer the entire world. This will be our world in the era of molecular manufacturing. With such high stakes and an almost infinite number of potential threats, the world population will require some means of defense. And that defense will require around-the-clock, ever-present surveillance of the world at large.

A system of safeguards will have to be constructed in order to prevent emerging nation states, terrorist groups, and individuals from breaching the peace. A single global government will go a long way toward eliminating military conflict, as there will be only one military power with a unified purpose. However, in the era of molecular manufacturing, competing militaries could rise quickly, and to prevent a loss of its governing monopoly, a global government will have to deploy unprecedented measures.

This surveillance could be “god-like” in scope – seeing everything, hearing everything, and knowing everything. Imagine “nanodust” – nanoscale cameras and listening devices as plentiful and as difficult to remove as common, everyday dust. MM will enable the construction of trillions of these sophisticated devices at negligible cost.

Outfitted with advanced artificial intelligence software, these devices could sift through continuous video and audio feeds, searching for predetermined patterns indicative of what the state believes to be “aberrant” behavior. This isn’t difficult to imagine. Similar pattern recognition technologies are already in widespread use. MM can simply extend these applications to encompass all speech and actions on the face of the earth.

With the need for constant vigilance against any potential emerging MM powers, global surveillance will have to be administered on some sort global level, meaning that a final global authority for resolving and enforcing international disputes must emerge. This is why global government is inevitable.

Why All This Is Relevant

Okay, so global government is imminent and inevitable. What’s the big deal, you ask? The reason this is such a big deal is revealed in the bible. Centuries ago, the bible predicted that a global government would arise in the last days, just prior to . And this global government will only appear on the world scene in parallel with the Antichrist, so we can’t speculate that it will exist for an undetermined time period before he appears:

“His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give their power and authority to him.” Revelation 17:12-13 (NLT)

Global government comes about as a direct result of ten kings freely providing their power and authority to a centralized global government. The establishment of this global government, and the rise of the Antichrist to administer it, is a monumental sign which heralds the soon return of Jesus Christ to establish His Kingdom on Earth.

The apostle Paul cited the appearance of the Antichrist as a necessary precondition for the “day of the Lord”:

“Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed – the one who brings destruction.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (NLT)

Conclusion

Although the “day of the Lord” (i.e., the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ) will not occur until the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) is revealed, the same is not true for the rapture of the church, an imminent event which can occur at any moment. The short timeframe for the development of molecular manufacturing and the inevitable global government that will follow it reveal that the “day of the Lord” is close at hand.

Since the bible reveals that the rapture of the church will occur at least seven years before the glorious appearing, we can be certain that the rapture is even closer. In fact, just like molecular manufacturing, the rapture is imminent. Therefore, as good servants of Jesus Christ, we should be ever watchful, faithfully tending to our duties here on earth. For our Lord will return at a moment when He’s least expected, and that moment will occur in our generation.

May He find us abundant with joy and overflowing with the Holy Spirit when He returns.

Nanofacs

HumbleLife asked:

Video found whilst running search for Nanotechology at the Creative Commons search engine. tinyurl.com

Nanofacs

Suzann Kale asked:


You hear nanotechnology used more and more often these days – and it has made some impact in everyday life. But the real change and payoff will occur much further down the road when real molecular manufacturing is possible.

Dr. Eric Drexler, author of Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation, has been pushing this field for twenty years, and it’s finally starting to go mainstream.

What Is Nanotechnology?

A nanofactory is Dr. Drexler’s concept for safe production of everyday objects from a desktop device that converts raw material molecules into finished products. In a matter of hours! Various predictions put the nanofactory in the 2020 to 2030 time-frame.

Once the basic capability exists to build large objects – such as a hand-held computer – from molecules and atoms, we will be able to build anything we want to build. This changes how life will be lived more than anything since the printing press.

How Will We Use Nanotechnology?

For example: Your health will be dramatically improved when your immune system has assistance in the form of intelligent virus detection capability. A tiny robot the size of a blood cell can add tremendous detection capability to your existing body immune system.

In a larger context, nanotechnology will allow the creation of incredibly strong materials that allow you to build such things as a global warming moderation system, or an asteroid defense system. Whereas such systems could be built now to some degree, those systems become cheap and readily available with the advent of nanotechnology.

Taking the meteor defense as an example, with today’s technology it would be a $500 million system to build something that could deflect a small meteorite from a collision course with the earth. It would be as complex as the International Space Station. Details of these systems are documented at NanoFuture2030.

Whereas with nanotechnology – and specifically with nanofactory manufacturing capability – you could:

send a fifty pound package to the moon, have that package mine its own resources from the surface of the moon, build a launch capability, throw completed spacecraft subsystems into orbit around the moon, and send that spacecraft off to an asteroid where it would set up, build, and implement a thrusting device on the asteroid that would move it away from a collision course with Earth.All this would occur without human intervention and without cost, other than the original package delivered to the moon.

This may sound like science fiction, but with nanotechnology in the mix, science will become much more powerful than anything we’ve seen so far.

Desktop Nanofactory

nanoquetz9l asked:

nanofactory

Personal Nanofactory

vitrohype asked:

are never built, or if they are, they use modern error correction software to never mutate? What happens if nanotechnology fulfills humanitys desires perfectly? In the next decade or so, a new type of desktop appliance will be developed—a nanofactory that consists of very many productive nanosystems—atomically precise nanoscale machines that work together to build bulk amounts of atomically precise products. The Foresight Technology Roadmap for Productive Nanosystems has identified a number …

Desktop Nanofactory

Britt Gillette asked:


This generation will witness the greatest technological breakthrough in human history, the development of molecular manufacturing and personal nanofactories. Molecular manufacturing (MM) refers to a process that builds complicated machines out of precisely designed molecules. This emerging technology will allow us to guide the molecular assembly of objects by mechanically positioning reactive molecules.

This new manufacturing process, sometimes referred to as molecular nanotechnology (MNT), should not be confused with “structural nanotechnology” which refers to the present-day and near-future incorporation of nano-scale elements in modern industrial products. Nano-scale components are already present in many products, such as fabrics, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.

But molecular manufacturing harbors far greater abilities. Promising to deliver a monumental impact on human society, molecular manufacturing will provide us the means to manufacture products from the bottom up and enable us to rearrange matter with atomic precision. Once molecular manufacturing is developed, it will provide us with a thorough and inexpensive system for controlling the structure of matter. In a relatively short time period following the development of the first nanofactory, mankind will appear to have complete dominion over the physical universe.

How Molecular Manufacturing Works

The central, but not the only, component necessary to achieve molecular manufacturing is a fabricator, or assembler. A fabricator will be nano-scale device capable of precisely positioning molecules. Using current computer technology, we could then direct fabricators to secure and position compounds at the precise locations where chemical reactions occur. Using this method, a network of fabricators working in tandem (such as a nanofactory) can construct atomically perfect objects of any size by initiating multiple sequences of controlled chemical reactions.

A simplified way to visualize this concept is to think of a fabricator as an atomic magnet able to attract and repel molecules.

How Molecular Manufacturing Might Be Developed

Molecular manufacturing will most likely be developed under the auspices of a massive governmental defense project for a major world power. Likely candidates are the United States, the European Union, Japan, India, Israel, or China – although most nations in the world community have developed limited nanotechnology initiatives. In all likelihood, the events of September 11th provided the necessary incentive for the United States (and other world powers) to undertake organized and concerted efforts to accelerate the development of molecular manufacturing. Given the enormous benefits, as well as the unacceptable national security consequences of losing this new arms race to an unfriendly power, it appears most capable nations have instituted such projects and are fervently racing toward the construction of the world’s first self-contained molecular manufacturing system.

Just as December 7th ushered the world into the Nuclear Age, September 11th will catapult us into the Nanotech Age. This gives ample cause for concern, because this might well lead to the premature development of molecular manufacturing, unleashing enormous power on a world unprepared.

Why Molecular Manufacturing Will Be Developed

National security concerns will constitute the initial driving force to develop molecular manufacturing and reach the assembler breakthrough as soon as possible. As Eric Drexler states in Chapter 11 (”Engines of Destruction”) of Engines of Creation, “a state that makes the assembler breakthrough could rapidly create a decisive military force – if not literally overnight, then at least with unprecedented speed.” Able to replicate swiftly, assemblers can become abundant in a very short period (if the self-replication period for an assembler is 15 minutes, then a single assembler can replicate into two to the ninety-fifth power assemblers in the first 24 hour period). Those assemblers can then be used to create weapons pre-designed in anticipation of the future development of molecular manufacturing, weapons capable of enormous destructive power – weapons that most people would find difficult to imagine. The leading force will hold unprecedented power over the nations of the earth. How it chooses to exercise that power should be humanity’s greatest concern.

In addition to its national security implications, molecular manufacturing promises to change every aspect of human life. Molecular manufacturing will also yield the following:

1) A cleaner environment

2) A reversal in the aging process

3) The eradication of disease

4) The elimination of poverty

5) Safer, inexpensive space travel

6) Acceleration in the development of advanced Artificial Intelligence

These changes will not occur in a vacuum. Literally overnight, the world political, social, and economic order will be thrown into a transition period marked by great upheaval. Dealing with the unintended consequences of molecular manufacturing, creating an immune system to protect ourselves from perceived threats, and establishing an entirely new international order that protects the sovereignty of free states and the liberties of free people will culminate in humanity’s greatest challenge. Many reasons exist to develop molecular manufacturing, but foremost among them is the idea that a totalitarian government could develop it first and decide these great questions for us. Winning this new arms race must be the number one priority of the Western Democracies, because to lose may well mean that free nations cease to exist.

The Dangers of Molecular Manufacturing

We must remain alert and vigilant to a number of potential dangers as we develop molecular manufacturing. One of the more commonly perpetuated concerns is the danger of a massive accident that may reduce the biosphere to “gray goo”. Many within the field of nanotechnology have expressed concern that a lab may accidentally set loose a runaway replicator in the environment. Using the earth’s biomass as a ready-made source of components, such a device could uncontrollably self-replicate across the globe like a mutant form of crabgrass, turning the planet into a sphere of “gray goo”. However, engineering such a replicator (if it’s even possible) will be quite difficult, and it’s highly unlikely to be the result of an accident. Such an accident is more likely to arise from the escape of a replicator consciously built for such a purpose. Such a replicator, in a controlled state, constitutes a new class of weapons of mass destruction. And the construction of such weapons raises speculation of a more serious concern than mere accidents and that is the threat of the deliberate abuse.

The most serious danger to arise from the development of molecular manufacturing will be deliberate abuse, abuse that could spring forth from many areas of society simultaneously. Our initial pressing concern will be the prospect of despotic governments or terrorist organizations possessing an unrestricted molecular manufacturing capability. This will remain a threat, but probably one with which we can deal. Despotic governments, such as communist China or the theocracy of Iran, can be quickly defeated (if we develop molecular manufacturing first) by the Western Democracies without loss of life on either side of the conflict and at little financial cost once molecular manufacturing comes to fruition. Advanced nanotechnologies will also provide us with new tools for tracking and capturing individual terrorists, and the defeat of state sponsors of terror will remove the effective safe havens terrorist groups rely upon for protection.

However, the diminished threat of nano-terrorism should not be confused with the death of terrorism. The conventional terrorist airliner hijackings of the 1970’s and 1980’s were effectively eradicated by the measures western governments adopted to combat them, but in its place, a new form of hijacking emerged – culminating in the attacks of September 11th. We can not afford to be asleep at the wheel when terrorists launch a nanotechnic September 11th. That is why development of an effective immune system to repel perceived threats must be a high priority.

The threat of terrorists and despotic governments wielding nanoweapons is formidable, but must not blind us to a more traditional danger. Our own democratic governments also pose an imminent threat to freedom and liberty. Two specific dangers seem to stand out – the danger of demagogues/mob rule and the danger of the ever-expanding power of federal government.

The development of molecular manufacturing will usher in a period of massive societal change and upheaval. Some people predict the ability of molecular manufacturing to create products absent of human labor will lead to initial unemployment of 40% or more. Such conditions make democracies ripe for the rise of demagogues, and the ability of molecular manufacturing to create a massive welfare state overnight without placing a considerable burden on that state’s resources will aid in that demagoguery. If the Western Democracies become the leading force, we must remain on guard against a modern day incarnation of Huey Long, or even a figure like Adolph Hitler, who may use class warfare to exploit weaknesses in our democratic institutions, chief among them a propensity for mob rule. Today’s nanotechnology advocates may be capable of creating a brilliant framework for an active shield and a new world order, but tomorrow’s politicians will have to implement it. Today’s nanotechnology advocates will most likely not wield this political power, and history does not favor our chances for electing benevolent rulers.

Assuming our leaders are just in their intentions and sincere in their motivations, we must develop a system that keeps in check the ever-expanding power of federal government. The past Century has experienced a trend toward decentralization via the spread of democratic institutions, free trade, outsourcing, the Internet, and any number of innovations. But for America, this Century has also witnessed an increase in federal power. Our tax burden is larger, and entitlement programs that didn’t exist prior to the 1930s threaten to bankrupt the nation. Why has federal power bucked the trend toward decentralization? Is it the result of an increase in wealth? Is it the result of class warfare? Could it be an inherent trait of developing technological societies?

The survival of freedom will depend on our ability to curtail the power of the federal government. In the Nanotech Age, a single terrorist will, in theory, be capable of constructing an overwhelming force and conquering the earth. Such an unprecedented threat to world security will call for unprecedented measures. With the power to regulate molecular manufacturing, a world government will have the ability to spy on every human on earth. The means to monitor every transaction will be available. Already “nano dust” has been created. Once it can be manufactured at low cost, billions of microscopic particles will be capable of listening to every conversation, recording every movement, and reading the correspondence of every human on earth. Once molecular manufacturing is developed, this “smart dust” will become cheap and plentiful. Citizens must then weigh the costs and benefits of instituting a society reminiscent of Orwell’s dystopian 1984 and one that elects for greater privacy, not only for themselves but for terrorists as well. A dire consequence of molecular manufacturing may be that free societies slowly devolve into totalitarian police states in an effort to combat both real and imagined terrorist threats.

This is a serious threat. In the present day, America practices a policy of risk management in regard to terrorism. Although a nuclear attack on New York City would be devastating, it would not signal the end of human life or liberty. However, a terrorist attack utilizing the full capabilities of molecular manufacturing is a different matter. Given its unacceptable consequences, America may see its policy transform from one of risk management to one of risk avoidance. And history illustrates that the only societies capable of combating terrorism with near 100% effectiveness are totalitarian in nature.

Precautions for the Safe Development of Molecular Manufacturing

A number of organizations and individuals are working diligently to insure the safe development of molecular nanotechnology. The Foresight Institute is the most prominent organization actively working toward this goal. Founded by K. Eric Drexler, author of Engines of Creation, the Foresight Institute has published an evolving set of guidelines titled Foresight Guidelines on Molecular Nanotechnology. These guidelines address specific design features as well as principles of development. However, much is left undone.

Nanotechnology advocates have yet to introduce a specific set of policy initiatives to be undertaken following the development of molecular manufacturing. Specific policies must be developed to deal with the implications of molecular manufacturing on the framework of international order and security, the world economic order, and safeguards must be put in place to protect our environment. In the end, no one will realize the benefits of molecular manufacturing if we fail to preserve human life and liberty. We need to start thinking in terms of the present, because I believe September 11th has greatly accelerated the timetable for molecular manufacturing development.

We must ask ourselves the following question: “If America were to develop a molecular manufacturing capability tomorrow, what measures should be taken to establish a new world order that preserves human life and liberty?” Should we allow other nations to develop a molecular manufacturing capability? If so, how do we guard against the possibility of an unstable arms race or destructive war? How do we build a meaningful immune system to guard humanity against existential risk? Dealing with the myriad number of questions raised by the ascendance of molecular manufacturing will constitute humanity’s greatest challenge to date.

The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology is currently engaged in answering many of these policy questions. Distancing itself from many of the broader issues under the umbrella of The Foresight Institute, The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology focuses its efforts on studying, clarifying, and researching the policy issues involved in molecular nanotechnology’s development – political, economic, humanitarian, and security issues. I encourage others to visit and contribute to their site.

In addition, Eric Drexler has provided two starting points for further research and debate. Chapter 12 of his book Engines of Creation, titled “Strategies and Survival,” and part of a 1988 Foresight document titled “A Dialogue on Dangers.” Ultimately, there are no guarantees that the transition from the industrial age to the information age will be safe and comfortable, nor are we guaranteed it’s a transition we will survive. Only our present-day efforts and our efforts following development of molecular manufacturing can insure that this era of the human experience is one to be celebrated.

When This Will Occur

Projections range from 5 years to 100 years, but the most probable projections are 5 to 20 years. Despite the evidence in our daily lives, most people remain unaware of the accelerating rate of technological development taking place in the world. Ray Kurzweil points out that this is due to the intuitive linear view, and that a more apt view of our world incorporates the exponential world view. Due to the Law of Accelerating Returns, molecular manufacturing will be feasible a lot sooner than even most scientists and engineers believe. According to The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, molecular manufacturing “might be a reality by 2010, likely will by 2015, and almost certainly will by 2020.” The latest news from the UK seems to confirm this assessment.

nanofactory