The Promise and Peril of Nanotechnology - News Item

“Suppose you have a nanofactory that can make almost anything you want, in almost any quantity, at very low cost. Do you live happily ever after?...One nasty neighbor could ruin everyone's day. A country that designed and built lots of cutting-edge weapons potentially could take over the world. That possibility could easily lead to an arms race—one a lot less stable than the nuclear arms race, because weapons development would be much cheaper, faster, and easier to hide. Criminals could send smart bugs to spy on you or make your life miserable unless you paid protection money. Wastrels could easily build enough nano-litter to destroy the environment. Cheap personal manufacturing could disrupt economics and trade, destabilizing the world's current political systems.”

Christopher Phoenix, Director of Research at the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology has released a provocative and well-researched report looking at nanotechnology and its possible impact on our lives. The report has been released through Future Brief.

Posted 24^th March 2004