Massive Manufacturing: The Promise and Peril of Nanotechnology

Newswise — "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."

A provocative and well-researched report by Christopher Phoenix, Director of Research at the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology and expert on technology and its impact on our lives, can be read at http://www.futurebrief.com/chrisphoenix.asp.

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About Chris Phoenix

Chris Phoenix was born on Christmas Day, 1970. As soon as he could think, he became interested in how things work, buying a pair of binoculars to look at electrical power lines, reading and re-reading a book on engines, and spending hours tinkering with digital electronics. In school he preferred to skip recess and write programs on the library's computer.

He's come a long way since then. Chris is currently Director of Research at the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, a Senior Associate of the Foresight Institute, and co-moderator of the sci.nanotech newsgroup.

Chris is widely-published, the author of papers on subjects ranging from "Ethical Administration of Nanotechnology" to "Nanotechnology and Life Extension" . In collaboration with Robert Freitas, Jr., he is the co-author of "Vasculoid: A Personal Nanomedical Appliance to Replace Human Blood" .