The Singularity Is Near_ When Humans Transcend Biology Part 11

In the wake of the rapidly expanding development of each facet of future nanotechnology systems, no serious flaw in Drexler's nanoa.s.sembler concept has been described. A highly publicized objection in 2001 by n.o.belist Richard Smalley in Scientific American Scientific American was based on a distorted description of the Drexler proposal; was based on a distorted description of the Drexler proposal;92 it did not address the extensive body of work that has been carried out in the past decade. As a pioneer of carbon nanotubes Smalley has been enthusiastic about a variety of applications of nanotechnology, having written that "nanotechnology holds the answer, to the extent there are answers, to most of our pressing material needs in energy, health, communication, transportation, food, water," but he remains skeptical about molecular nanotechnology a.s.sembly. it did not address the extensive body of work that has been carried out in the past decade. As a pioneer of carbon nanotubes Smalley has been enthusiastic about a variety of applications of nanotechnology, having written that "nanotechnology holds the answer, to the extent there are answers, to most of our pressing material needs in energy, health, communication, transportation, food, water," but he remains skeptical about molecular nanotechnology a.s.sembly.

Smalley describes Drexler's a.s.sembler as consisting of five to ten "fingers" (manipulator arms) to hold, move, and place each atom in the machine being constructed. He then goes on to point out that there isn't room for so many fingers in the cramped s.p.a.ce in which a molecular-a.s.sembly nanorobot has to work (which he calls the "fat fingers" problem) and that these fingers would have difficulty letting go 'of their atomic cargo because of molecular attraction forces (the "sticky fingers" problem). Smalley also points out that an "intricate three-dimensional waltz ... is carried out" by five to fifteen atoms in a typical chemical reaction.

In fact, Drexler's proposal doesn't look anything like the straw-man description that Smalley criticizes. Drexler's proposal, and most of those that have followed, uses a single "finger." Moreover, there have been extensive descriptions and a.n.a.lyses of viable tip chemistries that do not involve grasping and placing atoms as if they were mechanical pieces to be deposited in place. In addition to the examples I provided above (for example, the DNA hand), the feasibility of moving hydrogen atoms using Drexler's "propynyl hydrogen abstraction" tip has been extensively confirmed in the intervening years.93 The ability of the scanning-probe microscope (SPM), developed at IBM in 1981, and the more sophisticated atomic-force microscope (AFM) to place individual atoms through specific reactions of a tip with a molecular-scale structure provides additional proof of the concept. Recently, scientists at Osaka University used an AFM to move individual nonconductive atoms using a mechanical rather than electrical technique. The ability of the scanning-probe microscope (SPM), developed at IBM in 1981, and the more sophisticated atomic-force microscope (AFM) to place individual atoms through specific reactions of a tip with a molecular-scale structure provides additional proof of the concept. Recently, scientists at Osaka University used an AFM to move individual nonconductive atoms using a mechanical rather than electrical technique.94 The ability to move both conductive and nonconductive atoms and molecules will be needed for future molecular nanotechnology. The ability to move both conductive and nonconductive atoms and molecules will be needed for future molecular nanotechnology.95 Indeed, if Smalley's critique were valid, none of us would be here to discuss it, because life itself would be impossible, given that biology's a.s.sembler does exactly what Smalley says is impossible.

Smalley also objects that, despite "working furiously, ... generating even a tiny amount of a product would take [a nan.o.bot] ... millions of years." Smalley is correct, of course, that an a.s.sembler with only one nan.o.bot wouldn't produce any appreciable quant.i.ties of a product. However, the basic concept of nanotechnology is that we will use trillions of nan.o.bots to accomplish meaningful results-a factor that is also the source of the safety concerns that have received so much attention. Creating this many nan.o.bots at reasonable cost will require self-replication at some level, which while solving the economic issue will introduce potentially grave dangers, a concern I will address in chapter 8. Biology uses the same solution to create organisms with trillions of cells, and indeed we find that virtually all diseases derive from biology's self-replication process gone awry.

Earlier challenges to the concepts underlying nanotechnology have also been effectively addressed. Critics pointed out that nan.o.bots would be subject to bombardment by thermal vibration of nuclei, atoms, and molecules. This is one reason conceptual designers of nanotechnology have emphasized building structural components from diamondoid or carbon nanotubes. Increasing the strength or stiffness of a system reduces its susceptibility to thermal effects. a.n.a.lysis of these designs has shown them to be thousands of times more stable in the presence of thermal effects than are biological systems, so they can operate in a far wider temperature range.96 Similar challenges were made regarding positional uncertainty from quantum effects, based on the extremely small feature size of nanoengineered devices. Quantum effects are significant for an electron, but a single carbon atom nucleus is more than twenty thousand times more ma.s.sive than an electron. A nan.o.bot will be constructed from millions to billions of carbon and other atoms, making it up to trillions of times more ma.s.sive than an electron. Plugging this ratio in the fundamental equation for quantum positional uncertainty shows it to be an insignificant factor.97 Power has represented another challenge. Proposals involving glucose-oxygen fuel cells have held up well in feasibility studies by Freitas and others.98 An advantage of the glucose-oxygen approach is that nanomedicine applications can harness the glucose, oxygen, and ATP resources already provided by the human digestive system. A nanoscale motor was recently created using propellers made of nickel and powered by an ATP-based enzyme. An advantage of the glucose-oxygen approach is that nanomedicine applications can harness the glucose, oxygen, and ATP resources already provided by the human digestive system. A nanoscale motor was recently created using propellers made of nickel and powered by an ATP-based enzyme.99 However, recent progress in implementing MEMS-scale and even nanoscale hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells has provided an alternative approach, which I report on below. However, recent progress in implementing MEMS-scale and even nanoscale hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells has provided an alternative approach, which I report on below.

The Debate Heats Up

In April 2003 Drexler challenged Smalley's Scientific American Scientific American article with an open letter. article with an open letter.100 Citing twenty years of research by himself and others, the letter responded specifically to Smalley's fat- and sticky-fingers objections. As I discussed above, molecular a.s.semblers were never described as having fingers at all but rather relying on precise positioning of reactive molecules. Drexler cited biological enzymes and ribosomes as examples of precise molecular a.s.sembly in the natural world. Drexler closed by quoting Smalley's own observation, "When a scientist says something is possible, they're probably underestimating how long it will take. But if they say it's impossible, they're probably wrong." Citing twenty years of research by himself and others, the letter responded specifically to Smalley's fat- and sticky-fingers objections. As I discussed above, molecular a.s.semblers were never described as having fingers at all but rather relying on precise positioning of reactive molecules. Drexler cited biological enzymes and ribosomes as examples of precise molecular a.s.sembly in the natural world. Drexler closed by quoting Smalley's own observation, "When a scientist says something is possible, they're probably underestimating how long it will take. But if they say it's impossible, they're probably wrong."

Three more rounds of this debate occurred in 2003. Smalley responded to Drexler's open letter by backing off of his fat- and sticky-fingers objections and acknowledging that enzymes and ribosomes do indeed engage in the precise molecular a.s.sembly that Smalley had earlier indicated was impossible. Smalley then argued that biological enzymes work only in water and that such water-based chemistry is limited to biological structures such as "wood, flesh and bone." As Drexler has stated, this, too, is erroneous.101 Many enzymes, even those that ordinarily work in water, can also function in anhydrous organic solvents, and some enzymes can operate on substrates in the vapor phase, with no liquid at all. Many enzymes, even those that ordinarily work in water, can also function in anhydrous organic solvents, and some enzymes can operate on substrates in the vapor phase, with no liquid at all.102 Smalley goes on to state (without any derivation or citations) that enzymatic-like reactions can take place only with biological enzymes and in chemical reactions involving water. This is also mistaken. MIT professor of chemistry and biological engineering Alexander Klibanov demonstrated such nonaqueous (not involving water) enzyme catalysis in 1984. Klibanov writes in 2003, "Clearly [Smalley's] statements about nonaqueous enzyme catalysis are incorrect. There have been hundreds and perhaps thousands of papers published about nonaqueous enzyme catalysis since our first paper was published 20 years ago."103 It's easy to see why biological evolution adopted water-based chemistry. Water is a very abundant substance on our planet, and const.i.tutes 70 to 90 percent of our bodies, our food, and indeed of all organic matter. The three-dimensional electrical properties of water are quite powerful and can break apart the strong chemical bonds of other compounds. Water is considered "the universal solvent," and because it is involved in most of the biochemical pathways in our bodies we can regard the chemistry of life on our planet primarily as water chemistry. However, the primary thrust of our technology has been to develop systems that are not limited to the restrictions of biological evolution, which exclusively adopted water-based chemistry and proteins as its foundation. Biological systems can fly, but if you want to fly at thirty thousand feet and at hundreds or thousands of miles per hour, you would use our modern technology, not proteins. Biological systems such as human brains can remember things and do calculations, but if you want to do data mining on billions of items of information, you would want to use electronic technology, not una.s.sisted human brains.

Smalley is ignoring the past decade of research on alternative means of positioning molecular fragments using precisely guided molecular reactions. Precisely controlled synthesis of diamondoid material has been extensively studied, including the ability to remove a single hydrogen atom from a hydrogenated diamond surface104 and the ability to add one or more carbon atoms to a diamond surface. and the ability to add one or more carbon atoms to a diamond surface.105 Related research supporting the feasibility of hydrogen abstraction and precisely guided diamondoid synthesis has been conducted at the Materials and Process Simulation Center at Caltech; the department of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University; the Inst.i.tute for Molecular Manufacturing at the University of Kentucky; the U.S. Naval Academy; and the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. Related research supporting the feasibility of hydrogen abstraction and precisely guided diamondoid synthesis has been conducted at the Materials and Process Simulation Center at Caltech; the department of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University; the Inst.i.tute for Molecular Manufacturing at the University of Kentucky; the U.S. Naval Academy; and the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center.106 Smalley also avoids mentioning the well-established SPM mentioned above, which uses precisely controlled molecular reactions. Building on these concepts, Ralph Merkle has described possible tip reactions that could involve up to four reactants.107 There is an extensive literature on site-specific reactions that have the potential to be precisely guided and thus could be feasible for the tip chemistry in a molecular a.s.sembler. There is an extensive literature on site-specific reactions that have the potential to be precisely guided and thus could be feasible for the tip chemistry in a molecular a.s.sembler.108 Recently, many tools that go beyond SPMs are emerging that can reliably manipulate atoms and molecular fragments. Recently, many tools that go beyond SPMs are emerging that can reliably manipulate atoms and molecular fragments.

On September 3, 2003, Drexler responded to Smalley's response to his initial letter by alluding once again to the extensive body of literature that Smalley fails to address.109 He cited the a.n.a.logy to a modern factory, only at a nanoscale. He cited a.n.a.lyses of transition-state theory indicating that positional control would be feasible at megahertz frequencies for appropriately selected reactants. He cited the a.n.a.logy to a modern factory, only at a nanoscale. He cited a.n.a.lyses of transition-state theory indicating that positional control would be feasible at megahertz frequencies for appropriately selected reactants.

Smalley again responded with a letter that is short on specific citations and current research and long on imprecise metaphors.110 He writes, for example, that "much like you can't make a boy and a girl fall in love with each other simply by pus.h.i.+ng them together, you cannot make precise chemistry occur as desired between two molecular objects with simple mechanical motion....[It] cannot be done simply by mus.h.i.+ng two molecular objects together." He again acknowledges that enzymes do in fact accomplish this but refuses to accept that such reactions could take place outside of a biology-like system: "This is why I led you ... to talk about real chemistry with real enzymes....[A]ny such system will need a liquid medium. For the enzymes we know about, that liquid will have to be water, and the types of things that can be synthesized with water around cannot be much broader than meat and bone of biology." He writes, for example, that "much like you can't make a boy and a girl fall in love with each other simply by pus.h.i.+ng them together, you cannot make precise chemistry occur as desired between two molecular objects with simple mechanical motion....[It] cannot be done simply by mus.h.i.+ng two molecular objects together." He again acknowledges that enzymes do in fact accomplish this but refuses to accept that such reactions could take place outside of a biology-like system: "This is why I led you ... to talk about real chemistry with real enzymes....[A]ny such system will need a liquid medium. For the enzymes we know about, that liquid will have to be water, and the types of things that can be synthesized with water around cannot be much broader than meat and bone of biology."

Smalley's argument is of the form "We don't have X today, therefore X is impossible." We encounter this cla.s.s of argument repeatedly in the area of artificial intelligence. Critics will cite the limitations of today's systems as proof that such limitations are inherent and can never be overcome. For example, such critics disregard the extensive list of contemporary examples of AI (see the section "A Narrow AI Sampler" on p. 279) that represent commercially available working systems that were only research programs a decade ago.

Those of us who attempt to project into the future based on well-grounded methodologies are at a disadvantage. Certain future realities may be inevitable, but they are not yet manifest, so they are easy to deny. A small body of thought at the beginning of the twentieth century insisted that heavier-than-air flight was feasible, but mainstream skeptics could simply point out that if it was so feasible, why had it never been demonstrated?

Smalley reveals at least part of his motives at the end of his most recent letter when he writes:

A few weeks ago I gave a talk on nanotechnology and energy t.i.tled "Be a Scientist, Save the World" to about 700 middle and high school students in the Spring Branch ISO, a large public school system here in the Houston area. Leading up to my visit the students were asked to write an essay on "why I am a Nanogeek". Hundreds responded, and I had the privilege of reading the top 30 essays, picking my favorite top 5. Of the essays I read, nearly half a.s.sumed that self-replicating nan.o.bots were possible, and most were deeply worried about what would happen in their future as these nan.o.bots spread around the world. I did what I could to allay their fears, but there is no question that many of these youngsters have been told a bedtime story that is deeply troubling.

You and people around you have scared our children.

I would point out to Smalley that earlier critics also expressed skepticism that either worldwide communication networks or software viruses that would spread across them were feasible. Today, we have both the benefits and the vulnerabilities from these capabilities. However, along with the danger of software viruses has emerged a technological immune system. We are obtaining far more gain than harm from this latest example of intertwined promise and peril.

Smalley's approach to rea.s.suring the public about the potential abuse of this future technology is not the right strategy. By denying the feasibility of nanotechnology-based a.s.sembly, he is also denying its potential. Denying both the promise and the peril of molecular a.s.sembly will ultimately backfire and will fail to guide research in the needed constructive direction. By the 2020s molecular a.s.sembly will provide tools to effectively combat poverty, clean up our environment, overcome disease, extend human longevity, and many other worthwhile pursuits. Like every other technology that humankind has created, it can also be used to amplify and enable our destructive side. It's important that we approach this technology in a knowledgeable manner to gain the profound benefits it promises, while avoiding its dangers.

Early Adopters

Although Drexler's concept of nanotechnology dealt primarily with precise molecular control of manufacturing, it has expanded to include any technology in which key features are measured by a modest number of nanometers (generally less than one hundred). Just as contemporary electronics has already quietly slipped into this realm, the area of biological and medical applications has already entered the era of nanoparticles, in which nanoscale objects are being developed to create more effective tests and treatments. Although nanoparticles are created using statistical manufacturing methods rather than a.s.semblers, they nonetheless rely on their atomic-scale properties for their effects. For example, nanoparticles are being employed in experimental biological tests as tags and labels to greatly enhance sensitivity in detecting substances such as proteins. Magnetic nanotags, for example, can be used to bind with antibodies, which can then be read using magnetic probes while still inside the body. Successful experiments have been conducted with gold nanoparticles that are bound to DNA segments and can rapidly test for specific DNA sequences in a sample. Small nanoscale beads called quantum dots can be programmed with specific codes combining multiple colors, similar to a color bar code, which can facilitate tracking of substances through the body.

Emerging micro fluidic devices, which incorporate nanoscale channels, can run hundreds of tests simultaneously on tiny samples of a given substance. These devices will allow extensive tests to be conducted on nearly invisible samples of blood, for example.

Nanoscale scaffolds have been used to grow biological tissues such as skin. Future therapies could use these tiny scaffolds to grow any type of tissue needed for repairs inside the body.

A particularly exciting application is to harness nanoparticles to deliver treatments to specific sites in the body. Nanoparticles can guide drugs into cell walls and through the blood-brain barrier. Scientists at McGill University in Montreal demonstrated a nanopill with structures in the 25- to 45-nanometer range.111 The nanopill is small enough to pa.s.s through the cell wall and delivers medications directly to targeted structures inside the cell. The nanopill is small enough to pa.s.s through the cell wall and delivers medications directly to targeted structures inside the cell.

j.a.panese scientists have created nanocages of 110 amino-acid molecules, each holding drug molecules. Adhered to the surface of each nanocage is a peptide that binds to target sites in the human body. In one experiment scientists used a peptide that binds to a specific receptor on human liver cells.112 MicroCHIPS of Bedford, Ma.s.sachusetts, has developed a computerized device that is implanted under the skin and delivers precise mixtures of medicines from hundreds of nanoscale wells inside the device.113 Future versions of the device are expected to be able to measure blood levels of substances such as glucose. The system could be used as an artificial pancreas, releasing precise amounts of insulin based on blood glucose response. It would also be capable of simulating any other hormone-producing organ. If trials go smoothly, the system could be on the market by 2008. Future versions of the device are expected to be able to measure blood levels of substances such as glucose. The system could be used as an artificial pancreas, releasing precise amounts of insulin based on blood glucose response. It would also be capable of simulating any other hormone-producing organ. If trials go smoothly, the system could be on the market by 2008.

Another innovative proposal is to guide gold nanoparticles to a tumor site, then heat them with infrared beams to destroy the cancer cells. Nanoscale packages can be designed to contain drugs, protect them through the GI tract, guide them to specific locations, and then release them in sophisticated ways, including allowing them to receive instructions from outside the body. Nanotherapeutics in Alachua, Florida, has developed a biodegradable polymer only several nanometers thick that uses this approach.114

Powering the Singularity

We produce about 14 trillion (about 1013) watts of power today in the world. Of this energy about 33 percent comes from oil, 25 percent from coal, 20 percent from gas, 7 percent from nuclear fission reactors, 15 percent from bioma.s.s and hydroelectric sources, and only 0.5 percent from renewable solar, wind, and geothermal technologies.115 Most air pollution and significant contributions to water and other forms of pollution result from the extraction, transportation, processing, and uses of the 78 percent of our energy that comes from fossil fuels. The energy obtained from oil also contributes to geopolitical tensions, and there's the small matter of its $2 trillion per year price tag for all of this energy. Although the industrial-era energy sources that dominate energy production today will become more efficient with new nanotechnology-based methods of extraction, conversion, and transmission, it's the renewable category that will need to support the bulk of future energy growth. Most air pollution and significant contributions to water and other forms of pollution result from the extraction, transportation, processing, and uses of the 78 percent of our energy that comes from fossil fuels. The energy obtained from oil also contributes to geopolitical tensions, and there's the small matter of its $2 trillion per year price tag for all of this energy. Although the industrial-era energy sources that dominate energy production today will become more efficient with new nanotechnology-based methods of extraction, conversion, and transmission, it's the renewable category that will need to support the bulk of future energy growth.

By 2030 the price-performance of computation and communication will increase by a factor of ten to one hundred million compared to today. Other technologies will also undergo enormous increases in capacity and efficiency. Energy requirements will grow far more slowly than the capacity of technologies, however, because of greatly increased efficiencies in the use of energy, which I discuss below. A primary implication of the nanotechnology revolution is that physical technologies, such as manufacturing and energy, will become governed by the law of accelerating returns. All technologies will essentially become information technologies, including energy.

Worldwide energy requirements have been estimated to double by 2030, far less than antic.i.p.ated economic growth, let alone the expected growth in the capability of technology.116 The bulk of the additional energy needed is likely to come from new nanoscale solar, wind, and geothermal technologies. It's important to recognize that most energy sources today represent solar power in one form or another. The bulk of the additional energy needed is likely to come from new nanoscale solar, wind, and geothermal technologies. It's important to recognize that most energy sources today represent solar power in one form or another.

Fossil fuels represent stored energy from the conversion of solar energy by animals and plants and related processes over millions of years (although the theory that fossil fuels originated from living organisms has recently been challenged). But the extraction of oil from high-grade oil wells is at a peak, and some experts believe we may have already pa.s.sed that peak. It's clear, in any case, that we are rapidly depleting easily accessible fossil fuels. We do have far larger fossil-fuel resources that will require more sophisticated technologies to extract cleanly and efficiently (such as coal and shale oil), and they will be part of the future of energy. A billion-dollar demonstration plant called FutureGen, now being constructed, is expected to be the world's first zero-emissions energy plant based on fossil fuels.117 Rather than simply burn coal, as is done today, the 275-million-watt plant will convert the coal to a synthetic gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which will then react with steam to produce discrete streams of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which will be sequestered. The hydrogen can then be used in fuel cells or else converted into electricity and water. Key to the plant's design are new materials for membranes that separate hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Rather than simply burn coal, as is done today, the 275-million-watt plant will convert the coal to a synthetic gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which will then react with steam to produce discrete streams of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which will be sequestered. The hydrogen can then be used in fuel cells or else converted into electricity and water. Key to the plant's design are new materials for membranes that separate hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Our primary focus, however, will be on the development of clean, renewable, distributed, and safe energy technologies made possible by nanotechnology. For the past several decades energy technologies have been on the slow slope of the industrial era S-curve (the late stage of a specific technology paradigm, when the capability slowly approaches an asymptote or limit). Although the nanotechnology revolution will require new energy resources, it will also introduce major new S-curves in every aspect of energy-production, storage, transmission, and utilization-by the 2020s.

Let's deal with these energy requirements in reverse, starting with utilization. Because of nanotechnology's ability to manipulate matter and energy at the extremely fine scale of atoms and molecular fragments, the efficiency of using energy will be far greater, which will translate into lower energy requirements. Over the next several decades computing will make the transition to reversible computing. (See "The Limits of Computation" in chapter 3.) As I discussed, the primary energy need for computing with reversible logic gates is to correct occasional errors from quantum and thermal effects. As a result reversible computing has the potential to cut energy needs by as much as a factor of a billion, compared to nonreversible computing. Moreover, the logic gates and memory bits will be smaller, by at least a factor of ten in each dimension, reducing energy requirements by another thousand. Fully developed nanotechnology, therefore, will enable the energy requirements for each bit switch to be reduced by about a trillion. Of course, we'll be increasing the amount of computation by even more than this, but this substantially augmented energy efficiency will largely offset those increases.

Manufacturing using molecular nanotechnology fabrication will also be far more energy efficient than contemporary manufacturing, which moves bulk materials from place to place in a relatively wasteful manner. Manufacturing today also devotes enormous energy resources to producing basic materials, such as steel. A typical nanofactory will be a tabletop device that can produce products ranging from computers to clothing. Larger products (such as vehicles, homes, and even additional nanofactories) will be produced as modular subsystems that larger robots can then a.s.semble. Waste heat, which accounts for the primary energy requirement for nanomanufacturing, will be captured and recycled.

The energy requirements for nanofactories are negligible. Drexler estimates that molecular manufacturing will be an energy generator rather than an energy consumer. According to Drexler, "A molecular manufacturing process can be driven by the chemical energy content of the feedstock materials, producing electrical energy as a by-product (if only to reduce the heat dissipation burden)....Using typical organic feedstock, and a.s.suming oxidation of surplus hydrogen, reasonably efficient molecular manufacturing processes are net energy producers."118 Products can be made from new nanotube-based and nanocomposite materials, avoiding the enormous energy used today to manufacture steel, t.i.tanium, and aluminum. Nanotechnology-based lighting will use small, cool, light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, or other innovative light sources to replace hot, inefficient incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.

Although the functionality and value of manufactured products will rise, product size will generally not increase (and in some cases, such as most electronics, products will get smaller). The higher value of manufactured goods will largely be the result of the expanding value of their information content. Although the roughly 50 percent deflation rate for information-based products and services will continue throughout this period, the amount of valuable information will increase at an even greater, more than offsetting pace.

I discussed the law of accelerating returns as applied to the communication of information in chapter 2. The amount of information being communicated will continue to grow exponentially, but the efficiency of communication will grow almost as fast, so the energy requirements for communication will expand slowly.

Transmission of energy will also be made far more efficient. A great deal of energy today is lost in transmission due to the heat created in power lines and inefficiencies in the transportation of fuel, which also represent a primary environmental a.s.sault. Smalley, despite his critique of molecular nanomanufacturing, has nevertheless been a strong advocate of new nanotechnology-based paradigms for creating and transmitting energy. He describes new power-transmission lines based on carbon nanotubes woven into long wires that will be far stronger, lighter, and, most important, much more energy efficient than conventional copper ones.119 He also envisions using superconducting wires to replace aluminum and copper wires in electric motors to provide greater efficiency. Smalley's vision of a nanoenabled energy future includes a panoply of new nanotechnology-enabled capabilities: He also envisions using superconducting wires to replace aluminum and copper wires in electric motors to provide greater efficiency. Smalley's vision of a nanoenabled energy future includes a panoply of new nanotechnology-enabled capabilities:120

Photovoltaics: dropping the cost of solar panels by a factor of ten to one hundred. Photovoltaics: dropping the cost of solar panels by a factor of ten to one hundred. Production of hydrogen: new technologies for efficiently producing hydrogen from water and sunlight. Production of hydrogen: new technologies for efficiently producing hydrogen from water and sunlight. Hydrogen storage: light, strong materials for storing hydrogen for fuel cells. Hydrogen storage: light, strong materials for storing hydrogen for fuel cells. Fuel cells: dropping the cost of fuel cells by a factor of ten to one hundred. Fuel cells: dropping the cost of fuel cells by a factor of ten to one hundred. Batteries and supercapacitors to store energy: improving energy storage densities by a factor of ten to one hundred. Batteries and supercapacitors to store energy: improving energy storage densities by a factor of ten to one hundred. Improving the efficiency of vehicles such as cars and planes through strong and light nanomaterials. Improving the efficiency of vehicles such as cars and planes through strong and light nanomaterials. Strong, light nanomaterials for creating large-scale energy-harvesting systems in s.p.a.ce, including on the moon. Strong, light nanomaterials for creating large-scale energy-harvesting systems in s.p.a.ce, including on the moon. Robots using nanoscale electronics with artificial intelligence to automatically produce energy-generating structures in s.p.a.ce and on the moon. Robots using nanoscale electronics with artificial intelligence to automatically produce energy-generating structures in s.p.a.ce and on the moon. New nanomaterial coatings to greatly reduce the cost of deep drilling. New nanomaterial coatings to greatly reduce the cost of deep drilling. Nanocatalysts to obtain greater energy yields from coal, at very high temperatures. Nanocatalysts to obtain greater energy yields from coal, at very high temperatures. Nanofilters to capture the soot created from high-energy coal extraction. The soot is mostly carbon, which is a basic building block for most nanotechnology designs. Nanofilters to capture the soot created from high-energy coal extraction. The soot is mostly carbon, which is a basic building block for most nanotechnology designs. New materials to enable hot, dry rock geothermal-energy sources (converting the heat of the Earth's hot core into energy). New materials to enable hot, dry rock geothermal-energy sources (converting the heat of the Earth's hot core into energy).

Another option for energy transmission is wireless transmission by microwaves. This method would be especially well suited to efficiently beam energy created in s.p.a.ce by giant solar panels (see below).121 The Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University envisions microwave energy transmission as a key aspect of "a clean, abundant energy future." The Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University envisions microwave energy transmission as a key aspect of "a clean, abundant energy future."122 Energy storage today is highly centralized, which represents a key vulnerability in that liquid-natural-gas tanks and other storage facilities are subject to terrorist attacks, with potentially catastrophic effects. Oil trucks and s.h.i.+ps are equally exposed. The emerging paradigm for energy storage will be fuel cells, which will ultimately be widely distributed throughout our infrastructure, another example of the trend from inefficient and vulnerable centralized facilities to an efficient and stable distributed system.

Hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells, with hydrogen provided by methanol and other safe forms of hydrogen-rich fuel, have made substantial progress in recent years. A small company in Ma.s.sachusetts, Integrated Fuel Cell Technologies, has demonstrated a MEMS (Micro Electronic Mechanical System)-based fuel cell.123 Each postage-stamp-size device contains thousands of microscopic fuel cells and includes the fuel lines and electronic controls. NEC plans to introduce fuel cells based on nanotubes in the near future for notebook computers and other portable electronics. Each postage-stamp-size device contains thousands of microscopic fuel cells and includes the fuel lines and electronic controls. NEC plans to introduce fuel cells based on nanotubes in the near future for notebook computers and other portable electronics.124 It claims its small power sources will run devices for up to forty hours at a time. Tos.h.i.+ba is also preparing fuel cells for portable electronic devices. It claims its small power sources will run devices for up to forty hours at a time. Tos.h.i.+ba is also preparing fuel cells for portable electronic devices.125 Larger fuel cells for powering appliances, vehicles, and even homes are also making impressive advances. A 2004 report by the U.S. Department of Energy concluded that nan.o.based technologies could facilitate every aspect of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered car.126 For example, hydrogen must be stored in strong but light tanks that can withstand very high pressure. Nanomaterials such as nanotubes and nanocomposites could provide the requisite material for such containers. The report envisions fuel cells that produce power twice as efficiently as gasoline-based engines, producing only water as waste. For example, hydrogen must be stored in strong but light tanks that can withstand very high pressure. Nanomaterials such as nanotubes and nanocomposites could provide the requisite material for such containers. The report envisions fuel cells that produce power twice as efficiently as gasoline-based engines, producing only water as waste.

Many contemporary fuel-cell designs use methanol to provide hydrogen, which then combines with the oxygen in the air to produce water and energy. Methanol (wood alcohol), however, is difficult to handle, and introduces safety concerns because of its toxicity and flammability. Researchers from St. Louis University have demonstrated a stable fuel cell that uses ordinary ethanol (drinkable grain alcohol).127 This device employs an enzyme called dehydrogenase that removes hydrogen ions from alcohol, which subsequently react with the oxygen in the air to produce power. The cell apparently works with almost any form of drinkable alcohol. "We have run it on various types," reported Nick Akers, a graduate student who has worked on the project. "It didn't like carbonated beer and doesn't seem fond of wine, but any other works fine." This device employs an enzyme called dehydrogenase that removes hydrogen ions from alcohol, which subsequently react with the oxygen in the air to produce power. The cell apparently works with almost any form of drinkable alcohol. "We have run it on various types," reported Nick Akers, a graduate student who has worked on the project. "It didn't like carbonated beer and doesn't seem fond of wine, but any other works fine."

Scientists at the University of Texas have developed a nan.o.bot-size fuel cell that produces electricity directly from the glucose-oxygen reaction in human blood.128 Called a "vampire bot" by commentators, the cell produces electricity sufficient to power conventional electronics and could be used for future blood-borne nan.o.bots. j.a.panese scientists pursuing a similar project estimated that their system had the theoretical potential to produce a peak of one hundred watts from the blood of one person, although implantable devices would use far less. (A newspaper in Sydney observed that the project provided a basis for the premise in the Called a "vampire bot" by commentators, the cell produces electricity sufficient to power conventional electronics and could be used for future blood-borne nan.o.bots. j.a.panese scientists pursuing a similar project estimated that their system had the theoretical potential to produce a peak of one hundred watts from the blood of one person, although implantable devices would use far less. (A newspaper in Sydney observed that the project provided a basis for the premise in the Matrix Matrix movies of using humans as batteries.) movies of using humans as batteries.)129 Another approach to converting the abundant sugar found in the natural world into electricity has been demonstrated by Swades K. Chaudhuri and Derek R. Lovley at the University of Ma.s.sachusetts. Their fuel cell, which incorporates actual microbes (the Rhodoferax ferrireducens Rhodoferax ferrireducens bacterium), boasts a remarkable 81 percent efficiency and uses almost no energy in its idling mode. The bacteria produce electricity directly from glucose with no unstable intermediary by-products. The bacteria also use the sugar fuel to reproduce, thereby replenis.h.i.+ng themselves, resulting in stable and continuous production of electrical energy. Experiments with other types of sugars such as fructose, sucrose, and xylose were equally successful. Fuel cells based on this research could utilize the actual bacteria or, alternatively, directly apply the chemical reactions that the bacteria facilitate. In addition to powering nan.o.bots in sugar-rich blood, these devices have the potential to produce energy from industrial and agricultural waste products. bacterium), boasts a remarkable 81 percent efficiency and uses almost no energy in its idling mode. The bacteria produce electricity directly from glucose with no unstable intermediary by-products. The bacteria also use the sugar fuel to reproduce, thereby replenis.h.i.+ng themselves, resulting in stable and continuous production of electrical energy. Experiments with other types of sugars such as fructose, sucrose, and xylose were equally successful. Fuel cells based on this research could utilize the actual bacteria or, alternatively, directly apply the chemical reactions that the bacteria facilitate. In addition to powering nan.o.bots in sugar-rich blood, these devices have the potential to produce energy from industrial and agricultural waste products.

Nanotubes have also demonstrated the promise of storing energy as nanoscale batteries, which may compete with nanoengineered fuel cells.130 This extends further the remarkable versatility of nanotubes, which have already revealed their prowess in providing extremely efficient computation, communication of information, and transmission of electrical power, as well as in creating extremely strong structural materials. This extends further the remarkable versatility of nanotubes, which have already revealed their prowess in providing extremely efficient computation, communication of information, and transmission of electrical power, as well as in creating extremely strong structural materials.

The most promising approach to nanomaterials-enabled energy is from solar power, which has the potential to provide the bulk of our future energy needs in a completely renewable, emission-free, and distributed manner. The sunlight input to a solar panel is free. At about 1017 watts, or about ten thousand times more energy than the 10 watts, or about ten thousand times more energy than the 1013 watts currently consumed by human civilization, the total energy from sunlight falling on the Earth is more than sufficient to provide for our needs. watts currently consumed by human civilization, the total energy from sunlight falling on the Earth is more than sufficient to provide for our needs.131 As mentioned above, despite the enormous increases in computation and communication over the next quarter century and the resulting economic growth, the far greater energy efficiencies of nanotechnology imply that energy requirements will increase only modestly to around thirty trillion watts (3 i 10 As mentioned above, despite the enormous increases in computation and communication over the next quarter century and the resulting economic growth, the far greater energy efficiencies of nanotechnology imply that energy requirements will increase only modestly to around thirty trillion watts (3 i 1013) by 2030.Wecould meet this entire energy need with solar power alone if we captured only 0.0003 (three ten-thousandths) of the sun's energy as it hits the Earth.

It's interesting to compare these figures to the total metabolic energy output of all humans, estimated by Robert Freitas at 1012 watts, and that of all vegetation on Earth, at 10 watts, and that of all vegetation on Earth, at 1014 watts. Freitas also estimates that the amount of energy we could produce and use without disrupting the global energy balance required to maintain current biological ecology (referred to by climatologists as the "hypsithermal limit") is around 10 watts. Freitas also estimates that the amount of energy we could produce and use without disrupting the global energy balance required to maintain current biological ecology (referred to by climatologists as the "hypsithermal limit") is around 1015 watts. This would allow a very substantial number of nan.o.bots per person for intelligence enhancement and medical purposes, as well as other applications, such as providing energy and cleaning up the environment. Estimating a global population of around ten billion (10 watts. This would allow a very substantial number of nan.o.bots per person for intelligence enhancement and medical purposes, as well as other applications, such as providing energy and cleaning up the environment. Estimating a global population of around ten billion (1010) humans, Freitas estimates around 1016 (ten thousand trillion) nan.o.bots for each human would be acceptable within this limit. (ten thousand trillion) nan.o.bots for each human would be acceptable within this limit.132 We would need only 10 We would need only 1011 nan.o.bots (ten millionths of this limit) per person to place one in every neuron. nan.o.bots (ten millionths of this limit) per person to place one in every neuron.

By the time we have technology of this scale, we will also be able to apply nanotechnology to recycle energy by capturing at least a significant portion of the heat generated by nan.o.bots and other nanomachinery and converting that heat back into energy. The most effective way to do this would probably be to build the energy recycling into the nan.o.bot itself.133 This is similar to the idea of reversible logic gates in computation, in which each logic gate essentially immediately recycles the energy it used for its last computation. This is similar to the idea of reversible logic gates in computation, in which each logic gate essentially immediately recycles the energy it used for its last computation.

We could also pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to provide the carbon for nanomachinery, which would reverse reverse the increase in carbon dioxide resulting from our current industrial-era technologies. We might, however, want to be particularly cautious about doing more than reversing the increase over the past several decades, lest we replace global warming with global cooling. the increase in carbon dioxide resulting from our current industrial-era technologies. We might, however, want to be particularly cautious about doing more than reversing the increase over the past several decades, lest we replace global warming with global cooling.

Solar panels have to date been relatively inefficient and expensive, but the technology is rapidly improving. The efficiency of converting solar energy to electricity has steadily advanced for silicon photovoltaic cells from around 4 percent in 1952 to 24 percent in 1992.134 Current multilayer cells now provide around 34 percent efficiency. A recent a.n.a.lysis of applying nanocrystals to solar-energy conversion indicates that efficiencies above 60 percent appear to be feasible. Current multilayer cells now provide around 34 percent efficiency. A recent a.n.a.lysis of applying nanocrystals to solar-energy conversion indicates that efficiencies above 60 percent appear to be feasible.135 Today solar power costs an estimated $2.75 per watt.136 Several companies are developing nanoscale solar cells and hope to bring the cost of solar power below that of other energy sources. Industry sources indicate that once solar power falls below $1.00 per watt, it will be compet.i.tive for directly supplying electricity to the nation's power grid. Nanosolar has a design based on t.i.tanium oxide nanoparticles that can be ma.s.s-produced on very thin flexible films. CEO Martin Roscheisen estimates that his technology has the potential to bring down solar-power costs to around fifty cents per watt by 2006, lower than that of natural gas. Several companies are developing nanoscale solar cells and hope to bring the cost of solar power below that of other energy sources. Industry sources indicate that once solar power falls below $1.00 per watt, it will be compet.i.tive for directly supplying electricity to the nation's power grid. Nanosolar has a design based on t.i.tanium oxide nanoparticles that can be ma.s.s-produced on very thin flexible films. CEO Martin Roscheisen estimates that his technology has the potential to bring down solar-power costs to around fifty cents per watt by 2006, lower than that of natural gas.137 Compet.i.tors Nanosys and Konarka have similar projections. Whether or not these business plans pan out, once we have MNT (molecular nanotechnology)-based manufacturing, we will be able to produce solar panels (and almost everything else) extremely inexpensively, essentially at the cost of raw materials, of which inexpensive carbon is the primary one. At an estimated thickness of several microns, solar panels could ultimately be as inexpensive as a penny per square meter. We could place efficient solar panels on the majority of human-made surfaces, such as buildings and vehicles, and even incorporate them into clothing for powering mobile devices. A 0.0003 conversion rate for solar energy should be quite feasible, therefore, and relatively inexpensive. Compet.i.tors Nanosys and Konarka have similar projections. Whether or not these business plans pan out, once we have MNT (molecular nanotechnology)-based manufacturing, we will be able to produce solar panels (and almost everything else) extremely inexpensively, essentially at the cost of raw materials, of which inexpensive carbon is the primary one. At an estimated thickness of several microns, solar panels could ultimately be as inexpensive as a penny per square meter. We could place efficient solar panels on the majority of human-made surfaces, such as buildings and vehicles, and even incorporate them into clothing for powering mobile devices. A 0.0003 conversion rate for solar energy should be quite feasible, therefore, and relatively inexpensive.

Terrestrial surfaces could be augmented by huge solar panels in s.p.a.ce. A s.p.a.ce Solar Power satellite already designed by NASA could convert sunlight in I s.p.a.ce to electricity and beam it to Earth by microwave. Each such satellite could provide billions of watts of electricity, enough for tens of thousands of homes.138 With circa-2029 MNT manufacturing, we could produce solar panels of vast size directly in orbit around the Earth, requiring only the s.h.i.+pment of the raw materials to s.p.a.ce stations, possibly via the planned s.p.a.ce Elevator, a thin ribbon, extending from a s.h.i.+pborne anchor to a counterweight well beyond geosynchronous...o...b..t, made out of a material called carbon nanotube composite. With circa-2029 MNT manufacturing, we could produce solar panels of vast size directly in orbit around the Earth, requiring only the s.h.i.+pment of the raw materials to s.p.a.ce stations, possibly via the planned s.p.a.ce Elevator, a thin ribbon, extending from a s.h.i.+pborne anchor to a counterweight well beyond geosynchronous...o...b..t, made out of a material called carbon nanotube composite.139 Desktop fusion also remains a possibility. Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used ultrasonic sound waves to shake a liquid solvent, causing gas bubbles to become so compressed they achieved temperatures of millions of degrees, resulting in the nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms and the creation of energy.140 Despite the broad skepticism over the original reports of cold fusion in 1989, this ultrasonic method has been warmly received by some peer reviewers. Despite the broad skepticism over the original reports of cold fusion in 1989, this ultrasonic method has been warmly received by some peer reviewers.141 However, not enough is known about the practicality of the technique, so its future role in energy production remains a matter of speculation. However, not enough is known about the practicality of the technique, so its future role in energy production remains a matter of speculation.

Applications of Nanotechnology to the Environment Emerging nanotechnology capabilities promise a profound impact on the environment. This includes the creation of new manufacturing and processing technologies that will dramatically reduce undesirable emissions, as well as remediating the prior impact of industrial-age pollution. Of course, providing for our energy needs with nanotechnology-enabled renewable, clean resources such as nanosolar panels, as I discussed above, will clearly be a leading effort in this direction.

By building particles and devices at the molecular scale, not only is size greatly reduced and surface area increased, but new electrical, chemical, and biological properties are introduced. Nanotechnology will eventually provide us with a vastly expanded toolkit for improved catalysis, chemical and atomic bonding, sensing, and mechanical manipulation, not to mention intelligent control through enhanced microelectronics.

Ultimately we will redesign all of our industrial processes to achieve their intended results with minimal consequences, such as unwanted by-products and their introduction into the environment. We discussed in the previous section a comparable trend in biotechnology: intelligently designed pharmaceutical agents that perform highly targeted biochemical interventions with greatly curtailed side effects. Indeed, the creation of designed molecules through nanotechnology will itself greatly accelerate the biotechnology revolution.

Contemporary nanotechnology research and development involves relatively simple "devices" such as nanoparticles, molecules created through nanolayers, and nanotubes. Nanoparticles, which comprise between tens and thousands of atoms, are generally crystalline in nature and use crystal-growing techniques, since we do not yet have the means for precise nanomolecular manufacturing. Nanostructures consist of multiple layers that self-a.s.semble. Such structures are typically held together with hydrogen or carbon bonding and other atomic forces. Biological structures such as cell membranes and DNA itself are natural examples of multilayer nanostructures.

As with all new technologies, there is a downside to nanoparticles: the introduction of new forms of toxins and other unantic.i.p.ated interactions with the environment and life. Many toxic materials, such as gallium a.r.s.enide, are already entering the ecosystem through discarded electronic products. The same properties that enable nanoparticles and nanolayers to deliver highly targeted beneficial results can also lead to unforeseen reactions, particularly with biological systems such as our food supply and our own bodies. Although existing regulations may in many cases be effective in controlling them, the overriding concern is our lack of knowledge about a wide range of unexplored interactions.

Nonetheless, hundreds of projects have begun applying nanotechnology to enhancing industrial processes and explicitly address existing forms of pollution. A few examples:

There is extensive investigation of the use of nanoparticles for treating, deactivating, and removing a wide variety of environmental toxins. The nanoparticle forms of oxidants, reductants, and other active materials have shown the ability to transform a wide range of undesirable substances. Nanoparticles activated by light (for example, forms of t.i.tanium dioxide and zinc oxide) are able to bind and remove organic toxins and have low toxicity themselves. There is extensive investigation of the use of nanoparticles for treating, deactivating, and removing a wide variety of environmental toxins. The nanoparticle forms of oxidants, reductants, and other active materials have shown the ability to transform a wide range of undesirable substances. Nanoparticles activated by light (for example, forms of t.i.tanium dioxide and zinc oxide) are able to bind and remove organic toxins and have low toxicity themselves.142 In particular, zinc oxide nanoparticles provide a particularly powerful catalyst for detoxifying chlorinated phenols. These nanoparticles act as both sensors and catalysts and can be designed to transform only targeted contaminants. In particular, zinc oxide nanoparticles provide a particularly powerful catalyst for detoxifying chlorinated phenols. These nanoparticles act as both sensors and catalysts and can be designed to transform only targeted contaminants. Nanofiltration membranes for water purification provide dramatically improved removal of fine-particle contaminants, compared to conventional methods of using sedimentation basins and wastewater clarifiers. Nanoparticles with designed catalysis are capable of absorbing and removing impurities. By using magnetic separation, these nanomaterials can be reused, which prevents them from becoming contaminants themselves. As one of many examples, consider nanoscale aluminosilicate molecular sieves called zeolites, which are being developed for controlled oxidation of hydrocarbons (for example, converting toluene to nontoxic benzaldehyde). Nanofiltration membranes for water purification provide dramatically improved removal of fine-particle contaminants, compared to conventional methods of using sedimentation basins and wastewater clarifiers. Nanoparticles with designed catalysis are capable of absorbing and removing impurities. By using magnetic separation, these nanomaterials can be reused, which prevents them from becoming contaminants themselves. As one of many examples, consider nanoscale aluminosilicate molecular sieves called zeolites, which are being developed for controlled oxidation of hydrocarbons (for example, converting toluene to nontoxic benzaldehyde).143 This method requires less energy and reduces the volume of inefficient photoreactions and waste products. This method requires less energy and reduces the volume of inefficient photoreactions and waste products. Extensive research is under way to develop nanoproduced crystalline materials for catalysts and catalyst supports in the chemical industry. These catalysts have the potential to improve chemical yields, reduce toxic by-products, and remove contaminants. Extensive research is under way to develop nanoproduced crystalline materials for catalysts and catalyst supports in the chemical industry. These catalysts have the potential to improve chemical yields, reduce toxic by-products, and remove contaminants.144 For example, the material MCM-41 is now used by the oil industry to remove ultrafine contaminants that other pollution-reduction methods miss. For example, the material MCM-41 is now used by the oil industry to remove ultrafine contaminants that other pollution-reduction methods miss. It's estimated that the widespread use of nanocomposites for structural material in automobiles would reduce gasoline consumption by 1.5 billion liters per year, which in turn would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by five billion kilograms per year, among other environmental benefits. It's estimated that the widespread use of nanocomposites for structural material in automobiles would reduce gasoline consumption by 1.5 billion liters per year, which in turn would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by five billion kilograms per year, among other environmental benefits. Nanorobotics can be used to a.s.sist with nuclear-waste management. Nanofilters can separate isotopes when processing nuclear fuel. Nanofluids can improve the effectiveness of cooling nuclear reactors. Nanorobotics can be used to a.s.sist with nuclear-waste management. Nanofilters can separate isotopes when processing nuclear fuel. Nanofluids can improve the effectiveness of cooling nuclear reactors. Applying nanotechnology to home and industrial lighting could reduce both the need for electricity and an estimated two hundred million tons of carbon emissions per year. Applying nanotechnology to home and industrial lighting could reduce both the need for electricity and an estimated two hundred million tons of carbon emissions per year.145 Self-a.s.sembling electronic devices (for example, self-organizing biopolymers), if perfected, will require less energy to manufacture and use and will produce fewer toxic by-products than conventional semiconductor-manufacturing methods. Self-a.s.sembling electronic devices (for example, self-organizing biopolymers), if perfected, will require less energy to manufacture and use and will produce fewer toxic by-products than conventional semiconductor-manufacturing methods. New computer displays using nanotube-based field-emission displays (FEDs) will provide superior display specifications while eliminating the heavy metals and other toxic materials used in conventional displays. New computer displays using nanotube-based field-emission displays (FEDs) will provide superior display specifications while eliminating the heavy metals and other toxic materials used in conventional displays. Bimetallic nanoparticles (such as iron/palladium or iron/silver) can serve as effective reductants and catalysts for PCBs, pesticides, and halogenated organic solvents. Bimetallic nanoparticles (such as iron/palladium or iron/silver) can serve as effective reductants and catalysts for PCBs, pesticides, and halogenated organic solvents.146 Nanotubes appear to be effective absorbents for dioxins and have performed significantly better at this than traditional activated carbon. Nanotubes appear to be effective absorbents for dioxins and have performed significantly better at this than traditional activated carbon.147

This is a small sample of contemporary research on nanotechnology applications with potentially beneficial impact on the environment. Once we can go beyond simple nanoparticles and nanolayers and create more complex systems through precisely controlled molecular nanoa.s.sembly, we will be in a position to create ma.s.sive numbers of tiny intelligent devices capable of carrying out relatively complex tasks. Cleaning up the environment will certainly be one of those missions.

Nan.o.bots in the Bloodstream Nanotechnology has given us the tools ... to play with the ultimate toy box of nature-atoms and molecules. Everything is made from it....The possibilities to create new things appear limitless.-n.o.bELIST HORST STORMER The net effect of these nanomedical interventions will be the continuing arrest of all biological aging, along with the reduction of current biological age to whatever new biological age is deemed desirable by the patient, severing forever the link between calendar time and biological health. Such interventions may become commonplace several decades from today. Using annual checkups and cleanouts, and some occasional major repairs, your biological age could be restored once a year to the more or less constant physiological age that you select. You might still eventually die of accidental causes, but you'll live at least ten times longer than you do now.-ROBERT A. FREITAS JR.148

A prime example of the application of precise molecular control in manufacturing will be the deployment of billions or trillions of nan.o.bots: small robots the size of human blood cells or smaller that can travel inside the bloodstream. This notion is not as futuristic as it may sound; successful animal experiments have been conducted using this concept, and many such micro scale devices are already working in animals. At least four major conferences on BioMEMS (Biological Micro Electronic Mechanical Systems) deal with devices to be used in the huma