Leading nanotech experts put 'grey goo' in perspective

From: Mike Treder (iph1954_at_msn.com)
Date: 06/09/04 

Date: 9 Jun 2004 14:20:05 GMT

A paper published today in the journal Nanotechnology warns that fear
of runaway self-replicating machines diverts attention away from other
more serious risks of molecular manufacturing. The paper, "Safe
Exponential Manufacturing", published by the Institute of Physics, was
written by Chris Phoenix, Director of Research at the Center for
Responsible Nanotechnology (CRN), and Dr. K. Eric Drexler, a
pioneering nanotechnology theorist and founder of the Foresight
Institute.

Drexler had cautioned against self-replicating machines in his 1986
book Engines of Creation. The idea became known as 'grey goo' and
inspired a generation of science fiction authors. In this article,
Phoenix and Drexler show that nanotechnology-based fabrication can be
completely safe from out-of-control replication. However, they warn
that for other reasons misuse of molecular manufacturing remains a
significant danger.

"So-called grey goo could only be the product of a deliberate and
difficult engineering process, not an accident," said Phoenix. "Far
more serious is the possibility that a large-scale and convenient
manufacturing capacity could be used to make incredibly powerful
non-replicating weapons in unprecedented quantity. This could lead to
an unstable arms race and a devastating war. Policy investigation into
the effects of advanced nanotechnology should consider this as a
primary concern, and runaway replication as a more distant issue."

Contrary to previous understanding, self-replication is unnecessary
for building an efficient and effective molecular manufacturing
system. Instead of building lots of tiny, complex, free-floating
robots to manufacture products, it will be more practical to use
simple robot arms inside desktop-size factories. A robot arm removed
from such a factory would be as inert as a light bulb pulled from its
socket. The factory as a whole would be no more mobile than a desktop
printer and would require a supply of purified raw materials to build
anything.

"An obsession with obsolete science-fiction images of swarms of
replicating nanobugs has diverted attention from the real issues
raised by the coming revolution in molecular nanotechnologies," said
Drexler. "We need to focus on the issues that matter how to deal
with these powerful new capabilities in a competitive world."

Mike Treder, Executive Director of CRN, said, "We hope that this
article will advance the discussion of the actual implications of
molecular manufacturing. There is no need for panic, but there are
urgent concerns that must be addressed before the technology arrives."

The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology is headquartered in New
York. CRN is an affiliate of World Care, an international, non-profit,
501(c)(3) organization. For more information on CRN, see
http://CRNano.org/.

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