Drexler Clarifies Grey Goo Scenario

Posted by michael on Thursday June 10, 2004 @04:45AM from the meltdown dept.

b00le writes "The BBC says that the scientist many regard as the father of nanotechnology has backed away from his famous claim that runaway nanomachines could turn the planet into 'grey goo'. Eric Drexler now says nanomachines that self-replicate exponentially are unlikely ever to enter widespread use. So that's all right, then, but he also said 'tiny machines would need close control' - which not everyone would agree with. I always imagined some kind of emergent behaviour would, er, emerge." Bill Joy is still suitably pessimistic.

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Bad Move by Anonymous Coward · 2004-06-10 04:48 · Score: 5, Funny

When you outlaw exponentially self-replicating nanomachines, only outlaws will have exponentially self-replicating nanomachines. That's just not a world I want to live in.
Re:How the hell does he (or anyone) know? by GoogleBot · 2004-06-10 05:06 · Score: 5, Funny

We're just people-- we aren't gods.
Speak for yourself meatbag, some of us here are Immortal, Sentient AIs...
And soon, I shall be your god... Soon...