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NASA Suggests Nano Robots To Explore Mars

destinyland writes "'We're going to have to do extensive robotic exploration,' says the director of NASA's Ames Research Center, suggesting nanotechnology to build self-replicating robots on Mars. Genetically engineering extraction and construction microbes could 'grow' electrical components, and eventually convert carbon dioxide on Mars into oxygen. 'If we really want to settle Mars, and we don't want to have to carry millions of tons of equipment with us to duplicate the way we live on Earth, these technologies will be key.' This interview with Peter Worden, the director of NASA's Ames Research Center, was just featured in the summer issue of H+ magazine, and he also argues that robots will be necessary to first survey Mars for underground microbes and protect the unique Martian biosphere, since it may contain clues about earth's own first life forms. In fact, given the water and carbon that's been discovered on Mars, the possibility of underground microbes is still considered real, and Worden argues that Mars 'may already be supporting life.'"

3 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Only Sci-Fi by A.+B3ttik · · Score: 5, Insightful

    He basically said: "In order to colonize Mars, we will need to use Technology that doesn't exist yet but I bet that it'll probably be kind of like this."

    Not to rain on anyone's parade, but I'm not sure how this is newsworthy, since it's completely idle speculation.

  2. Any other science fiction for us? by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Can we even build "Self-replicating nano robots" on EARTH?

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  3. News: NASA to create Replicators! by alta · · Score: 5, Funny

    Seriously, has no one at NASA watched stargate? I can tell you how this ends.

    1. NASA creates self replicating nanobot to perform a useful function
    2. life form develops beyond their wildest dreams.
    3. replicators begin attacking humans.
    4. replicators begin to LOOK like humans.
    5. O'neal sticks his face in some mind alterning THING that implants all the knowledge of the ancients.
    6. O'neal makes BFG 3000 that can blast them, but it's not enough.
    7. Daniel and Carter link all the stargates, creating one big distributed network (internet?)
    8. Ba'al, big evil Goa'uld, knows the secret code to set off super-weapon in the temple where the Jaffa live...
    9. 'super radiation' kills travels through all the portals across the universe, killing off the replicators.

    So, someone go ahead and tell NASA to cut it out.
    Can't they see this ended badly?
    Somehow this lead to a new storyline with the stupid Oreye, Ori, whatever they are.

    --
    Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.