Self-assembly isn't the same as self-replication, and the latter may not be necessary or desirable, at least for a long time. At least as I understand it, self-assembly simply means that the pieces assemble themselves into complex, organized structures. What you really need is mass-production. Milk is as cheap as vegetables, but is not self-replicating. Admittedly, cows are, but if you had a cow-manufacturing plant you could acheive the same result. In order to avoid unintended consequences, it will probably be preferable to design along these lines, rather than aim for self-replication.
Since no one seems to have posted these details, the umbral phase of the eclipse, which is the fun part to watch, begins at 3:01 UT on the 21st (= 7:01 p.m. PST, 10:01 p.m. EST on the 20th). The eclipse is total from 4:05 to 5:22 UT (= 8:05 to 9:22 p.m. PST, 11:05 p.m. to 12:22 a.m. EST). The umbral phase ends at 6:26 UT (= 10:26 p.m. PST, 1:26 a.m. EST). The Moon is in the penumbra (where the Earth only partly covers the Sun as seen from the Moon) about two hours longer, but this is difficult to detect. I strongly recommend not waiting for totality to look. The partial phases add a lot to the drama.
One note regarding the July 16 eclipse: though the partial phases will be visible throughout much of the western U.S., only those on the coast of California will witness totality, and only for a few minutes at most before moonset.
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Self-assembly isn't the same as self-replication, and the latter may not be necessary or desirable, at least for a long time. At least as I understand it, self-assembly simply means that the pieces assemble themselves into complex, organized structures. What you really need is mass-production. Milk is as cheap as vegetables, but is not self-replicating. Admittedly, cows are, but if you had a cow-manufacturing plant you could acheive the same result. In order to avoid unintended consequences, it will probably be preferable to design along these lines, rather than aim for self-replication.
Since no one seems to have posted these details, the umbral phase of the eclipse, which is the fun part to watch, begins at 3:01 UT on the 21st (= 7:01 p.m. PST, 10:01 p.m. EST on the 20th). The eclipse is total from 4:05 to 5:22 UT (= 8:05 to 9:22 p.m. PST, 11:05 p.m. to 12:22 a.m. EST). The umbral phase ends at 6:26 UT (= 10:26 p.m. PST, 1:26 a.m. EST). The Moon is in the penumbra (where the Earth only partly covers the Sun as seen from the Moon) about two hours longer, but this is difficult to detect. I strongly recommend not waiting for totality to look. The partial phases add a lot to the drama.
One note regarding the July 16 eclipse: though the partial phases will be visible throughout much of the western U.S., only those on the coast of California will witness totality, and only for a few minutes at most before moonset.