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[Owlbread]

Why can't the nanobots self destruct after a pre-determined lifespan?

[kaijyuu]

If fast replicating, microscopic beings could destroy the world, bacteria would've done it millions if not billions of years ago.


The "grey goo" scenario is impossible. If the nanobots go haywire and start rapidly multiplying out of control, the most that could happen is we created a new form of microscopic life, no more dangerous than regular bacteria is now. Grats, we made a new branch of life.

[Xantalos]

Why can't the nanobots self destruct after a pre-determined lifespan?

They might be working in people's brains?

[Owlbread]

They might be working in people's brains?

Surely we wouldn't need them to though? Unless they were keeping a person alive. In that case they just don't have a lifespan, just give a lifespan to other nanomachines.

[10ebbor10]

Why can't the nanobots self destruct after a pre-determined lifespan?

They might be working in people's brains?

As long as they don't selfdestruct all at the same time, it wouldn't be a problem.

The problem with the pre-determined lifespan thingy is that  nanobots are pretty darn small. Actually, bot is a correct name, as they won't have circuitry and such. Artificial proteins is closer to the truth.

[Descan]

Though uh... How would a mechanical nano-bot, presumably made out of... I dunno, silicon and steel, make another mecha-nano-bot out of a human?

Unless it was made out of carbon and junk.

[Cthulhu]

Nanites is better.

@Descan:  Magic!

[RedKing]

Though uh... How would a mechanical nano-bot, presumably made out of... I dunno, silicon and steel, make another mecha-nano-bot out of a human?

Unless it was made out of carbon and junk.

Steel would be woefully archaic. Carbon nanotubes FTW. And there's plenty of raw carbon in dat body. (and even some silicon)

[i2amroy]

nanobots that eat nanobots!

Sure, it went wrong the first time, but there's no reason it would go (horribly) wrong the second time too, right ? Right ?

Reminds me of a book where the basic method for dealing with a grey goo scenario is to create a faster replicating nanobot that has a proper shutdown mechanism, thus allowing you to just drop it off, wait until it has consumed all of the old nanobots, and then shut it down. Off course at that point your planet is already destroyed, but at least you don't have any problems with it harassing nearby ships or anything.

And for if a grey goo scenario is actually likely, I would have to say absolutely not. We have problems just getting larger robots to make smaller ones, let alone create a robot that is capable of finding the desired materials, mining/gathering them, and then assembling them into the proper shape.

[Descan]

I dislike the idea that "What is possible" equals "What we can do right now."

Because it is in no way, shape, or form equal at all.

[i2amroy]

I dislike the idea that "What is possible" equals "What we can do right now."

Because it is in no way, shape, or form equal at all.

Which is the exact reason why I used the word "likely" instead of "possible". I figure that right now scientists are already very careful about what they handle and we can't even begin to approach what is required for a grey goo scenario. I figure scientists will be even that much more careful if they know what they are dealing with.

Realistically the most likely way that nanobots could actually duplicate would probably be through a mesh of organic and inorganic technologies similar to that found in Micheal Criton's Prey, where a particular species of bioengineered bacteria take the various parts of nanobots and assemble them together into complete ones.

[Boea]

Meanwhile, birds can see magnetic lines because they have special EM sensitive receptors based on quantum entanglement.

So more or less Nano bots will function like an oversized fungus, with Ley Lines Guiding the Little Harvesters To and Fro from Nanosite to Nanosite.

[Graknorke]

They have EM sensitive receptors based on magnets.

[Boea]

They have EM sensitive receptors based on magnets.

http://richannel.org/jim-al-khalili-and-the-quantum-robin

More or less the magnetosphere disturbs the paired atoms which causes so and so proteins to send a different signal.

[Scoops Novel]

To rerail, any idea about how small and cheap EMP's could get? I realize shielding exists, but on the basis that my lust for a man portable one must be met with cyberpunk's gibbering fervor, i hope it can/could be surpassed.