What will the future have in store for us? Perhaps some unusual surprises? I tried to come up with some predictions starting today and going all the way to the year 2100 (taking the past into account as well). What if?
Take a look here
http://www.meet-matt-browne.com/whatif-fht.html
One particular subjects is the world of the very tiny stuff... molecular manufacturing... nanorobots... It's an interest subject for science fiction. Although widespread use of nanotechnology won't happen till 2020 according to some scientists, there's already an interesting debate about the benefits vs. the potential threats.
Wikipedia says: nanotechnology refers broadly to a field of applied science and technology whose unifying theme is the control of matter on the atomic and molecular scale, normally 1 to 100 nanometers, and the fabrication of devices within that size range. It is a highly multidisciplinary field, drawing from fields such as applied physics, materials science, interface and colloid science, device physics, supramolecular chemistry, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.
One of the potential threat could come from the so-called "grey goo", a hypothetical scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all living matter on Earth while building more of themselves. It remains unclear whether the molecular nanotechnology would be capable of creating grey goo at all. Among other common refutations, theorists suggest that the very size of nanoparticles inhibits them from moving very quickly.
The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology lists the following risks:
- Economic disruption from an abundance of cheap products
- Economic oppression from artificially inflated prices
- Personal risk from criminal or terrorist use
- Personal or social risk from abusive restrictions
- Social disruption from new products/lifestyles
- Unstable arms race
- Collective environmental damage from unregulated products
- Free-range self-replicators (grey goo)
- Black market in nanotech (increases other risks)
- Competing nanotech programs (increases other risks)
- Attempted relinquishment (increases other risks)
What are your thoughts about this?