Nanotechnology, US Government, and Secrecy

Glenn Reynolds has written an interesting, albiet a bit speculative, in regards to the role of the US Government in the possible quieting of nanotechnology research. As Gleen points out, there's some good pre-existing guidelines to research as well, from the Foresight Institute.

It makes sense...

[1WingedAngel]

The government wants to quash this for a good reason.

We can't all be beautiful people walking around in skintight suits with Borg implants in our faces.

Tim

But they're already using MEMS!

[TellarHK]

They're planting nanomechanical bugs all over the place, in people, around places, it's a total conspiracy, I swear to GOD! The resistance told me all about it when I stumbled onto some stuff onl...

Oops, my bad. That was just the two months of Majestic I played.

... Or was it?

Re:Nanotech != Good.

[Anonymous Coward]

Has anyone ever thought that nanotechnology can be used for a whollllle lot of evil.

Nope. You're the first person to ever think of that idea. In other news, it's been reported that pointy sticks might be used to put out someone's eye.

Seriously, take a look at the pages at www.foresight.org. There's scads of material on this.

The scary thing about nanotech

[Aexia]

is that it's not^H^H^H easily noticed. But my bloodstream could NOT be chock full of nanoprobes right now, subtley altering me, possibly even changing my thoughts and what I'm NOT typing right now, without me even NOT realizing it. It could NOT lead to some kind of cognitive dissonance where people are being told one thing but they DON'T believe they heard something completely different.

The future of nanotech is a HAPPPY HAPPY scary world.

Uh...

[nat5an]

Glenn Reynolds has written an interesting, albiet a bit speculative, in regards to the role of the US Government in the possible quieting of nanotechnology research.

Um, is it just me, or is this sentence missing something, like what exactly was written?

Re:Nanotech != Good.

[Servo5678]

I want nanobots in my bloodstream that automatically repair wounds, keep my arteries clean, and generally upkeep my body.

I think this is how the Borg Collective got started...

Re:Nanotech != Good.

[NickRob]

I want nanobots in my bloodstream that automatically repair wounds

You mean Platelets?

Re:Uh...

[Anonymous Coward]

If you think "research" is a phrase that can go in that space, you may want to apply for that slashdot editor position.

Automobile != Good.

[chaoticset]

Car research should be stopped now; do you know how many people are already being killed every day by cars? The numbers are staggering.

Car manufacturers are researching ways to make cars drive more efficiently (increasing the likelihood of long-term rampant roadkilling sprees) and increase their top speed (maximizing the damage done when one of these murderous machines hits its target).

Did I mention that car ownership is on the rise? Did I ALSO mention that selling cars is a huge industry? I see conspiracies everywhere, trying to promote the pro-car lobbies!

Something must be done. Write your political representatives and notify them that -- along with this newfangled "nanotechnology" thing -- you want the car lobby stopped.

Re:and Nanotech != Evil

[AndrewHowe]

"Like any other technology, it is not good or evil in and of itself. It just is. What people do with it is either good or evil."

That's right, and when I finish building my "Death Ray", I will only use it for good.
Honest.

Tinfoil hats & dustmasks

[obtuse]

How long will it be before the real (certifiable) paranoids start claiming that it's nanobugs making their lives hell instead of radio waves?

Will the dust mask replace the tinfoil hat as a symbol of paranoia?

I think it will be interesting to see how quickly this disseminates into the insane. Florid schizophrenic (hallucinating) paranoiacs weren't talking about being manipulated by radio waves a hundred years ago.

Since schizophrenia often begins in adolescence, there are probably some like this already. On the other hand nanotech doesn't have the near universal recognition that radio does.

No, I'm not on the government payroll trying to discredit anyone. This respirator is for my allergies.