The Grey Goo Scenario

Dr. Jim Gimzewski is a nanotechnology expert from UCLA. He explained that nanotechnology is a broad field of tiny things. Really really tiny things. Physisicist Richard Feynman discussed the exciting possibilities nanotechnology presented in his lecture entitled, “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” at Caltech in 1959. One exciting possibility was, “swallowing the doctor,” the idea that you could swallow a tiny robot that would watch over your health from within. Even from nanotechnologies birth in Feynman’s speech it was already intertwined with art; tiny robot doctors in your bloodstream sounds like science fiction to me.

The more I immerse myself in nanotechnology the harder it is to distinguish where the science ends and where the science fiction begins. When C.P. Snow called for a mixing of Two Cultures, he didn’t know about nanotechnology. These scientists have taken Two Cultures to unhealthy extremes. K. Eric Drexler followed up on Feynman’s findings with his book, Engines of Creation. In it, he discusses many implications for the future of nanotechnology, including the Grey goo scenario. This is a hypothetical apocalyptic theory that robots will self-replicate and rule the earth and humans will become extinct. Yes, that last sentence was in a molecular scientist’s book. The book was so popular you can buy it in 5 languages. The Grey goo scenario is also the subject of video games, novels, and one episode of Futurama. 

For my final connection between art and nanotechnology, I turn away from sci-fi to drawing. Sure, nanotechnology only consists of things from 1 to 100 nanometers (a piece of paper is 100,000 nanometers wide), but a South African artist named Lorraine Loots does really tiny sketches that sell for a lot of money. I thought it was at least somewhat related. Enjoy the photos.

 

Works Cited

Drexler, K. Eric. "Engines of Creation The Coming Era of Nanotechnology." Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology. Web. 20 May 2016.

Drexler, K. Eric. Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology. London: Published for the WWW by Russell WhitakerFourth Estate, 1986. Print.

Gimzewski, Jim. Lecture. UCLA.

Feynman, Richard. “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”. Caltech. December 29^th, 1959.

Loots, Lorraine. "Paintings for Ants." Paintings for Ants. Web. 20 May 2016.

Images:

http://lorraineloots.com/instagram/

http://cdn2-www.craveonline.com/assets/uploads/2011/06/file_169975_0_Futurama%20615-642x362.jpg

http://previews.123rf.com/images/lightwise/lightwise1507/lightwise150700043/42846565-Nano-medication-and-medical-technology-and-nanotechnology-medicine-concept-as-a-group-of-microscopic-Stock-Photo.jpg

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