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Nano, Nano, It's Off To Work We Go: The Forthcoming Age Of NanotechnologyMay 06 '03 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line It can yield amazingly helpful development. It can cause great destruction.
It’s a Nanoworld, After All Many scientists describe a future that flourishes under the pervasive capabilities of nanotechnology, the building of machines on an atomic scale with rapid development cycles and massive manufacturing abilities. Microscopic machines will manipulate individual atoms, replicate themselves, and place atoms in specific patterns to build designated products. This capability may “end disease, create wealth for everyone, end pollution, provide unlimited energy, and a manufacture goods at virtually no cost” (Fishbine, 2002, p. 85). This assignment addresses some key ways in which nanotechnology will transform our existence and how it will be influenced by the politics and economics it affects. Nanotechnology includes many areas of research that deal with objects the size of nanometers (one billionth of a meter). A confluence of engineering and chemistry control nanomachines that replicate and create assemblers at unprecedented speed to develop practical-sized objects. This convergent assembly process results when tiny parts work together to create a larger part, and those larger parts work together to create still larger parts, and the cycle continues until an end product of functional size is created. Convergent assembly and the replication that makes it possible are key milestones in this near-future technology. Once that first step is achieved, faithful believers expect nanotechnology to quickly permeate every aspect of existence. “The first products made from nanomachines will be stronger fibers. Eventually, we will be able to replicate anything, including diamonds, water, and food” (Bonsor, n.d., para. 3). The U.S government, recognizing the significance of nanotechnology’s impact on all areas of life, has invested in the near-future realization of nanotechnology: In January 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton requested a $227-million increase in the government's investment in nanotechnology research and development, which included a major initiative called the National Nanotechnology Initiative. This initiative nearly doubled America's 2000 budget investment in nano- technology, bringing the total invested in nanotechnology to $497 million for the 2001 national budget. In a written statement, White House officials said that "nanotechnology is the new frontier and its potential impact is compelling" (Bonsor, n.d., para.1). Nanotruth v. Nanofiction There is a dichotomy among the watchers of nanotechnology development. The skeptics and unbelieving view nanotechnology as the empty promise of science fiction: an unlikely reality. Others gaze with unblinking eyes, gauging the evolving timeline of fruition, confident the future gains momentum as it rushes to meet the present within the next three to five decades, or sooner. This second group is certain the bountiful benefits of nanotechnology will bring breathtaking advances in medical sciences, space systems, manufacturing, military applications, and many other areas (some not yet realized). The advances are certain to help us have longer and better lives, bringing more cost-effective, efficient goods to more people. Boundless speculation constantly offers new theories of application and the effects on humankind, ecology, and economy. To Health in a Nanobasket There will be micromachines and products in addition to those of visible size. One expected result of nanotechnology is microscopic machines that can be injected in to the blood to fight disease, improve health, and provide a longer life. Thus, “one of the first medical uses for nanorobots is likely to be respirocytes; a nanorobot designed and proposed by Robert Freitas in 1996. It is essentially a mechanical, artificial red blood cell that is designed to carry O2 and CO2 molecules through the blood stream” (Edwards, 2001, para. 12). Barring issues of insurance coverage, this will affect the health (and lives) of all economic groups. Respirocytes represent an example of nanotechnology application via plan-ahead concepts. Scientists work on theories to conceive and design ways to employ capabilities that can be harnessed once critical breakthroughs have occurred. Thus, plans for numerous products and uses can be on standby until the technology catches up to their conception. As medical procedures are improved via nanorobots, society will see lives saved that might have perished prior to nanotechnology. Certainly, nanorobots will herald cures for diseases. However, this radical concept of injecting microscopic machine into humans raises various questions of ethics and necessary oversight. Issues of regulation will pop up like persistent weeds in a springtime lawn. Human lifespan will be extended by nanotechnology, which means the rate of population increase will accelerate. That reveals a new set of concerns resulting from nanotechnology. The economy will be reshaped as it makes room for a larger segment of senior citizens with improved quality of life. The resulting older voters -- a demographic that already has the greatest percentage of voting members -- could bear considerable political weight on issues ranging beyond (but including) nanotechnology. Health issues associated with nanotechnology will become a focal point for many persons, as we uncover the means to alter aspects of our physical well being. Ethical implications will drive other concerns, as well. The capability to repair cells via nanomachines seems promising. “Still, cell repair machines themselves will surely stir controversy. They disturb traditional assumptions about our bodies and our futures: this makes doubt soothing. They will require several major breakthroughs: this makes doubt easy” (Drexler, 1986, Long Life in an Open World, para. 4). In Space, No One Can Hear a Nanoscream Advances allowed by nanotechnology in space system architectures will make possible the realization of concepts and improved performance not previously achievable. By exploiting nanotechnology capabilities “rockets can be made significantly more efficient, and vastly more cost efficient, the feasibility of orbital skyhooks is improved, interplanetary propulsion could have high performance, and very large inhabited space colonies could be structurally sound” (McKendree, 1995, 1.2 Main Advances, para.3). Transport of payloads into earth orbit has traditionally been performed with chemical rockets. Building vehicles using materials with dramatically improved strength-to-density ratio will increase the allowable weight of payloads by reducing the weight of the fuselage and other structural parts, such as wings, empennages, and propulsion systems. Companies not previously able to afford putting payloads in earth orbit may find a new way to expand their businesses. Orbital skyhooks, also called orbital cables and orbital towers, offer an alternative to rockets for launching payloads into orbit. For example, a geosynchronous orbit station would extend a tapered cable (with constant stress distributed throughout the length) to an anchor point on the ground. This system would allow a mass to climb the cable “gaining potential energy directly, and taking momentum from the orbital momentum of the plant” (McKendree, 1995, 3.2 Skyhooks, para. 1). The payload could include people, who could then enjoy space travel through nanotechnologically improved interplanetary propulsion. This concept begets political action to impose policies and laws over the nation’s “space space” (much like the common air space issues) territory in the vicinity of the cable. Laws and regulations would also be enacted to ensure compliance with safety concerns and other standards. This new elevator to space might eventually provide an affordable means for general space travel, as passengers depart for destinations from orbital terminals rather than the earth’s surface. Once a payload has been delivered to an earth orbit, a propulsion system required for interplanetary travel would need considerably less thrust, since it must not overcome the gravitational pull of the planet. The molecular manufacturing of nanotechnology will realize general improvements in the building of such vehicles, providing more efficient performance with a more cost-effective solution. The new space-related capabilities may find greater significance when the population grows as a result of nanotechnology’s advances in health and reduction of the aging process. Space colonization is a popular solution to an overcrowded planet. Quo Vadis? Scientists anticipate nanofactories of comparable size to small appliances. These nanofactories will fabricate goods more efficiently than ever before, eliminating labor, consumable energy, and waste byproduct. These environment-friendly machines will redefine commerce, as well as the way we live and work. Society will face new concepts of not only how (and how well) products are created, but where and when we get our products. Whereas the Industrial Revolution drove people to the cities for jobs, nanotechnology could unhinge requirements for centralized populations on a much greater scale than telecommuting has accomplished. When transforming the character of society, the Industrial Revolution uprooted agrarian culture and transplanted it in the cityscapes that promised emancipation from economic bonds. Eventually, mechanized factories proved more productive and cost-efficient than those replete with laborers, and workers found themselves cast aside by the monster they helped create. City life may no longer bask in the glow of opportunity, as opportunity suddenly becomes available anywhere and everywhere. Nanotechnology may likewise yield a shift in population, as savvy business people relocate their nanofactories outside the city limits and city-sized taxation, restrictive local ordinances, and frustrating regulations. Any significant shift such as this will impact regional economies, bearing some effect nationally and globally. As the economy reacts, nanotechnology will also react to the economy in an ongoing give-and-take. Working in residences eliminates the inefficiency of having houses empty all day and factories empty all night (Cairncross, 2001). This restructuring, already begun in earnest by a growing number of telecommuters, will ultimately free real estate and associated natural resources for other uses, while regaining lost resources of downtime for commuting, as well as depleted energy for fuel. Greater production will arise from a more available workforce, and workers will have increased availability to devote time to their private lives. The cycle could grow with happier workers being more productive, making more product, earning more money, and spending more money. These same abilities of molecular manufacture may also wreak havoc on international trade. Suddenly, importing will be too costly when a nearby nanomachine can be programmed to produce needed items. Exporting will loose its appeal in conjunction with global acceptance and application of nanotechnology. Perhaps companies can help establish international policies that permit set-up of in-country nanofactories overseen by branch offices, though sovereignties can become more self-sufficient with their newfound capabilities. This self-sufficiency may dampen international relations. Big Dangers Come in Nanopackages Despite all the benefits of nanotechnology, as with the arrival of any new and powerful advance, there will also be those who exploit the capabilities for nefarious intent. This dark side of nanotechnology will not fully display itself until it is manifested in the new world in which nanotechnology is available. New devices will emerge to assist in what perpetrators perceive to be unsolvable crimes. What nanotechnology does fro so many other positive aspects of society, it will also do for criminals: improve their ability to execute their plans. Likewise, both reactive and thought-ahead applications in law enforcement may counter criminal actions. Potential problems can also be identified early to legislate regulations over appropriate areas of development and mitigate illegal activities and provide an agency to monitor adherence to regulations. Advanced abilities to make more powerful weapons may foster a new arms race among nations, each trying to cancel the other, sustain a more dominant global position, or possess the most destructive and unique means to wage warfare. Other foreseeable dangers include unintended nanotechnology mishaps. “Dangerous replicators could easily be too tough, small, and rapidly spreading” (Drexler, 1986, Engines of Destruction, para.7) for humans to control or stop, if precautionary measures are not in place. The sooner the general public is convinced of nanotechnology’s coming reality, the sooner mass concern will force political action to control and police capabilities spawned from nanotechnology. Attack of the Nanoclones To many persons, nanotechnology represents that which is unknown or unbelievable. It will galvanize reactive protesters to prevent the technology and its products from emerging too rapidly to fully assess all the ramifications of its capabilities and maintain oversight. Consider the sudden awareness of cloning and the equally sudden desire to legislate it. Many never believed scientist would unlock the capability to clone living organisms. When news of successful sheep cloning burst beyond the covers of scientific journals and into mass media, the general citizenry, worried over ethical concerns, alerted and lobbied government representatives to impose regulations that addressed these concerns. Many who never considered cloning possible moved rapidly into action with passionate opinions on the dangers or benefits of cloning. So, too, will breakthroughs in nanotechnology incite the collective attentions of similarly concerned persons and organizations. The development of nanotechnology, ownership of the technology, and end users will all become targeted for strict regulation, as people become increasingly aware of the legitimacy and inevitability of nanotechnology. Politicians will have conflicting input from the varying segments of commercial and private sectors. Like opposing factions in any political polemic, some will benefit from inhibiting nanotechnology based on ethical dilemmas it may represent, dangers it poses, or greed in eliminating mass competition, while others will promote its seemingly endless applications and benefits. Other acts will be urged into law to address such broader concerns as environmental, military, and medical applications that might be supporting or opposing. The resulting interplay between voters, lobbyists, big industry, and elected officials will shape the legal (and illegal) parameters for the scope of nanotechnology. As nanotechnology affects society, so will society respond in ways that effects nanotechnology’s development and use. Like the Industrial Revolution that saw machinery rob some laborers of jobs, nanotechnology will likewise make laborers obsolete to companies that can produce better, cheaper products with practically nonexistent deficiencies. As particular economic classes are affected with unemployment, their compromised spending power will impact the economy. The new revolution will divide those with the capacity to embrace (be it by virtue of education, financial opportunity, or other aspect) and employ nanotechnology from those who do not have the means to do so. In reaction to the broad acceptance and availability of the Internet, some groups have organized to specifically ensure lower economic classes are not left in the cyber-dust because they cannot afford computers and Internet service providers. Likewise, mindful organizations may act on behalf of those most likely overlooked by ensuring accessibility of the nanotechnology. Also, lobbyists of labor unions will fight to represent those most displaced by the emergence of nanotechnology and its many capabilities. Therefore, resourceful persons can realize dramatic increase of financial earning power far beyond their previously perceived economic limits by identifying and pursuing clever applications and products for niche markets. Those with power will fight to quell competition and further strengthen stronghold on money-making technology. The powerful will exert their influence on politicians to extract favorable votes on key legislation. But, the privileged will not act unopposed. The organized underprivileged (and those organized on their behalf) will pursuer favorable legislation and regulation or deregulation of emerging technology. The political dogfighting over control of nanotechnology is certain to fan the flames of the eternal states’ rights issues, as federalists and anti-federalists impose their opinions of proper governmental control and at what level of government that control should exist. If there’s a common passion between political parties, it is the predetermination to oppose anything proffered or supported by the opposing party, while simultaneously rubber-stamping anything proposed by its own membership. Political unrest is guaranteed by nanotechnology. Politicians may implode as they wrestle with complex issues in which they see the merit of one aspect but fear the potential of another. Yes, We Have No Nanos (Yet) While nanotechnology treads water in the future, awaiting the necessary breakthroughs for realization, careful speculation can hypothesize about its level of success, its extensive uses, its epochal change on our world, and the dangers and benefits it will bring. Much consideration can be given theories on how politics and economics will influence its development and define its function. But, “technology takes shape long before its full consequences for society emerge” (Cairncross, 2001, p.1). Though the full emergence of technology is on no specific timeline, it is not too early to thoroughly evaluate what needs there will be to regulate the results of these advances. Educated guesses can anticipate problems and their solutions, based on understanding of the vast scope of capability inherent in the concept of nanotechnology. But we can never really know what surprises (good and bad) lie around the corner. Society must proceed with open minds and the flexibility to adapt and respond to the coming era of nanotechnology. ================= References Bonsor, K. (n.d). How nanotechnology will work. A new industrial revolution. Retrieved March 27, 2003, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/nanotechnology2.htm Cairncross, F. (2001). The Death of Distance: How the Communications Revolution Is Changing Our Lives. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Drexler, K. E. (1986). Engines of Creation, The Coming Era of Nanotechnology [Electronic version]. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday. Retrieved March 29, 2003, from http://www.foresight.org/EOC/ Edwards, M. A., II (2001). The nanotechnology report. Retrieved April 3, 2003, from http://www.iit.edu/~edwamic/nano/ Fishbine, G. (2002). The Investor’s Guide to Nanotechnology & Micromachines. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. McKendree, T. L. (1995). Implications of molecular nanotechnology technical performance parameters on previously defined space system architectures. Fourth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology. Retrieved on March 19, 2003, from http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/nano4/mckendreePaper.html  |
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