Nanotech guru back pedals on 'goo' threat

The scientist many regard as the father of nanotechnology has backed away from his famous claim that nanomachines could turn the planet into "grey goo".

Eric Drexler now says nanomachines that self-replicate exponentially are unlikely ever to enter widespread use.

In the journal Nanotechnology, he stresses that tiny machines would need close control in order to be efficient.

Dr Drexler says when he made the statement in the 80s, he underestimated the impact it would have on the field.

Nanotechnology is an umbrella discipline concerned with engineering objects and working devices from individual atoms and molecules.

Full story:

news.bbc.co.uk...

How close is nanotech to actually being a usuable public product? I guess from the beginning the idea of nanotech being abused was always going to crop up, and inevitably that is going to happen due to human nature unless its uses are strictly controlled.

Opinions anyone?

EDIT: Spelling errors

[edit on 10-6-2004 by HobNob]

I suppose the real dangers (or benefits) are if they ever get Nanotech to work at an atomic level when they could re-arrange atoms to produce absolutely anything.

As far as I know, scientists are nowhere near this level of development unless, of course, we're not being told the true picture and there is 'black book' research which is much more advanced.

There's quite a lot of useful background info here:

www.nanotec.org.uk...