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Gaming the Future: The Book!

Month: November 2001

Researchers report development of an optical transistor

from the Light-switch dept.
In a press release (19 November 2001), researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada report they have developed an optical switch that behaves like a transistor. The researchers speculate that such a switch may provide the means to create quantum computers based on optical information processing techniques.

Chinese Nanotech Funding Comparable to U.S.

RobertBradbury writes "Nature is reporting here that the Chinese Academy of Sciences has prompted the government into funding the construction of a new National Nanoscience Center in Beijing. The center is estimated to cost 250-500 million renminbi (yaun) (~8.3 renminbi/$). The overall Chinese funding for nanoscience is 2.5 billion renminbi for the next 5 years ($60 million/yr). If one considers the according to the CIA World Fact Book, the Chinese GDP per person is an order of magnitude less than that of the U.S. and according to this article, salries for skilled scientific workers range from $120-360/month (academic) to $960/month (commercial), that would suggest that labor costs in China are approximately an order of magnitude below those in the U.S. So the Chinese nanotechnology research effort may well be comparable in terms of the number of researchers funded to the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative!"

Biotechnology research and bioterrorism

RobertBradbury writes "This week Nature is highlighting the problem of public knowledge and data access and bioterrorism in "The end of innocence?". George Poste, chair of the U.S. Dept. of Defense task force on bioterrorism, goes so far in "Biologists urged to address risk of data aiding bioweapon design" as to suggest access to biological data should be regulated and the publication of manuscripts associated with "risky" projects might be denied. This isn't a new discussion, Nature pointed out on May 17, in "A call to arms" the problem of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies resisting the inspections that would put some teeth into the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention treaty. The firms fear inspections because of the potential theft of commercial secrets while the proponents object that the 2 week advance notice would allow too much time to hide any covert activities.

Some biologists, such as Claire Fraser, the Director of TIGR, realize the problem is serious and in an October Nature Genetics article, Genomics and future biological weapons: the need for preventive action by the biomedical community, concluded, "In short, the biomedical community must play its proper part in the generation of a true web of deterrence that will render biological warfare or terrorism an obviously futile as well as a morally unacceptable act".

The threat of bioterrorism is here now (see this CNN Report), long before we have to worry about nanoterrorism. Is secrecy the answer? Can inspections work? What about countries that fail to sign the treaties? Or is our only hope to develop robust defenses (vaccines, anti-toxins, rapid response capabilities, etc.) that would allow us to keep one step ahead in the bioterrorist arms race?"

Singularitarian FAQ

Gordon Worley writes "NanoDot readers may find it interesting that the Singularitarian FAQ is ready for public consumption. So, if you're a transhumanist (or not) and were wondering what the Singularity is all about, this is a good place to start."

Researchers demonstrate atomic 'smart-bomb' for cancer

from the nano-radiation-therapy dept.
According to a press release, a team of researchers at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) have developed a complex, highly-specific anti-cancer agent which they call a îmolecular nanogeneratorî. These nanogenerators consist of a single radioactive atom contained inside a molecular cage and attached to a monoclonal antibody that homes in on cancer cells, where it is carried inside. The complex then releases a small cascade of atomic fragments known as alpha particles on the inside of cancer cells. — and destroys them. The results of this work are published in the 16 November 2001 issue of Science.

The atom contained inside the nanogenerator is actinium-225, which decays by giving off short-lived, high-energy alpha particles that blast through cancer cells and destroy their DNA and proteins. When actinium decays, it produces a series of three daughter atoms each of which gives off its own alpha particle. Each particle increases the chance that the cancer cell will be destroyed. The specificity for only certain types of cancer cells provided by the antibody component helps increase the nanogeneratorís effectiveness. If the radioactive atom remains outside of the cell, the alpha particle can travel in any direction, and it kills the cell only a fraction of the time. If the generator is inside the cell, every alpha particle will be effective and greatly reduces the possibility of damage to nearby healthy cells.

Some additional coverage can be found in this article (îRadioactive 'Trojan Horse' Hits Cancer Cellsî, by Maggie Fox, 15 November 2001) from Reuters News Service, and an item (îNuclear weapon blasts tumours", by Helen Pearson, 16 November 2001) from the Nature Science Update website.

NanoBusiness Alliance post results of industry survey

The NanoBusiness Alliance, industry association founded to advance the emerging business of nanotechnology, MEMS, microsystems and other small technologies, has posted the results of a its 2001 Business of Nanotechnology Survey. The survey, the first in a projected annual series, surveyed over 150 companies involved in nano- and small technologies, from recent start-ups to public companies to divisions of large corporations, in order to understand the current trends in the business of nanotechnology. The survey report is freely available on the NBA website as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file (about 275 KB), but you must first fill out a brief form.

Nanoscale R&D in Sweden

from the World-Watch dept.
A lengthy article on the SmallTimes website ("Sweden is spreading the word about its small tech initiative", by Jayne Fried, 15 November 2001) provides a good overview of nanoscale science research and development work there.

Nanotech investment report from UK

from the advice-on-your-money dept.
Evolution Capital Ltd, a "technology-focussed investment bank based in London", has published a 28-page Executive Summary of their 300-page report "Nanotechnology: Commercial Opportunity" to be published in full later this month (Nov. 2001). Excerpts: "Nanotechnology, unlike other enabling technologies, has the potential to impact on all industrial sectors…The promise of quantum computing, nanoelectronics, bottom-up Nanofabrication and Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (NEMS) may become commercial realities within 20 years." Nothing on their website about the report that I could find.

Canada moves forward with national nanotech center

from the World-Watch dept.
According to a press release (14 November 2001), the national government of Canada and the provincial government of Alberta, as well as the University of Alberta (U of A) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to build the new National Research Council (NRC) National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. This agreement formalizes the plan for the NINT announced in August 2001.
"Canada has the opportunity to be a world leader in this emerging high technology field," said Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada at the signing ceremony. "This national institute will be a centrepiece of Canada's emerging nanotechnology sector by successfully integrating and leveraging the strengths of the NRC, U of A and the Province of Alberta in this field."

For an excellent overview of the worldwide acceleration of nanotechnology research activities, with an emphasis on Canadaís efforts and a Canadian perspective, a lengthy article appeared in the Montreal Gazette ("Montreal looms large on nanotechnology scale", by Doug Sweet, 3 November 2001).

Pervasive surveillance, swarming response for terrorist threats

from the high-tech-immune-response dept.
A commentary in the Washington Post ("Netting Bin Laden" by David Ignatius, 11 November 2001) proposes the use of a number of technologies familiar to the Foresight community to counter the threat of dispersed, pervasive, networked enemies — such as international terrorist organizations. The piece suggests the use of pervasive, highly networked but decentralized surveillance and maneuver units that include a "swarming" counter-attack may be key to effective responses to such threats.

Read more for excerpts, and a link to a book-length Rand Corp. study on "Networks and Netwars". The excerpts are provided because free access to the link to the Washington Post article may expire.

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