2003 Advocate of the Year: Steve Jurvetson

Foresight Senior Associate Steve Jurvetson, a leading nanotech venture capitalist and frequent speaker at Foresight events, has been named Small Times Magazine 2003 Advocate of the Year. "…he is nevertheless one of a small group of VCs happy to associate with the sector's most far-thinking members. He is hardly averse to being quoted speaking of nanobots floating in human bloodstreams and other scenarios considered way too long-term for VC involvement." Steve's suggestion for the NNI Grand Challenge? "Whether conceptualized as a universal assembler, a nanoforge, or a matter compiler, I think the `moon-shotí goal for 2025 should be the realization of the digital control of matter, and all of the ancillary industries, capabilities, and learning that would engender." We at Foresight like Steve even more than Small Times does.

Glenn Reynolds on new nanotech bill

Foresight director Glenn Reynolds gives his views on the new nanotechnology legislation. " It's a victory for people who favor the responsible development of molecular nanotechnology. But it's a small victory, a nano-victory you might say, in the great scheme of things. He speculates on what was meant by the bill's authorizing a study of "molecular self-assembly".

Intel's 'Nano Inside'

HLovy writes "Intel says it's now a master of the 65-nanometer domain. But are these nanochips truly "nanotechnology?" I was surprised when "Engines of Creation" and "Nanosystems" author Eric Drexler — whom I had assumed to be a molecular manufacturing purist — told me he thought they qualified.

"People sometimes perceive me as saying, 'Oh, you shouldn't use the term this new way,'" Drexler told me in October. "What I've actually been saying is we need to understand that it's being used in a new way … that has a certain relationship to the field."

The complete commentary can be found on Howard Lovy's NanoBot."

Bill Joy today: we need to give the good guys a head start

Bill Joy gives an interview in the December 2003 Wired in which he updates his views on potentially dangerous technologies. The bottom line: "These technologies won't stop themselves, so we need to do whatever we can to give the good guys a head start." The technologies being considered are nanotechnology, genomics, and robotics, by which is meant machine intelligence. [Bill's proposal — giving the good guys a head start — sounds right to me. –CP]

'Societal Concerns' and Scientific Accuracy

HLovy writes "If societal concerns are going to be taken into account, we need to look at how the society is being informed. The new American Nanotechnology Preparedness Center authorized by the nanotech bill should ask that question, as well. Any study on "societal impact" of a technology is also, by definition, a measure of the prejudices and preconceptions the public holds — based in part on how the technology is explained to them. To take a reading of "societal concerns" is to measure popularly held beliefs, rather than scientific fact. Those who have assigned themselves the mission of informing society should, in theory, try as best they can to reconcile the two.

Christine Peterson at the Foresight Institute says that it's ultimately up to the scientists, themselves, if they want their story communicated properly. "It is a responsibility of scientists and technologists to educate the public. If they can't stand to deal with the media, they can go directly to the public via the Web and by writing books." But to do that is to also alienate themselves among their colleagues. Carl Sagan, she pointed out, paid a price in reputation among his peers for stooping so low as to try to communicate effectively to the uneducated.

For the complete commentary, please see Howard Lovy's NanoBot."

Nanocomputer a little more real

RobertBradbury writes "New Scientist is reporting here that using a very clever combination of biological and chemical methods a group from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology has created self-assembling nanotransistors. Also discussed in Science 302:1310 if you have access."

Foresight Institute adds to Board of Advisors

The Foresight Institute welcomes Lawrence Lessig of Stanford University, Amory Lovins of Rocky Mountain Institute, and Christopher Hook of the Mayo Clinic to its Board of Advisors, adding experts in the environmental, bioethics, and legal areas.

Webcast of nanotech outreach lecture

November 21st, at 7:00 pm U.S. Central time, Dr. Paul Barbara, the Director of the University of Texas-Austin Center for Nano and Molecular Science and Technology, will give a public lecture on nanotechnology that can be viewed by anyone with an Internet connection.

2 Questions on Nanopart Assembly

brettl writes "Following a discussion with nanodot users last week, I have some specific questions about the creation of nanoscale components that would have to be synthesized to create a nanofactory. I would like to use the example of Drexler's diamandoid bearing."

Primitive Nanofactory Design in PDF file

iph1954 writes "CRN has posted a PDF download for our new paper 'Design of a Primitive Nanofactory' on our website at http://www.crnano.org/papers.htm
Mike Treder, Executive Director, Center for Responsible Nanotechnology

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