For a lighter moment here at Nanodot, we look at nanotechnology from the Socialist Worker perspective:
“Capitalism, forever in search of updated means of production, has seized upon nanotechnology as a panacea for its present ills and invested huge amounts in research programmes…The possibilities offered by nanotechnology and nanoscience have been hyped to attract investors to such an extent that it is almost guaranteed to be a disappointment. The short term benefits of nanotechnology will be very mundane or frivolous…If we are to maximise the benefits of nanotechnology, we should not leave control of this field to the ‘band of warring brothers’, as Karl Marx called the capitalist classes of the world.”
This is written by researcher Mark Baxendale, whose web page lists some nanotech uses: “These applications include molecular quantum electronic devices; probes for scanning probe microscopy, and magnetic tags for biomolecules.” These don’t sound mundane or frivolous to me. —Christine
