Our Molecular Future: How nanotechnology, robotics, genetics, and artificial intelligence will transform our world by Douglas Mulhall, Prometheus, $28, ISBN 1573929921
SELF-EVOLVING, self-replicating nanoscale robots will reproduce until all life on Earth suffocates under a sea of grey goo. That鈥檚 the much-debated view of nanotech naysayers like Bill Joy, techno-sage at Sun Microsystems (purveyors of grey boxes).
Many might argue that a self-replicating nanoscale machine鈥攈uman DNA鈥攊s already doing its damnedest to suffocate the planet, through changing the climate and pollution. But plenty of others worry where research into genetics, robotics, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology, known as the GRAIN technologies, is leading us? Will nanomachines undertaking tasks such as scrubbing the plaque from our arteries one day evolve into forms that threaten us? Will learning machines assume control of our computing constructs, like the Internet? Will genetic modification accidentally unleash appalling disease?
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No one knows. But the 鈥渘anoecologist鈥� can frame the questions and suggest smart regulation of the GRAIN industry, says ecology writer and expert in green technology transfer Douglas Mulhall. In Our Molecular Future, he neatly outlines why our increasing ability to manipulate single atoms and molecules is a concern, and lays out the opportunities and threats this technology presents. And it鈥檚 surprisingly readable, unlike most of the nanobabble in the science journals. In the end, as Mulhall admits, he poses more questions than he answers. But that鈥檚 a good place to start.