Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!nanotech From: biar!trebor@uunet.uu.net (Robert J Woodhead) Newsgroups: sci.nanotech Subject: Re: What, me worry? Message-ID: Date: 30 Jun 89 02:44:35 GMT Sender: nanotech@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Biar Games, Inc. Lines: 29 Approved: nanotech@aramis.rutgers.edu In article djo@pacbell.com (Dan'l DanehyOakes) writes: >Alan writes: >>But the burden of proof is on you: gray goo has never existed before, as >>far as we know. >...but neither has human-made nanotech. If you allow biolife as proof that >nanotech is workable, than you have to accept highly successful bacteria as >proof that grey goo is workable... If anything, the existance of the HIV viruses proves that simple ``devices'' can replicate themselves and actively attack specific sites in the target, eventually causing death. And, if you think about it, many of the attempts to cope with AIDS that involve serious bioengineering [eg: spoofing the HIV binding sites] can be considered rudimentary shields. It seems clear to me that the first real ``nanomachines'' that we create are going to be protein-based devices; in effect, engineered viruses. This will allow the designer to borrow the elaborate machinery inside each cell and bend it to his/her purposes. I would venture to guess that the first nanomachines will be built for the purposes of gene therapy. Consider, for example, the benefits to be gained if we can fix a defective gene and alleviate Diabetes. Or do it in-vitro or in-utero (or pre- conception by treating the parent(s)) and banish Tay-Sachs. -- (^;-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-;^) Robert J Woodhead, Biar Games, Inc. !uunet!biar!trebor | trebor@biar.UUCP ``I can read your mind - right now, you're thinking I'm full of it...''