Big Money for Little Robots

Posted 15 May 2003 at 23:14 UTC by The Swirling Brain

Congress is budgeting another $2.36 billion for nanotech research over the next three years. That's just a little more than what they've already been spending in previous years, but it is still a lot of money. The US is hoping to see a flurry of inventions as a result of nanotech research. The bill would apparently steer the funds in various directions with nearly half going to National Science Foundation. Perhaps it's a good time to think about a career in nanotechnology?

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Sounds like Michael Crichton's PREY ..., posted 16 May 2003 at 00:37 UTC by pauld2 » (Observer)

High-tech whistle-blower, Jack Forman, is in deep kimshi in Crichton's book, Prey. This is nanotechnology at its worst. Here's a brief review; ---

Jack discovers his wife's firm has created self-replicating nanotechnology--a literal swarm of microscopic machines. Originally meant to serve as a military eye in the sky, the swarm has now escaped into the environment and is seemingly intent on killing the scientists trapped in the facility. The reader realizes early, however, that Jack, his wife, and fellow scientists have more to fear from the hidden dangers within the lab than from the predators without.

--- This is interesting science.