The Dangers of Nanotechnology

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The Dangers of Nanotechnology

• Daniel Moore
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Tuesday, November 04, 2003

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Overview

• New technologies bring the potential for new
  dangers
  
• Previous technological advancements and their
  unforeseen dangers
  
• What is nanotechnology and why is it
  extraordinary?
  
• The (positive) potential of small things
• Threats
• Biological
• Environmental
• Military
• Other
• No policy scenario
• Policy Suggestions

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New technologies and new dangers

• Humanity is acquiring all the right technology
  for all the wrong reasons.
  
• R. Buckminster Fuller (1895 - 1983)
• New technologies have brought with them many
  troubles.
  
• Progress without limits is not the best policy.

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Previous technological advancements and their
unforeseen dangers
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Previous technological advancements and their
unforeseen dangers

• Even peaceful uses of technology have had
  horrible disasters.
  
• The Chernobyl disaster was spread by wind to
  three continents within 9 days.

Spread of Chernobyl radiation
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Previous technological advancements and their
unforeseen dangers

• Not just nuclear
• The use of CFCs endanger our ozone and the entire
  climate system on Earth.
  
• Silicon breast implants ended up leaking and
  being extremely dangerous to the patient.
  
• Cancer clusters appear near power lines due to
  radiation.

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What is Nanotechnology and why is it
extraordinary?

• The term nanotechnology refers to any
  technology related to features of nanometer scale
  (i.e. the scale on which viruses and bacteria
  exist).
• It gives control over properties of materials and
  structures at an atomic scale, so that
  engineering of materials and devices specific to
  a need is extremely simple and cheap.
• This kind of control has never before been seen
  in human history.

Artist rendition of a Nanobot
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The (positive) potential of small things

• Nanotechnology may lead to greater control and
  precision over device design.
  
• It might lead to greater control over properties
  of new materials.
  
• It might lead to more targeted drug delivery.
• It may provide greater sensing technology.

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Problem The Potential Threats of Nanotechnology

• As with all new technology, we should evaluate
  nanotechnology not only on its potential gains,
  but also on its potential threats.
  
• Some of these fall into the following
  categories
  
• Biological
• Environmental
• Military
• Other

Nightmare Gray Goo scenario
cells in a petri dish
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Threats - Biological

• The advent of nanotechnology allows for new
  control over our own biology.
  
• Nanomeds have greatly untested side effects. It
  is unknown what kinds of alternate problems could
  be created by altering DNA, cells, and our own
  biological beings.

Nanobot with a red blood cell
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Threats To the environment and other species

• CFCs were first developed as safer alternatives
  to ammonia.
  
• When nanotubes, hailed as the harbinger of
  nanotech, were injected into rats, 15 of them
  died quickly. The highest death rate we had ever
  seen.

Hole in the ozone layer
Lab rats
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Threats Military

• Nanotechnology is being explored for potential
  military applications.
  
• It is cheap, easy to reproduce, and possibly
  remarkably useful in both armor and weapons.

Is there any doubt our enemies would exploit
nanotechnology against civilization were they
able to?
Kim Jong Il Leader of N. Korea
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Threats Other

• Nanoassemblers
• The Holy Grail of Nanotechnology
• Self-copying nanobots
• The perfect plague

Artist rendering of nanoassemblers
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What do we do?

• Peaceful Uses Treaty based on Space treaties
• Ethical guidelines for working in nanotechnology
• Close monitoring and coordination of all nanotech
  research for potential hazards
  
• Extensive testing for potential ill effects of
  all new nanotechnology products

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Summary

• Nanotechnology is an exciting field. However,
  many of its uses and abuses are unknown.
  
• Some foresight today in curbing potential dangers
  could prevent huge potential disasters in all
  areas of life.
  
• The recommended policy changes will have minimal
  impact on scientific research and will have a
  great positive impact on peoples lives.