MEGA PRESENTS

1
MEGA PRESENTS MECHANOEVOLUTION By DR. BRADLEY
LAYTON
Lets take our own evolution a step further into
the realm of mechanoevolution. We as Homo sapiens
have figured out how to transform our environment
such that inanimate objects, with no internal
mechanisms for defeating entropic forces, now
become our symbiomechanic prosthetics? We have
created a system where we are not simply a life
form that is reducing its own entropy locally, at
the expense of creating entropy externally, but
we now must spend energy to maintain low entropy
in our prosthetics. I define a prosthetic as
anything we use to increase our own probability
of making it into the future eyeglasses, PDAs,
insulin pumps, burglar alarms, nuclear weapons.
When we take our cars to the car wash, do the
dishes, or tidy the house, we reduce the entropy
of our prosthetics at the expense of creating
entropy in the universe. How are we driving the
Second Law in a way that would not happen in our
absence?
Dr. Bradley Layton received his PhD in Biomedical
Engineering from the University of Michigan in
2003, and completed two post-doctoral fellowships
in neurology and in radiology. Dr. Layton holds a
BS in mechanical engineering from MIT and an MS
in mechanical engineering from the University of
Michigan. Prior to graduate school Dr. Layton
designed and built titanium bicycle frames and
Kevlar wakeless boats, developed software for the
BMDO, evaluated properties of lunar soil for the
DOE and NASA, he inspected radioactive
containment buildings at the Savannah River Site,
and designed equipment for Northrop Grumman and
the USEPA.
DATE April 27, 2007 TIME 200 PM PLACE MEM
Seminar Room - Curtis 162