Ac version 3 Observation 1: sq 4

Nano Good/Bad

Nano Good

Warming

Nanotech key to solve warming – can create new sources of carbon free energy quickly

Lane et. al 7 (Neal Lane, professor of physics at Rice University, was director of NSF from 1993 to 1998 and science advisor to President Clinton beginning in 1998. Thomas Kalil, assistant to the chancellor for science and technology at the University of California at Berkeley, was deputy assistant to the president for technology and economic policy and deputy director of the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration, 2007, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Present at the Creation, http://www.issues.org/21.4/lane.html)
Invest in nanotechnology for clean energy. Experts believe that combating global warming may require the ability to generate 15 to 30 terawatts of car-bon-free energy worldwide by 2050. By comparison, today’s total global energy consumption is a little less than 15 terawatts. Considering that 85 percent of our current global primary energy consumption is from fossil fuels, this is a daunting challenge. Researchers have identified a variety of ways in which nanotechnology could help solve our long-term energy challenges. These include a dramatic reduction in the cost of photovoltaics, direct photoconversion of light and water to produce hydrogen, and transformational advances in energy storage and transmission. The United States desperately needs an Apollo-type project to reduce the threat of climate change and its dependence on Middle East oil. Nanotechnology could play a key role in creating new sources of carbon-free energy that are competitive with fossil fuels.

Solves Tech

Nanotech will be revolutionary technology and spur education

Lane et. al 7 (Neal Lane, professor of physics at Rice University, was director of NSF from 1993 to 1998 and science advisor to President Clinton beginning in 1998. Thomas Kalil, assistant to the chancellor for science and technology at the University of California at Berkeley, was deputy assistant to the president for technology and economic policy and deputy director of the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration, 2007, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Present at the Creation, http://www.issues.org/21.4/lane.html)
Advocates made a number of arguments on behalf of the NNI, which we believe are still valid today. First, nanoscale S&E has the potential to be as important as previous general-purpose technologies, such as the steam engine, the transistor, and the Internet. At a size of 1 to 100 nanometers, materials, structures, and devices exhibit new and often useful physical, electrical, mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties. Second, expanded funding for nanotechnology can help revitalize the physical sciences and engineering, because it builds on disciplines such as condensed-matter physics, materials science, chemistry, and engineering. Third, the NNI will help attract and prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Because roughly two-thirds of the funding for the NNI flows to university researchers, it directly supports undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs. Fourth, it is clear that realizing the potential of nanotechnology will require supporting long-term high-risk research that is beyond the time horizons of corporations, which are understandably focused on nearer-term research and product development. As President Clinton noted in his Caltech speech, “Some of these [nanotechnology] research goals will take 20 or more years to achieve. But that is why . . . there is such a critical role for the federal government.” Finally, a 1998 technology evaluation concluded that global leadership in nanotechnology was up for grabs. We hoped that the NNI would allow the United States to strengthen its position in this critical technology.

Nanotech can cure cancer and incentivizes universities to invest in their educational services

Lane et. al 7 (Neal Lane, professor of physics at Rice University, was director of NSF from 1993 to 1998 and science advisor to President Clinton beginning in 1998. Thomas Kalil, assistant to the chancellor for science and technology at the University of California at Berkeley, was deputy assistant to the president for technology and economic policy and deputy director of the National Economic Council during the Clinton administration, 2007, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Present at the Creation, http://www.issues.org/21.4/lane.html)
The NNI funding has resulted in an expansion of fundamental understanding of nanoscale phenomena and many research results with potentially revolutionary applications. In widely cited journals such as Science, Nature, and Physical Review Letters,the percentage of journal articles related to nanoscale S&E has increased from 1 percent in 1992 to over 5 percent by 2003. The breadth of activity is impressive. For example, researchers are developing:¶ The use of gold nanoshells with localized heating for the targeted destruction of malignant cancer cells, an approach that involves minimal side effects.¶ Genetically engineered viruses that can self-assemble inorganic materials such as gallium arsenide.¶ Low-cost hybrid solar cells that combine inorganic “nanorods” with conducting polymers.¶ A scale that can detect a zeptogram, the weight of a single protein.¶ Quantum dots that can “slow light,” opening the door to all-optical networks.¶ Nanoscale iron particles that can reduce the costs of cleaning up contaminated groundwater.¶ The increased funding has also triggered broader institutional responses at leading U.S. research universities. Universities are hiring more faculty in this interdisciplinary area, investing in new buildings that are capable of housing 21st-century nanoscience research and creating shared facilities for nanoscale imaging, characterization, synthesis, and fabrication. Colleges and departments are experimenting in educating truly interdisciplinary nanoscientists and engineers, with new courses, lab rotations, and two or more faculty mentors in different disciplines.

Environment

Nanotech solves the hydrogen economy- faster generation, integral to solve

Walsh 7 (Ben, MSci PhD MRSC, “Environmentally Beneficial Nanotechnologies”, May 2007, http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/reports/reportpdf/report86.pdf //nz)
Hydrogen (and oxygen as a by‐product) can be generated through electrolysis or directly catalysed decomposition of water. Hydrogen can then potentially be stored indefinitely, although its small molecular size and gaseous nature make storage difficult when combined with the need for substantial energy densities. Using fuel cells, hydrogen can be reacted with oxygen (usually from the atmosphere) to generate water and usable electricity. Nanotechnology is likely to be a key component in generation, storage and use of hydrogen as a fuel source. If the electricity used to generate the hydrogen from water is produced via renewable means, this system could be used to store and transport excess electricity. Hydrogen has the potential to replace traditional hydrocarbons as the major source of energy in the UK. There are three stages to this process where nanotechnology is likely to play a leading role: • the generation of hydrogen from water • the storage of hydrogen • the controlled reaction of hydrogen with oxygen to form electricity (fuel cell). Hydrogen generation via electrolysis This method electrically charges two plates containing a catalyst which converts water into oxygen and hydrogen. Nanoparticles and nanostructures on the surface of these plates can increase the overall efficiency and speed of this process. This technique could reduce the cost of developing an extensive hydrogen transport network by greater production of hydrogen by the end user. Recent research into porphyrin (a common molecule used by plants in photosynthesis) nanotubes with particles of platinum coated onto their surface has shown promise as an effective catalyst for photolytic splitting of water. Although in its early stages, there is the potential for nanotechnology to provide a solution from an unexpected avenue. Light metal hydrides react with hydrogen, essentially encapsulating the hydrogen on the surface of the compound. To maximise hydrogen absorption, such materials are likely to be in the form of nanopowders or nanoporous matrices to expose the largest surface area to hydrogen gas. Therefore nanotechnology is integral to this method of hydrogen storage.

Nanotech solves fuel additives and efficiency, 7% improvement, tech available

Walsh 7 (Ben, MSci PhD MRSC, “Environmentally Beneficial Nanotechnologies”, May 2007, http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/reports/reportpdf/report86.pdf //nz)


Fuel and lubricant additives are near or at‐market sol utions that can deliver small but globally significant carbon savings and emissions reductions through use in conventional engine systems without modification. We estimate that nanotechnology can deliver 7 % improvement in fuel consumption and pollution emissions across the two applications with greatest improvements in diesel engine fuel consumption and emissions. Given the concerns of climate change due to fossil fuel consumption and threats to public health from particulate emissions from road transport, there is a justification for government intervention for the common good. This could take the form of accelerating health and safety research, combined with support for validation trials. Given that this technology is currently available, it is possible to estimate its implementation cost. This is approximately £20‐£80 per tonne of carbon dioxide and therefore compares favourably with Defra’s figure of the social cost of carbon at around £70 per tonne. It also compares favourably with the cost of using bio‐diesel estimated to give a carbon cost of £140 per tonne of carbon dioxide. A key issue will be the trade off (if any) between support for such modest near market developments and support for longer term more radical changes that will deliver much greater environmental benefit, but will require greater system changes in order to achieve them. Supporting solely such near market solutions may simply reinforce the current fossil fuel based technology unless funding for alternative, more resource efficient technologies is provided at the same time. Nanocoatings for turbines is a much less contentious area in which conventional R&D support aids the development of advanced coatings. We estimate that nanotechnology based coatings and surface treatments are likely to improve turbine efficiencies by about 0.5% after fuller development. However potential risks are much lower and, because of the primacy of specification and approval procedures, government policy has much less capacity for influence. We propose therefore that there are no special policy issues of contention to be raised.

Nanotech solves solar cells - improves overall efficiency, and are extremely cheeap

Walsh 7 (Ben, MSci PhD MRSC, “Environmentally Beneficial Nanotechnologies”, May 2007, http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/reports/reportpdf/report86.pdf //nz)
Photovoltaic technologies offer a potentially unlimited source of emission free, renewable energy by converting sunlight into electricity. The development of this alternative energy source is dependent on the availability of the energy generator and primarily solar radiation. This is clearly dependant on location and weather conditions. More favourable sites, such as Saharan Africa, can provide approximately 2,300KWh/m2 of energy per year, whereas, in the UK, the higher latitudes and less accommodating weather conditions result in practical levels possibly as low as 800KWh/m2 of energy per year. Based on current state of the art solar cells, this equates to approximately 20‐30m2 of solar cell required to power the average household. A potentially better metric than overall efficiency of a solar cell is to examine the cost of electricity generation. Currently, for the best suited sites, photovoltaic power generation, costs approximately €4‐5/W. Current estimates suggest that these costs can be reduced to €3.5/W by 2010 and €2/W by 2020, with a further decrease to about €1/W by 2030, but all these predictions are based on the assumption that major breakthroughs will occur in photovoltaic technologies. It is also assumed that energy conversion efficiencies will increase to between 30% and 50% after 2030. These major breakthroughs are, in part, predicted to emerge from the incorporation of nanotechnology. Nanoparticle silicon systems. It is hoped that by using nanoparticles of silicon the manufacturing costs can be reduced and (due to increases in surface area) the overall efficiency of the solar cell can be improved. However there are problems with the nanoparticles oxidising which limits the efficiency of the devices. New encapsulation technologies are required to abate this problem. Also the cost of silicon is a significant portion (approximately 40%) of the overall cost. Flexible film technology. A thin sheet of polymer can be coated in photovoltaic nanoparticles to create what is essentially a flexible solar cell. These flexible film solar cells could potentially be extremely cheap to produce (orders of magnitude cheaper than silicon cells). A major obstacle to the development of these systems is the development of a coating technology which provides flexible adhesion of the nanoparticles to the plastic film. Techniques such as inkjet printing or roll‐to‐roll printing may provide a high throughput solution.

Nanotech solves batteries- greater and faster charges

Walsh 7 (Ben, MSci PhD MRSC, “Environmentally Beneficial Nanotechnologies”, May 2007, http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/reports/reportpdf/report86.pdf //nz)

The problems of range and power are being addressed. For example the Tesla Roadster fully electric sports car(due to be released in early 2008) has similar performance to a Porsche Boxster and has a range of 250 miles. However, its recharge time is still several hours. Nanotechnology is seen as a lead candidate to address this problem. In a Li‐ion battery, the recharge and discharge rate are limited by the rate of adsorption and desorption of lithium from the anode and cathode of the battery. An increase in surface area of the electrode will allow more lithium to absorb faster onto the surface of the electrode. Also, in theory, these systems can store greater charges because there is a larger surface area for the lithium to react with. Research on batteries involving nanotechnology is focused on developing nanostructured electrodes which provide a high surface area, are low cost, easy to produce and stable (to avoid reduction in battery performance over its lifetime). In the USA, Altairnano have replaced the carbon graphite electrode of a standard Li‐ion battery with a nanostructured lithium titanate spinel oxide (LTO) electrode. These electrodes are claimed to have a 100 times higher surface area than the standard graphite electrode speeding the recharge and discharge rate of the battery. The low reactivity of these materials reduces the reactions between the electrode and the electrolyte which can increase charging time. The low reactivity of the electrode also extends the lifetime of the battery and allows it to function in more extreme climates than conventional Li‐ion batteries. However, the battery holds less charge than a conventional Li‐ion battery. This battery system is being used by the Phoenix Motor Company (based in California) in an electric vehicle which is due for limited release in 2007. Using a special adaptor the car can be charged in under ten minutes or overnight using conventional mains plugs. It also addresses part of the stigma associated with electric powered vehicles, as it is certified for use on freeways, has a top speed of 95 mph and a range of 130 miles. It is planned to extend this range to 250 miles by 2008. Hence companies are claiming significant advances based on nanotechnologies in making electric cars competitive with liquid fuelled ones. These developments, if fully verified, are likely to be 5‐10 years from introduction onto the mass market. Qinetiq are collaborating with several major battery and automotive manufacturers to develop new batteries. The research is industrially sensitive but does involve using nanostructures to improve battery performance. Researchers at the University of St Andrews are developing nanostructured materials which are able to hold more lithium than standard Li‐ion battery electrodes. The development of these materials is likely to result in batteries with higher charge density.

Bioterror

Nanotech solves bioterror and disease

Foladori et al 05

Professor at Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas; Invernizzi-Senior associate at the Wilson Center (Guillermo, Noela, “Nanotechnology and the Developing World:¶ Will Nanotechnology Overcome Poverty or¶ Widen Disparities?”, 2005, Vol. 2, Issue 3, Article 11, http://estudiosdeldesarrollo.net/administracion/docentes/documentos_personales/11947LBJ.pdf//VS)

Ageing mechanisms could be retarded and ¶ even reversed, with the human lifespan’s being lengthened significantly. With these artificial sensors, a¶ person could become a bionic being, improving her biological capacities and developing others. Some ¶ even envision nanotechnology applications that will improve human perception and ability at¶ fundamental levels. The field of prostheses is also among the most promising.¶ In the materials field, one novelty will be intelligent nanoparticles. Your wardrobe, for example, ¶ could be reduced to one single article. The item of clothing you have will react to changes in ¶ temperature, rainfall, snow and sun, among other elements, keeping the body always at the programmed ¶ temperature. Furthermore, it will repel sweat and dust, which will mean that it will not require washing. ¶ As if this were not enough, it would stop bacteria or viruses from penetrating it, protecting it even from ¶ possible bioterrorist attacks. In the case of an accident, your clothes would have healing effects, offering ¶ first aid. The same that applies to clothing could be adapted to certain dwellings and modes of transport. ¶ Another novelty is that carbon nanotubes are stronger than steel and only 1/6 of its weight. This will have ¶ a special impact on the aerospace, construction, automobile industries and many others. The field of computer science will be one of the earliest industries affected and will enjoy the most ¶ revolutionary change. Computers can be a hundred times faster and much smaller and lighter, and can be ¶ custom built according to the tastes of the buyer in terms of design, size, shape, color, smell and ¶ resistance. Prototypes with built-in sensors will speed up designs, adapting to flexible production ¶ processes in different parts of the world, overcoming many of the barriers that distance now imposes. ¶ The old “just-in-time” production mode will become obsolete and may very well become the “as-youneed” mode of production. The possibilities for monopolistic concentration of production (global ¶ business enterprises) will multiply.¶ The combination of computerized systems, chemical laboratories, miniature sensors and living ¶ beings adapted to specific functions will revolutionize medicine (e.g., lab-on-a-chip) and also provide ¶ rapid solutions to the historical problems of contamination. Small bacteria with sensors may be able to ¶ consume bodies of water that have been contaminated by heavy metals, or decontaminate the atmosphere ¶ in record time. Nanocapsules with combined systems of sensors and additives will revolutionize the ¶ industries such as lubricants, pharmaceuticals and filters, to make no mention of others

Immortality

Nanotech revolutionizes biological functions—removes age restrictions—infinite resource access and space colonization solves overpopulation—our evidence assumes your warrants

***[not really sure how useful this card is, but it’s pretty badass]***

Merta 10

(E. Merta, University of New Mexico School of Law, Health Sciences Library, “THE NANOTECHNOLOGY AGENDA:¶ MOLECULAR MACHINES AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION¶ IN THE 21st CENTURY”, 3/22/2010, http://www.checs.net/checs_00/presentations/nanotech.htm//VS)

The same technology, they say, can be used to prevent aging. Since aging is simply a breakdown in the biochemical processes of cells over time, and nanorobots can eventually be used to prevent any such breakdown, human cells and the bodies they form can be preserved in a healthy condition indefinitely. Inherent limits on the human lifespan need no longer exist in the nanotechnology era, and so they should be removed. Drexler and his colleagues thus favor the possibility of centuries-long life spans for any individual as a deliberate objective of human societies.[41] According to their worldview, the use of nanotechnology to preserve health and youth can and should enable the elimination of all weakness, infirmity, and limits on human ability. Any cellular or physiological process that exists in nature will, in all likelihood, be amenable to duplication and improvement by nanoscale devices. The resulting capability for full control of human cell structure and physiology will mean that handicaps like blindness, deafness, and paralysis need no longer exist. Artificial nanotech cells, organs, and limbs will permit elimination of age-old limits on strength, endurance, and agility. Bones could be made of diamond, for instance, or lungs rebuilt to breathe poisonous atmospheres. Brain enhancements by means of artificial, improved neurons will mean that limits on memory and intelligence need no longer exist. A single artificial neuron could store the entire Library of Congress, accessible to an individual on demand. Brains could have the ability to link directly via nanoengineered devices with computers, with other brains, or with the Internet. All persons, the nanotechnologist social agenda posits, should have access to physical and mental performance enhancements that seem, after extensive research, safe and beneficial.[42]¶ While nanotechnology alters the basics of human biology, nanotechnologists maintain, molecular manufacturing should be used to eliminate scarcity and poverty from society. In Drexler�s vision, self-replicating nanorobots able to reshape matter at will promise to bring abundance, prosperity, and comfort to the whole human population for the first time since humans arrived on Earth. In the age of nanotechnology, households inhabited by immortal, healthy, energetic enhanced humans could come equipped with home manufacturing devices able to provide all the basic necessities of life for very little cost. This low cost will result from three factors. First, the basic raw material of all manufacturing will become carbon, an element that the Earth�s environment provides in virtually limitless abundance. Second, the nanorobots that do the manufacturing will be self-replicating. You only need to build one � it will then copy itself as needed, for free, without human labor, so long as carbon raw materials are available. Third, Drexler predicates his vision on the argument that molecular manufacturing will ultimately be controlled by automated, artificial intelligence systems capable of operating largely without human direction. Such systems will be made possible, he contends, by nanomedical research into the structure and workings of the human brain. Self replication, abundant carbon, and artificial intelligence will, it is hoped, eliminate the scarcity of labor, raw materials and other resources that once limited the availability of products. Human material needs will be fulfilled simply by asking an automated manufacturing facility to make a desired object � whether it be food, a rocket engine, medical nanorobots, a kitchen knife, clothing, or a house.[43]¶ On the issue of nanotech solutions to scarcity, the nanotechnologists� argument again goes: since we can, we should. To them, the self evident desirability of eradicating poverty and ensuring a healthy, prosperous life for all human beings outweigh, on balance, any potential objections to nanotechnology. Confronting fears that greatly lengthened life spans would lead to even greater overpopulation than exists today, the nanotech visionaries respond that nano-driven material abundance would provide for the population�s needs while nano-enabled space travel would provide greatly expanded living space. The entire solar system, and perhaps beyond, would become the home of humanity. Individual mobility, freedom, opportunity, and prosperity would be available to an unprecedented extent. The science and technology community would be morally remiss, Eric Drexler writes, if it failed to pursue this opportunity to build a decent life for the whole human family and put an end to the most ancient forms of human suffering.[44]

Energy

Nanotech solves clean energy and environmental sustainability

Merta 10

(E. Merta, University of New Mexico School of Law, Health Sciences Library, “THE NANOTECHNOLOGY AGENDA:¶ MOLECULAR MACHINES AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION¶ IN THE 21st CENTURY”, 3/22/2010, http://www.checs.net/checs_00/presentations/nanotech.htm//VS)

By permitting complete control over the structure of matter, nanotechnologists contend, molecular manufacturing will enable previously unthinkable advances in energy, environmental, and transportation systems. Molecule sized solar collectors and batteries, for example, could be woven directly into the structure of every manufactured object on Earth, providing an effectively limitless source of clean energy for technological civilization.[29] Swarms of nanorobots could be released into the Earth�s environment to break down and neutralize pollutant materials in the ground, air, and water.[30]

Space Colonization

Nanotech key to space colonization

Merta 10

(E. Merta, University of New Mexico School of Law, Health Sciences Library, “THE NANOTECHNOLOGY AGENDA:¶ MOLECULAR MACHINES AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION¶ IN THE 21st CENTURY”, 3/22/2010, http://www.checs.net/checs_00/presentations/nanotech.htm//VS)

And space travel could at last be made cheap and easily accessible to the entire population. Drexler has postulated a nanoengineered rocket about the size of a sports car that would carry a single person into orbit while weighing about 60 kilograms, absent passengers and fuel.[31] The lightness and minimal fuel requirements of such vehicles means they would be cheap to manufacture and operate, allowing large numbers of people ready access to Earth orbit and the regions beyond. Molecular manufacturing in space would be as cheap and quick as on Earth, thus allowing economical construction of the large, complex vehicles and facilities necessary for colonization of the solar system. The nanotechnology era, its enthusiasts predict, will finally see massive human expansion into the final frontier. [32]¶ Believers in nanotechnology�s potential depict a future filled with breath-taking technological marvels.

Poverty/Resrouce Scarcity

Nanotechnology ELIMINATES poverty and resource scarcity—comparatively outweighs any negative effects

Merta 10

(E. Merta, University of New Mexico School of Law, Health Sciences Library, “THE NANOTECHNOLOGY AGENDA:¶ MOLECULAR MACHINES AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION¶ IN THE 21st CENTURY”, 3/22/2010, http://www.checs.net/checs_00/presentations/nanotech.htm//VS)

While nanotechnology alters the basics of human biology, nanotechnologists maintain, molecular manufacturing should be used to eliminate scarcity and poverty from society. In Drexler�s vision, self-replicating nanorobots able to reshape matter at will promise to bring abundance, prosperity, and comfort to the whole human population for the first time since humans arrived on Earth. In the age of nanotechnology, households inhabited by immortal, healthy, energetic enhanced humans could come equipped with home manufacturing devices able to provide all the basic necessities of life for very little cost. This low cost will result from three factors. First, the basic raw material of all manufacturing will become carbon, an element that the Earth�s environment provides in virtually limitless abundance. Second, the nanorobots that do the manufacturing will be self-replicating. You only need to build one � it will then copy itself as needed, for free, without human labor, so long as carbon raw materials are available. Third, Drexler predicates his vision on the argument that molecular manufacturing will ultimately be controlled by automated, artificial intelligence systems capable of operating largely without human direction. Such systems will be made possible, he contends, by nanomedical research into the structure and workings of the human brain. Self replication, abundant carbon, and artificial intelligence will, it is hoped, eliminate the scarcity of labor, raw materials and other resources that once limited the availability of products. Human material needs will be fulfilled simply by asking an automated manufacturing facility to make a desired object � whether it be food, a rocket engine, medical nanorobots, a kitchen knife, clothing, or a house.[43]¶ On the issue of nanotech solutions to scarcity, the nanotechnologists� argument again goes: since we can, we should. To them, the self evident desirability of eradicating poverty and ensuring a healthy, prosperous life for all human beings outweigh, on balance, any potential objections to nanotechnology. Confronting fears that greatly lengthened life spans would lead to even greater overpopulation than exists today, the nanotech visionaries respond that nano-driven material abundance would provide for the population�s needs while nano-enabled space travel would provide greatly expanded living space. The entire solar system, and perhaps beyond, would become the home of humanity. Individual mobility, freedom, opportunity, and prosperity would be available to an unprecedented extent. The science and technology community would be morally remiss, Eric Drexler writes, if it failed to pursue this opportunity to build a decent life for the whole human family and put an end to the most ancient forms of human suffering.[44]

Energy

Nanotech is key to sustainable energy access—prefer our evidence, it cites an expert consensus

Science Daily 05

(Science Daily Magazine, “Nanotechnology's Miniature Answers To Developing World's Biggest Problems”, 05/12/2005, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050512120050.htm//VS)

With a high degree of unanimity, panelists selected energy production, conversion and storage, along with creation of alternative fuels, as the area where nanotechnology applications are most likely to benefit developing countries.¶ "Economic development and energy consumption are inextricably linked," says Singer. "If nanotechnology can help developing countries to move towards energy self-sufficiency, then the benefits of economic growth will become that much more accessible."¶ Study leader Dr. Fabio Salamanca-Buentello explained that nano-structured materials are being used to build a new generation of solar cells, hydrogen fuel cells and novel hydrogen storage systems that will deliver clean energy to countries still reliant on traditional, non-renewable contaminating fuels.¶ As well, recent advances in the creation of synthetic nano-membranes embedded with proteins are capable of turning light into chemical energy.¶ "These technologies will help people in developing countries avoid recurrent shortages and price fluctuations that come with dependence on fossil fuels, as well as the environmental consequences of mining and burning oil and coal," he says.

Ag

Nanotech solves agricultural production and soil fertility

Science Daily 05

(Science Daily Magazine, “Nanotechnology's Miniature Answers To Developing World's Biggest Problems”, 05/12/2005, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050512120050.htm//VS)

Number two on the list is agriculture, where science is developing a range of inexpensive nanotech applications to increase soil fertility and crop production, and help eliminate malnutrition - a contributor to more than half the deaths of children under five in developing countries.¶ Nanotech materials are in development for the slow release and efficient dosage of fertilizers for plants and of nutrients and medicines for livestock. Other agricultural developments include nano-sensors to monitor the health of crops and farm animals and magnetic nano-particles to remove soil contaminants.¶

Agriculture production in developing countries is key to GLOBAL food security and poverty reduction

UN 08

(United Nations, “Addressing the global food crisis Key trade, investment and commodity policies in ¶ ensuring sustainable food security and ¶ alleviating poverty”, 2008, http://unctad.org/en/Docs/osg20081_en.pdf//VS)

15. There are less obvious structural long-term causes of the global ¶ food crisis that are just as significant and that have indeed led to have ¶ such a serious impact on food availability. These structural factors ¶ mainly affect the supply side – in particular, the difficulties many ¶ developing countries face in increasing agricultural production and ¶ productivity to meet food domestic consumption and for international ¶ trade. The causes of this production crisis have profound implications ¶ for food security (and poverty reduction) in terms of production, ¶ consumption and trade in developing countries. To a large extent, these ¶ problems stem from the inherent tensions that exist because the ¶ agriculture and food sectors are seen as being unlike any other economic ¶ sector. Such tensions raise important policy issues which will have to be ¶ addressed in a balanced manner so that factors that have contributed to ¶ the current crisis can be addressed for the benefit of all affected. ¶ 16. The fundamental factor underlying the supply shortage is that, ¶ particularly in the last two decades, agricultural productivity has been ¶ relatively low in developing countries and even decreasing in many ¶ LDCs – a symptom of long-term neglect of the agricultural sector. On ¶ average, annual agricultural productivity in LDCs (as measured by total ¶ factor production (land and labour)) between 1961 and 2003 showed a ¶ decline of 0.1 per cent, as against only about 0.6 per cent for developing ¶ countries. In LDCs and African countries, these low agriculture growth rates have had important adverse implications for economic ¶ growth and poverty reduction. Even in rapidly growing large developing ¶ countries such as India, however, many farmers continue to lead lives of ¶ mere subsistence

Space Col/Asteroids

Nanotechnology key to launch vehicles—overcomes status quo cost hurdles

Globus et al 98

(A. Globus*, D. Bailey**, J. Han***, R. Jaffe****, C. Levit*****, R. Merkle******, D. Srivastava*******, * Senior Research Associate for Human Factors Research and Technology at San Jose State University at NASA Ames Research Center. Research associate at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in the chemistry department of the University of California at Santa Cruz, ** senior scientist for the computational research department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, *** professor in geotechnical engineering at Department of Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas, ****no qualifications cited, ***** Creon Levit is a research scientist ¶ in the Advanced Supercomputing ¶ Division at NASA Ames Research ¶ Center, ****** computer scientist, researcher, and leading proponent of molecular manufacturing, ******* Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics¶ Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics, “NASA applications of molecular nanotechnology”, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, volume 51, pp. 145-152, 1998, http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/NASAapplications.html//VS)

Launch Vehicles¶ [Drexler 92a] proposed a nanotechnology based on diamond and investigated its potential properties. In particular, he examined applications for materials with a strength similar to that of diamond (69 times strength/mass of titanium). This would require a very mature nanotechnology constructing systems by placing atoms on diamond surfaces one or a few at a time in parallel. Assuming diamondoid materials, [McKendree 95] predicted the performance of several existing single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle designs. The predicted payload to dry mass ratio for these vehicles using titanium as a structural material varied from < 0 (the vehicle won't work) to 36%, i.e., the vehicle weighs substantially more than the payload. With hypothetical diamondoid materials the ratios varied from 243% to 653%, i.e., the payload weighs far more than the vehicle. Using a very simple cost model ($1000 per vehicle kilogram) sometimes used in the aerospace industry, he estimated the cost per kilogram launched to low-Earth-orbit for diamondoid structured vehicles should be $153-412. This would meet NASA's 2020 launch to orbit cost goals. Estimated costs for titanium structured vehicles varied from $16,000-59,000/kg. Although this cost model is probably adequate for comparison, the absolute costs are suspect.¶ [Drexler 92b] used a more speculative methodology to estimate that a four passenger SSTO weighing three tons including fuel could be built using a mature nanotechnology. Using McKendree's cost model, such a vehicle would cost about $60,000 to purchase -- the cost of today's high-end luxury automobiles.¶ These studies assumed a fairly advanced nanotechnology capable of building diamondoid materials. In the nearer term, it may be possible to develop excellent structural materials using carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes have a Young's modulus of approximately one terapascal -- comparable to diamond. Studies of carbon nanotube strength include [Treacy 96], [Yacobson 96], and [Srivastava 97a].

Nanotech key to light sail production—the impact is efficient interplanetary transportation

Globus et al 98

(A. Globus*, D. Bailey**, J. Han***, R. Jaffe****, C. Levit*****, R. Merkle******, D. Srivastava*******, * Senior Research Associate for Human Factors Research and Technology at San Jose State University at NASA Ames Research Center. Research associate at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in the chemistry department of the University of California at Santa Cruz, ** senior scientist for the computational research department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, *** professor in geotechnical engineering at Department of Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas, ****no qualifications cited, ***** Creon Levit is a research scientist ¶ in the Advanced Supercomputing ¶ Division at NASA Ames Research ¶ Center, ****** computer scientist, researcher, and leading proponent of molecular manufacturing, ******* Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics¶ Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics, “NASA applications of molecular nanotechnology”, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, volume 51, pp. 145-152, 1998, http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/NASAapplications.html//VS)

Interplanetary transportation¶ [Drexler 92b] calculates that lightsails made of 20 nm aluminum in tension should achieve an outward acceleration of ~14 km/s per day at Earth orbit with no payload and minimal structural overhead. For comparison, the delta V from low Earth to geosynchronous orbit is 3.8 km/s. Lightsails generate thrust by reflecting sunlight. Tension is achieved by rotating the sail. The direction of thrust is normal to the sail and away from the Sun. By directing thrust along or against the velocity vector, orbits can be lowered or raised. This form of transportation requires no reaction mass and generates thrust continuously, although the instantaneous acceleration is small so sails cannot operate in an atmosphere and must be large for even moderate payloads.

Nanotech key to space transportation technology

Globus et al 98

(A. Globus*, D. Bailey**, J. Han***, R. Jaffe****, C. Levit*****, R. Merkle******, D. Srivastava*******, * Senior Research Associate for Human Factors Research and Technology at San Jose State University at NASA Ames Research Center. Research associate at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in the chemistry department of the University of California at Santa Cruz, ** senior scientist for the computational research department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, *** professor in geotechnical engineering at Department of Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas, ****no qualifications cited, ***** Creon Levit is a research scientist ¶ in the Advanced Supercomputing ¶ Division at NASA Ames Research ¶ Center, ****** computer scientist, researcher, and leading proponent of molecular manufacturing, ******* Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics¶ Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics, “NASA applications of molecular nanotechnology”, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, volume 51, pp. 145-152, 1998, http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/NASAapplications.html//VS)

The strength of materials and computational capabilities previously discussed for space transportation should also allow much more advanced aircraft. Stronger, lighter materials can obviously make aircraft with greater lift and range. More powerful computers are invaluable in the design stage and of great utility in advanced avionics.¶ Active surfaces for aeronautic control¶ MEMS technology has been used to replace traditional large control structures on aircraft with large numbers of small MEMS controlled surfaces. This control system was used to operate a model airplane in a windtunnel. Nanotechnology should allow even finer control -- finer control than exhibited by birds, some of which can hover in a light breeze with very little wing motion. Nanotechnology should also enable extremely small aircraft.¶ Complex Shapes¶ A reasonably advanced nanotechnology should be able to make simple atomically precise materials under software control. If the control is at the atomic level, then the full range of shapes possible with a given material should be achievable. Aircraft construction requires complex shapes to accommodate aerodynamic requirements. With molecular nanotechnology, strong complex-shaped components might be manufactured by general purpose machines under software control.¶ Payload Handling¶ The aeronautics mission is responsible for launch vehicle development. Payload handling is an important function. Very efficient payload handling might be accomplished by a very advanced swarm. The sequence begins by placing each payload on a single large swarm located next to the shuttle orbiter. The swarm forms itself around the payloads and then moves them into the payload bay, arranging the payloads to optimize the center of gravity and other considerations. The swarm holds the payload in place during launch and may even damp out some launch vibrations. On orbit, satellites can be launched from the payload bay by having the swarm give them a gentle push. The swarm can then be left in orbit, perhaps at a space station, and used for orbital operations.

Nanotech key to small asteroid retrieval—that solves space colonization

Globus et al 98

(A. Globus*, D. Bailey**, J. Han***, R. Jaffe****, C. Levit*****, R. Merkle******, D. Srivastava*******, * Senior Research Associate for Human Factors Research and Technology at San Jose State University at NASA Ames Research Center. Research associate at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in the chemistry department of the University of California at Santa Cruz, ** senior scientist for the computational research department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, *** professor in geotechnical engineering at Department of Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas, ****no qualifications cited, ***** Creon Levit is a research scientist ¶ in the Advanced Supercomputing ¶ Division at NASA Ames Research ¶ Center, ****** computer scientist, researcher, and leading proponent of molecular manufacturing, ******* Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics¶ Professor of Pediatrics and of Biochemistry and Biophysics, “NASA applications of molecular nanotechnology”, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, volume 51, pp. 145-152, 1998, http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/NASAapplications.html//VS)

In situ resource utilization is undoubtedly necessary for large scale colonization of the solar system. Asteroids are particularly promising for orbital use since many are in near Earth orbits. Moving asteroids into low Earth orbit for utilization poses a safety problem should the asteroid get out of control and enter the atmosphere. Very small asteroids can cause significant destruction. The 1908 Tunguska explosion, which [Chyba 93) calculated to be a 60 meter diameter stony asteroid, leveled 2,200 km2 of forest. [Hills 93] calculated that 4 meter diameter iron asteroids are near the threshold for ground damage. Both these calculations assumed high collision speeds. At a density of 7.7 g/cm3 [Babadzhanov 93], a 3 meter diameter asteroid should have a mass of about 110 tons. [Rabinowitz 97] estimates that there are about one billion ten meter diameter near Earth asteroids and there should be far more smaller objects.¶ For colonization applications one would ideally provide the same radiation protection available on Earth. Each square meter on Earth is protected by about 10 tons of atmosphere. Therefore, structures orbiting below the van Allen belts would like 10 tons/meter2 surface area shielding mass. This would dominate the mass requirements of any system and require one small asteroid for each 11 meter2 of colony exterior surface area. A 10,000 person cylindrical space colony such as Lewis One [Globus 91] with a diameter of almost 500 meters and a length of nearly 2000 meters would require a minimum of about 90,000 retrieval missions to provide the shielding mass. The large number of missions required suggests that a fully automated, replicating nanotechnology may be essential to build large low Earth orbit colonies from small asteroids.¶ A nanotechnology swarm along with an atomically precise lightsail is a promising small asteroid retrieval system. Lightsail propulsion insures that no mass will be lost as reaction mass. The swarm can control the lightsail by shifting mass. When a target asteroid is found, the swarm spreads out over the surface to form a bag. The interface to the sail must be active to account for the rotation of the asteroid -- which is unlikely to have an axis-of-rotation in the proper direction to apply thrust for the return to Earth orbit. The active interface is simply swarm elements that transfer between each other to allow the sail to stay in the proper orientation. Of course, there are many other possibilities for nanotechnology based retrieval vehicles.

AT Nanotech Impossible

Nanotech is feasible—prefer this evidence—assumes your warrants

Merta 10

(E. Merta, University of New Mexico School of Law, Health Sciences Library, “THE NANOTECHNOLOGY AGENDA:¶ MOLECULAR MACHINES AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION¶ IN THE 21st CENTURY”, 3/22/2010, http://www.checs.net/checs_00/presentations/nanotech.htm//VS)

Despite these barriers, nanotechnologists cite several reasons for long range hope that they can exploit the full range of their field�s possibilities. First, nothing in the laws of physics prevents the construction of nanomachines doing exactly the tasks they describe. The theoretical calculations of Feynman and Drexler, together with laboratory experiments to date, support this contention.[36] Second, nanotechnology already exists in one form � namely, the life forms of Earth�s biosphere. The molecules serving as the basis of all life are, nanotechnologists argue, nano-scale machines to construct extraordinarily complex, dynamic, macro-scale devices � that is, living organisms. Biomolecules do this job using a molecular level manufacturing process precisely analogous to nanotechnology. DNA functions as a nanoscale computer that sends instructions to nanoscopic assembly units within the cells known as ribosomes. The ribosomes then manufacture proteins, which function as tiny nanomachines building sub- units of biological cells, which in turn form whole cells, which in turn form living creatures.[37] The hope of nanotech researchers is to copy life�s molecular manufacturing process in a more refined and improved way. Just as the mere existence of birds once showed pre-Wright Brothers inventors that heavier than air flight by humans was possible, the existence of natural processes for molecular manufacturing is thought to show the eventual feasibility of human-controlled nanotechnology.[38]

AT Nanotech Bad

Put away your nanotech bad cards—risk assessment strategies eliminate negative effects of implementation

Merta 10

(E. Merta, University of New Mexico School of Law, Health Sciences Library, “THE NANOTECHNOLOGY AGENDA:¶ MOLECULAR MACHINES AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION¶ IN THE 21st CENTURY”, 3/22/2010, http://www.checs.net/checs_00/presentations/nanotech.htm//VS)

As they apply their skills to breaking through engineering barriers, nanotechnology researchers are making a conscious effort to think through the general implications of their work for human societies, not only in science and engineering but in economics, politics, and culture. Nanotechnologists like Eric Drexler, Ralph Merkle, and Robert Freitas do not fit the stereotypical mold of mad scientists working feverishly in their isolated laboratories, heedless to the effect their inventions might have on the larger world. Far from it. They believe their efforts could have immense social repercussions in the decades to come. They have tried to understand what those repercussions might be and to develop thoughtful positions on the uses to which nanotechnology should be put. Drexler founded his Foresight Institute, in fact, not only to promote nanotechnology but to foster discussion of its broad social impact.[39]¶ The result of such discussion has been the development of a general consensus among nanotech researchers regarding the best way to apply nanotechnology for human benefit. They have moved from the realm of pure science to that of public policy; from the question of �Can we?� to the issue of �Should we?� The essence of their consensus is this: nanotechnology should be used, with appropriate safeguards against accident and abuse, to bring deliberate, fundamental changes in aspects of human experience previously regarded as painful but also permanent facts of life. Put another way, nanotechnologists seek to abolish the worst forms of evil and suffering from human life while removing most or all natural limits on the expansion of human freedom.

Nanotech risks are based off false assumptions – safety standards already in place and no support for risks

Salvi 8 – Vice President of NanoBusiness Alliance, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Aatish, “fake fears shouldn’t stop progress,” Los Angeles Times, 2/26/2008, http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/scimedemail/la-op-salvi-kimbrell26feb26,0,4037148.story)//RH

Technological innovation is inevitable, and nanotechnology is the next step. A more appropriate question is what have we learned over the course of technological innovation that will ensure nanotechnological innovation is developed prudently and in a way that achieves all that we believe it will. We have learned much about the responsible development of technologies, which serves society well in commercializing nanotechnology. To date, for example, there have been no reported problems associated with any products using nanotechnology. This is because manufacturers are applying their risk mitigation and best practices consistently and responsibly. One cannot draw general conclusions about the risks of nanomaterials, let alone nanotechnology. The risks will depend on how we make specific products using nanotechnology and how we use them. George, you conclude that nanomaterials have enhanced intrinsic toxicity based on one variable — size. I have not seen a single scientific study to support that claim. In fact, studies have shown size is not the sole driver of hazard and is generally thought to be less important than surface properties. Sunscreen's use of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles has become a hot-button issue. You claim that these particles produce free radicals "causing DNA damage to human skin cells." Natural sunlight also causes DNA damage to skin cells, which is why we wear sunscreen. The World Health Organization estimates that cancers resulting from ultraviolet sun light exposure cause 60,000 deaths annually. The Environmental Working Group evaluated more than 900 sunscreens; of the top 100, 94 contained zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It concluded: "Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are stable compounds that provide broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, while the available studies consistently show very little or zero penetration of intact skin by these compounds, indicating that real world exposure to potential nano-sized particles in these products is likely very low (Borm 2006). The sun protection benefits, in contrast, are very high." George, your statement that "there is no method currently for limiting, controlling, or even measuring exposure to nanomaterials in the workplace" is simply wrong. Engineering controls (for examples, manufacturing in enclosed environments) can greatly reduce or nearly eliminate exposure. Furthermore, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has found that wearing personal protective equipment such as face masks prevent more than 99% of nanomaterials from entering the body. NIOSH also has visited nanomaterial manufacturers to quantify workplace nanoparticulate matter. In most of these facilities, the primary source of nanoparticulate matter is not the manufacturing process but emissions from the facilities' furnaces. In some cases, urban air contains more nanoparticles than air inside the manufacturing facility. George, you also say that nanomaterials have "unprecedented mobility" and might find their way into biological places that their larger counterparts cannot penetrate. Your observation neglects to note that certain nanoscale materials are designed to achieve this result. Cancer victims hope that nanoscale materials will travel to new biological frontiers and deliver cancer-curing relief. As for other engineered nanomaterials, your statement neglects to note that these materials are produced in controlled environments, under specific circumstances and for specific applications. Nanotechnology companies are committed to ensuring the safety of nanotech-enabled products. Such companies are taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of their workers, the public and the environment. They are partnering with NIOSH to develop data on workplace exposures; participating in the Environmental Protection Agency's Nanomaterials Stewardship Program to provide data on the existing nanomaterials in commerce; and practicing good product stewardship. Nanotechnology is already demonstrating that it will provide significant benefits to the public, our nation and the environment. We should not let generic fear of "nanotechnology risks" prevent us from harnessing this new frontier of innovation to create real products that provide compelling real-world benefits.

AT: Grey Goo

U.S. leadership key to development of safety measures that prevent gray goo – the impact is extinction

Bailey 3 – Ronald, award-winning science correspondent for Reason magazine; former Fellow in Environmental Journalism at the Competitive Enterprise Institute; former Lecturer at Harvard, MIT, and U-Virginia; named one of the personalities who have made the "most significant contributions" to biotechnology

[Dec, http://reason.com/archives/2003/12/01/the-smaller-the-better/2]

Gray Goo The second nanotechnology risk that worries ETC Group activists is runaway self-replication. Mooney points to a scenario suggested by Eric Drexler himself in The Engines of Creation: Self-replicating nanobots get out of control and spread exponentially across the landscape, destroying everything in their path by converting it into copies of themselves. In this scenario, the biosphere is transformed by rampaging nanobots into "gray goo." But according to Nobelist Richard Smalley, "Self-replicating nanorobots like those envisioned by Eric Drexler are simply impossible to make." Mihail Roco likewise dismisses such nanobots as "sci fi," insisting there is "common agreement among scientists that they cannot exist." Drexler replies, reasonably enough, that we know nanoassembly is possible because that's what living things do. Cells, using little machines such as ribosomes, mitochondria, and enzymes, precisely position molecules, store and access assembly instructions, and produce energy. Some have quipped that biology is nanotechnology that works. As that analogy suggests, there is a close affinity between nanotechnology and biotechnology. "The separation between nanotechnology and biotechnology is almost nonexistent," said Minoo Dastoor, a senior adviser in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Office of Aerospace Technology, at the National Nanotechnology Initiative's conference in April. For future missions, NASA needs machines that are resilient, evolvable, self-sufficient, ultra-efficient, and autonomous. "Biology seems to be able to do all these things very elegantly and efficiently," noted Dastoor. "The wet world of biology and the dry world of nanotechnology will have to live side by side and merge." The fact is that no one has yet definitively shown that Drexler's vision of molecular manufacturing using nanoassemblers is impossible. So let's suppose Smalley and Roco are wrong, and such nanobots are possible. How dangerous would self-replicating nanobots be? One of the ironies of the debate over regulation of nanotechnology is that it was nanotech boosters like Drexler who first worried about such risks. To address potential dangers such as the uncontrolled self-replication envisioned in his gray goo scenario, Drexler and others founded the Foresight Institute in 1989. Over the years, Foresight devised a set of guidelines aimed at preventing mishaps like a gray goo breakout. Among other things, the Foresight guidelines propose that nanotech replicators "must not be capable of replication in a natural, uncontrolled environment." This could be accomplished, the guidelines suggest, by designing devices so that they have an "absolute dependence on a single artificial fuel source or artificial 'vitamins' that don't exist in any natural environment." So if some replicators should get away, they would simply run down when they ran out of fuel. Another proposal is that self-replicating nanotech devices be "dependent on broadcast transmissions for replication or in some cases operation." That would put human operators in complete control of the circumstances under which nanotech devices could replicate. One other sensible proposal is that devices be programmed with termination dates. Like senescent cells in the human body, such devices would stop working and self-destruct when their time was up. "The moratorium is not a new proposal," says Foresight Institute President Christine Peterson. "Eric Drexler considered that idea a long time ago in The Engines of Creation and dismissed it as not a safe option. With a moratorium, we, the good guys, are going to be sitting on our hands. It's very risky to let the bad guys be the ones developing the technology. To do arms control on nanotechnology, you'd better have better nanotechnology than the bad guys." Software entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil is confident that nanotech defenses against uncontrolled replication will be stronger than the abilities to replicate. Citing our current ability to reduce computer viruses to nuisances, Kurzweil argues that we will be even more vigilant against a technology that could kill if uncontrolled. Smalley suggests we can learn how to control nanotech by looking at biology. The natural world is filled with self-replicating systems. In a sense, living things are "green goo." We already successfully defend ourselves against all kinds of self-replicating organisms that try to kill us, such as cholera, malaria, and typhoid. "What do we do about biological systems right now?" says Smalley. "I don't see that it's any different from biotechnology. We can make bacteria and viruses that have never existed before, and we'll handle [nanobots] the same way." Nanotech theorist Robert Freitas has written a study, "Some Limits to Global Ecophagy by Biovorous Nano-replicators With Public Policy Recommendations," which concludes that all "scenarios examined appear to permit early detection by vigilant monitoring, thus enabling rapid deployment of effective defensive instrumentalities." Frei-tas persuasively argues that dangerous self-replicating nanobots could not emerge from laboratory accidents but would have to be made on purpose using very sophisticated technologies that would take years to develop.

Laundry list

Science Daily 05

(Science Daily Magazine, “Nanotechnology's Miniature Answers To Developing World's Biggest Problems”, 05/12/2005, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050512120050.htm//VS)

5. Drug delivery systems: including nano-capsules, dendrimers (tiny bush-like spheres made of branched polymers), and "buckyballs" (soccerball-shaped structures made of 60 carbon atoms) for slow, sustained drug release systems, characteristics valuable for countries without adequate drug storage capabilities and distribution networks. Nanotechnology could also potentially reduce transportation costs and even required dosages by improving shelf-life, thermo-stability and resistance to changes in humidity of existing medications;¶ 6. Food processing and storage: including improved plastic film coatings for food packaging and storage that may enable a wider and more efficient distribution of food products to remote areas in less industrialized countries; antimicrobial emulsions made with nano-materials for the decontamination of food equipment, packaging, or food; and nanotech-based sensors to detect and identify contamination;¶ 7. Air pollution remediation: including nanotech-based innovations that destroy air pollutants with light; make catalytic converters more efficient, cheaper and better controlled; detect toxic materials and leaks; reduce fossil fuel emissions; and separate gases.¶ 8. Construction: including nano-molecular structures to make asphalt and concrete more resistant to water; materials to block ultraviolet and infrared radiation; materials for cheaper and durable housing, surfaces, coatings, glues, concrete, and heat and light exclusion; and self-cleaning for windows, mirrors and toilets.¶ 9. Health monitoring: several nano-devices are being developed to keep track of daily changes in patients' physiological variables such as the levels of glucose, of carbon dioxide, and of cholesterol, without the need for drawing blood in a hospital setting. This way, patients suffering from diabetes would know at any given time the concentration of sugar in their blood; similarly, patients with heart diseases would be able to monitor their cholesterol levels constantly.¶ 10. Disease vector and pest detection control: including nano-scale sensors for pest detection, and improved pesticides, insecticides, and insect repellents.