Yesterday, in response to our press release on the IDEAS Factory results, a leading science blogger asked me:
What should the first steps in nanotech policy formation be? What kind of policies are needed?
Here is the answer I gave:
We can't be certain yet what kind of policies are needed, because we don't know for sure how powerful molecular manufacturing technology actually will be, nor do we know when it will be developed. If it ends up taking 50 years, like some still claim, or even 25 years, then other emerging technologies will have changed the world so much by then that MM will likely make less of an impact. On the other hand, if it arrives within the next 10-12 years, as CRN thinks is probable, then it could be transformative and disruptive.It's imperative that we begin to get a better understanding of how quickly the technology will be developed, what the key milestones along the way will be, and who is most likely to push it forward. All of these questions remain unanswered, and in most quarters still unasked.
CRN is pushing for the adoption of our Thirty Essential Nanotechnology Studies by relevant and responsible government bodies and by other leading international organizations. Putting diligent effort into conducting those studies and either confirming or revising our preliminary conclusions would go a long way toward building the body of knowledge that is needed in order to begin making sensible policy for advanced nanotechnology.
Tags: nanotechnology nanotech nano science technology ethics weblog blog
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