From: spike66 (spike66@attbi.com)
Date: Mon Jan 27 2003 - 20:23:03 MST
>> On Mon, 27 Jan 2003, Max M wrote:
>
>>> Then later, when we can do fully virtual designs, we can design cheap
>>> and efficient space travel.
>>
>> I don't know whether it is generally known, but my read of Eric Drexler's
>> literature and development history is that cheap access to space was
>> one primary reasons he pushed to develop nanotechnology.
True. Light sails were his first love, and an area in
which he was getting patents before he was deeply involved
in nanotech. At the first west coast nanocon in 1990, I
was carrying a government-funded study of solar sails,
to which he had contributed some papers. He saw me with
it and came up and started a conversation. With me. I
was so in shock.
Those of you who know Eric know he is a quiet reserved
type. Get him talking about solar sails. Learn about
them first. In his early lectures on nanotechnology
that was always included. The medical stuff came later.
These days, Foresight's concern seems to be focussed on
the danger of military and terrorist nanotech.
spike
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