We're all done for!

[hurricaneone]

Originally posted by japangreg
Getting away from the religious arguments for a moment

No arguments here, man - just stating opinion, that's all. We don't need anymore people getting into arguments over religion - we've got enough of them around the world already.

[TallGuyLittleCar]

Originally posted by japangreg

Nano-technology and engineered viruses are much the same, microscopic elements specifically designed to do a task. The real threat, as HurricanOne pointed out, is the increased selection pressures we're putting on naturally occuring viruses and bacteria.

very true, however nano-technology could be used to destroy non living things. While viruses and bacteria are getting stronger they seem to be limiting themselver to living cells. A nanite could be designed to destroy everything that is carbon based, turning the face of the earth into a grey goo.

for those reading along Dr. Drexler's books are quite a fun eye opener.

[Karikaru]

well in all of the churches i have been to no one has ever forced anyone to pay them (i think you have to pay in the mormon church, but they arent Christians) also the money goes to run the church, in my church the money goes to pay off the loan for the church and to pay the pastor and the secretary who works there. there is no rich executive driving around in a lamburghini from my offering money... at my church if you dont give offering they dont care, because its between you and God, but they do rely on that money to pay the billsevery month. sure there are churches full of people out there who come every sunday just because they feel some obligation to tradition, but there are still lots of sincere Christians out there who not only believe in their religon, but live it too

[japangreg]

Originally posted by TallGuyLittleCar
very true, however nano-technology could be used to destroy non living things. While viruses and bacteria are getting stronger they seem to be limiting themselver to living cells. A nanite could be designed to destroy everything that is carbon based, turning the face of the earth into a grey goo.

For some reason I doubt that... nanotech constructs would be forced to function much as proteins do; recognize certain molecular structures and exert an electrical or physical force on them to alter their structure. Recognition on any molecular level would be much the same as antibodies or the legs of a phage virus. Simply targeting carbon would require too specific of a contact point as to make the nanoconstuct almost powerless, as it's energy potential would most likely be much less than the molecular bonds holding the molecule together.

Life feeds on life, so you won't see any microbs eating steel to soon. But a distinct danger of resistant microbs is the communicability; ever see hot zone? In the modern world of rapid transportation, you could travel from one side of the globe to the other in about half a day. There are no diseases that have an incubation period that short, so a 'super bug' could infect a traveler and he could spread it to airplanes full of passengers before he even realizes he is sick. They is turn spread it to other, etc.

[TallGuyLittleCar]

well it was a concern Dr. Drexler brought up in his earliest book on the subject. I could look it up in the next few days.