RE: Microtech vs. nanotech kr (kr@shell.portal.com)
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23 Jan 1995 16:50:11 -0500

At 14:16 95-01-20, POLLOCKP_at_b8352ple@smtpgw1.plk.af.mil wrote:
>Incidentally ... I am still puzzled as to how biological systems cope
>with the presence of dirt. You'd tend to think that all those capillaries,
>micro-tubules and nanotubules would get clogged up sooner or later. I'd
>be interested in comments on this subject.

The quick answer here of course is that biological systems are systems of molecular machinery, able to exert much more control over what passes the boundaries of a closed system. This is in contrast to microtechnology, which is pretty crude. :-) This issue precisely goes to the core of the difference between microtech (moving top->down) and nanotech (using a bottom->up methodology). It will likely be very difficult to reach full molecular manufacturing by making microtech just smaller. To me personally, it is not even clear to what degree microtech will be able to assist the development of nanotech.

As one devotes more time amd thought to this (seemingly superficial) issue, the clearer the importance of a bottom->up approach becomes.

Many Greetings


Markus Krummenacker                       1797 Union Street
Director of Research                      San Francisco, CA 94123
Nanothinc, A California Corporation       Phone: (415) 202-9969
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