Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Technology => Topic started by: yor_on on 30/03/2009 17:02:31

Title: Are ' National Geographic channel' serious here?
Post by: yor_on on 30/03/2009 17:02:31

I saw a program recently on the telly suggesting that we should build self replicating nano robots to explore the universe. The idea behind seems to be that we will imitate successful viruses etc and also get a better 'weight'/efficiency-ratio when it comes to acceleration etc. But self-replicating?
Lets see... 1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 512 1024 2048 4086 .... That number will rise very fast, it seems to me, as long as there is sufficient 'raw materials'.

Title: Are ' National Geographic channel' serious here?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 30/03/2009 17:03:55

What raw materials would they use?

Title: Are ' National Geographic channel' serious here?
Post by: LeeE on 30/03/2009 17:21:57

They're commonly known as von-Neumann machines and have turned up lots of sci-fi literature.

Have a look at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_machine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_machine)

Title: Are ' National Geographic channel' serious here?
Post by: Yomi on 04/04/2009 11:42:34

yes of  course....

Title: Are ' National Geographic channel' serious here?
Post by: Don_1 on 04/04/2009 11:59:46

'self replicating nano robots to explore the universe' - I think somebody put Absynth on their cornflakes instead of milk.