Comments on: Nanotechnology: Successor to US/Russia space race? http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2519 examining transformative technology Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:23:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Phillip Huggan http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2519#comment-314376 Phillip Huggan Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:05:52 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2519#comment-314376 Yes, the geopolitics of Russia's oil policy is mildly annoying. Maybe they can be taken to court for the price gouging and the millions recouped (maybe not; are they violating any trade agreements?). As for the geopolitics of America's oil policy...theft is a low ROE but destruction and plunder are surely negative sum. Russia is likely to have bad fast-commercialization capabilities, just like UK, France and Canada. They'd be best served by strategic links with established players, especially American ones. Yes, the geopolitics of Russia’s oil policy is mildly annoying. Maybe they can be taken to court for the price gouging and the millions recouped (maybe not; are they violating any trade agreements?). As for the geopolitics of America’s oil policy…theft is a low ROE but destruction and plunder are surely negative sum.

Russia is likely to have bad fast-commercialization capabilities, just like UK, France and Canada. They’d be best served by strategic links with established players, especially American ones.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2519#comment-312215 Anonymous Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:03:40 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2519#comment-312215 Considering the cost of the labour market in Russia, it's one heck of a lot more than $1.1 billion - depending on what fraction goes on labour. Given that nanotech endeavours to use as little material as possible, it's not going to be like the space race with enormous bills for fuel and materials. It's nice to see that other nations recognise the importance of a developed molecular nanotechnology, although it does carry unpleasant overtones of the Cold War. The space race was after all, mostly about showing off who could develop the most powerful rockets (to impress the military with their ICBM potential) while providing a sideshow competition into which was the "best" ideology. If the warmongers on each side start making this a positive feedback spiral, the result could be a rapidly developed nanotech at the cost of a third world war. Considering the cost of the labour market in Russia, it’s one heck of a lot more than $1.1 billion – depending on what fraction goes on labour. Given that nanotech endeavours to use as little material as possible, it’s not going to be like the space race with enormous bills for fuel and materials.

It’s nice to see that other nations recognise the importance of a developed molecular nanotechnology, although it does carry unpleasant overtones of the Cold War. The space race was after all, mostly about showing off who could develop the most powerful rockets (to impress the military with their ICBM potential) while providing a sideshow competition into which was the “best” ideology. If the warmongers on each side start making this a positive feedback spiral, the result could be a rapidly developed nanotech at the cost of a third world war.

]]>