Comments on: Darpa seeks nanotechnology defense against novel pathogens

By: Jim Lewis

Jim Lewis — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 23:03:06 +0000

Yes and no. Conventional siRNA does not work in bacteria, but people have had some success with RNA:DNA hybrids (siHybrids). See this for a report on siHybrids: http://www.eurekalert.org/features/doe/2004-11/ddoe-sdg111104.php and this study for the "the first to report on the efficacy of siRNA against bacteria": http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/57/1/122.full.

By: BrianM

BrianM — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:44:54 +0000

This sounds great…. too bad siRNA doesn’t work in bacteria…oops

By: NanoMan

NanoMan — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 15:42:57 +0000

Advanced nanotech could produce a weapon that would make someone zombie like, without any supernatural basis.

The nanomachines would have to be programmed to enter the brain and somehow turn the person into a raging beast that does nothing but kill, and, as the machines replicate, they would infect new persons through transmission via blood and body fluids. Ofcourse, the opponents could produce a nanotech anti virus that reverses the effects of the virus.

But you get the picture. With nanotech, we can do great things or horrific things. Nanites don’t kill. People kill. They are just material machines.

By: Instapundit » Blog Archive » NANOTECHNOLOGY UPDATE: Darpa seeks nanotechnology defense against novel pathogens….

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:07:09 +0000

[...] NANOTECHNOLOGY UPDATE: Darpa seeks nanotechnology defense against novel pathogens. [...]

By: mike

mike — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:25:44 +0000

and they had better be selective. we live in a symbiotic relationship with our gut flora. kill them and you will be very ill.

By: PacRim Jim

PacRim Jim — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:37:08 +0000

The nanotech better be pretty damn adaptive, because bacteria certainly are.