Comments on: The potentially world-changing research that no one knows about http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416 examining transformative technology Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:23:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: SenatorMark4 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416#comment-1228960 SenatorMark4 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:43:30 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416#comment-1228960 Or even more simply, if you roll it up how does it compare to rebar in concrete? Or even more simply, if you roll it up how does it compare to rebar in concrete?

]]> By: K http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416#comment-1228586 K Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:54:14 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416#comment-1228586 Two words: Nuclear fusion. We've been pouring money into that - there's no scientific reason to stop it from happening - sink hole for 60 years and it's still "50 years away". What this directed engineering idea says to me is more niches to pour government research money into to keep a cadre of permanently employed researchers on the taxpayer tit. Progress in technology grows organically, it generally can't be foreseen because advancements often happen from synergies with technologies which were originally outside the field and totally unexpected. You want a plan for advancing technology, how about finding a wide range of proven high power researchers and then funding them within reason to pursue whatever interests them? Two words: Nuclear fusion. We’ve been pouring money into that – there’s no scientific reason to stop it from happening – sink hole for 60 years and it’s still “50 years away”.

What this directed engineering idea says to me is more niches to pour government research money into to keep a cadre of permanently employed researchers on the taxpayer tit. Progress in technology grows organically, it generally can’t be foreseen because advancements often happen from synergies with technologies which were originally outside the field and totally unexpected.

You want a plan for advancing technology, how about finding a wide range of proven high power researchers and then funding them within reason to pursue whatever interests them?

]]> By: NanoMan http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416#comment-1226186 NanoMan Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:51:34 +0000 http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5416#comment-1226186 Great point! Can anyone answer this question for me? I know graphene is strong and also hard and lightweight. Could graphene, once assembled on demand with atomic precision, be made into knife blades that can outperform tempered steel, or, is it like carbon fiber, high tensile strength but low compressive strength? I know forms of fullerene and diamond would make great knives. Great point! Can anyone answer this question for me? I know graphene is strong and also hard and lightweight. Could graphene, once assembled on demand with atomic precision, be made into knife blades that can outperform tempered steel, or, is it like carbon fiber, high tensile strength but low compressive strength? I know forms of fullerene and diamond would make great knives.

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