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> “It’s a new class of material that can reconfigure itself, and it has the potential to be customized into liquid reaction vessels for many uses, from chemical
by noahdesu 9y ago
> “It’s a new class of material that can reconfigure itself, and it has the potential to be customized into liquid reaction vessels for many uses, from chemical synthesis to ion transport to catalysis,”
It really is only a matter of time between society must address the general availability of technologies that have remained self-regulating through sheer intellectual and resource bottlenecks. This has probably already started in some form in terms of home-based genetic and biological engineering.
I'm no chemist, and do not know how likely it would be to effectively build a general chemical printer. But, one area of application would be recreational drug synthesis. Getting a handle on controlling the potential for biological weaponry is a challenge, no doubt. But we actually can address the failures of the drug war right now before a different reality is immediately thrust upon a society.
- laumars 9y agoThe war on drugs was already lost because people have been able to make drugs in their basements for years already. I honestly think the best approach here is taxation and regulation - some people want to get high so why not make it safe for them to do. But that's a whole other tangent. In terms of your original point, I do agree with you. In fact we have already seen this happen; first with computing resources, and again now with 3D printers (the regular kind). As you said, as more tech becomes generally available legislation and morality will need to play catch up - which is worrying because we've not had a good track record with law keeping track with shifts in technology.
- sneak 9y agoAny argument that begins with “tax it” is a nonstarter so long as the majority of tax dollars goes to perpetrate violence. But, now we’re off topic.
- adventured 9y ago> so long as the majority of tax dollars goes to perpetrate violence The overwhelming majority of tax dollars go into social security, healthcare, welfare/assistance programs, education, general government operational costs, debt interest, science/research, and infrastructure.
- sneak 9y agoSorry, I should have specified “in the United States”.
- igorkraw 9y agoAs much as I think too much you guys spend on the military...still majority healthcare, next social security https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/spending/ https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-bud...
- jcims 9y agoA 'general chemical printer' would be pretty tricky. A 'general gene printer' on the other hand - http://www.the-odin.com/diy-crispr-kit/ http://www.the-odin.com/diy-crispr-kit/