Post-modern Prometheus
Thursday, February 5th, 2004 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caddymanWell, talk about disappointing.
Horizon used to be one of my favourite pop-science programmes on TV. I don't get to see it too often these days, and clearly there's been a sea change in the BBC's production and editorial values. Frankly tonight's edition was poo, and I don't mean that in a good way.
I mean, really.
It starts off talking about computers and the problems with increased miniaturisation and the limits of silicon as expressed by Moore's Law (ie computers double their power every 18 months or so until they reach the limit of miniaturisation and stop). So far, so good. Then it moves on to talk about the concept of nanotechnology. I mean, yeah, this is what the punters want.
So they move on to explore the potential benefits of nanotechnology. Oh yes. We're getting there. Good stuff.
And now the potential downside. Self-replicating microscopic organic robots destroying life on earth - the so-called grey-goo. I'm hooked; this is the good stuff: tales of well-meant scientific endeavour run amok, and all so inevitable.
Enter a chap called Hendrik. Hendrik was the darling of modern physics - the one who raised the bench mark, set new limits. No one could keep up with him, and he was the man who came up with the first experiments that made biotechnology and hence nanotechnology a workable solution. All the makings of a great modern horror story.
Except that the bloke falsified his results and none of his ideas hold water now that people have cottoned on to the fact he's a fraud. Nanothechnology is still over the horizon and solidly in the realms of SF. Not as the programme would have had you believe at the start, something that could be here in 50 years.
There was a great story there, but not the one they told.
Poo. Of the runniest ring burn variety.
Horizon used to be one of my favourite pop-science programmes on TV. I don't get to see it too often these days, and clearly there's been a sea change in the BBC's production and editorial values. Frankly tonight's edition was poo, and I don't mean that in a good way.
I mean, really.
It starts off talking about computers and the problems with increased miniaturisation and the limits of silicon as expressed by Moore's Law (ie computers double their power every 18 months or so until they reach the limit of miniaturisation and stop). So far, so good. Then it moves on to talk about the concept of nanotechnology. I mean, yeah, this is what the punters want.
So they move on to explore the potential benefits of nanotechnology. Oh yes. We're getting there. Good stuff.
And now the potential downside. Self-replicating microscopic organic robots destroying life on earth - the so-called grey-goo. I'm hooked; this is the good stuff: tales of well-meant scientific endeavour run amok, and all so inevitable.
Enter a chap called Hendrik. Hendrik was the darling of modern physics - the one who raised the bench mark, set new limits. No one could keep up with him, and he was the man who came up with the first experiments that made biotechnology and hence nanotechnology a workable solution. All the makings of a great modern horror story.
Except that the bloke falsified his results and none of his ideas hold water now that people have cottoned on to the fact he's a fraud. Nanothechnology is still over the horizon and solidly in the realms of SF. Not as the programme would have had you believe at the start, something that could be here in 50 years.
There was a great story there, but not the one they told.
Poo. Of the runniest ring burn variety.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-05 03:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-05 05:02 pm (UTC)I agree. No fun at all. :-(
Re:
Date: 2004-02-06 02:34 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-02-06 05:56 pm (UTC)