Dr Eric Drexler – Nanotechnology, The Next Big Thing – Nesta UK
Dr Eric Drexler, Oxford Martin Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford
How can we capture the possibilities but avoid the pitfalls of nanotechnology?
It’s often called the ‘fourth technological revolution’, but is nanotechnology going to finally live up to the hype and expectation?
Experts say that there is vast potential for nanotechnology to enable a deep and pervasive change in our current scientific and technology approaches. From applications with profound potential to fight global challenges, to transformations in industry through the development of high-throughput, atomically precise manufacturing, the pay-offs could be huge. Yet at the same time, there is confusion by what we mean by nanotech and frustration that it is yet to live up to all expectations. In some areas there is still a lack of understanding, and incomplete regulation of the potential risks: such as nanotoxicity, where there is ongoing exploratory research.
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