5. Runaway nanobots!
Eric Drexler, the father of nanotechnology, calls it "gray goo": the state of things in the wake of microscopic machines capable of breaking down matter and reassembling it into copies of themselves. Nanobots could swarm over Earth like intelligent locusts, Drexler fears, then buzz out into the cosmos devouring everything they encountered. Michael Crichton's latest novel, Prey, describes a last-ditch attempt by scientists to destroy such contraptions before they take over the world.
Set aside the fact that, for all the nanobot speculation you've seen (including in Wired), these creatures do not, technically speaking, exist. Suppose they did. As the visionary scientist Freeman Dyson pointed out in his New York Review of Books critique of Prey, not only wouldn't nanobots be able to swarm after helpless victims as they do in the novel, they'd barely be able to move at all. Laws of physics dictate that the smaller something is, the greater its drag when moving through water or air.
"The top speed of a swimmer or flyer is proportional to its length," Dyson notes. "A generous upper limit to the speed of a nanorobot flying through air or swimming through water would be a tenth of an inch per second, barely fast enough to chase a snail."
Norton antibot.
After what seemed like many months, he had grown somewhat stronger and more dexterous, and was studiously examining his toes. As a grown man, he had tended to ignore them, and recalled them as being somewhat ugly, misshapen and problematic. These were quite different, being chubby little balloons. The tiniest little toenails seemed like afterthoughts glued on for decoration.
“Brian.” The voice came to him clearly, without direction. He looked up. The room was empty.
“Brian.” The voice came again.
“Yes, I hear you. Who is it?” Brian mustered his thoughts. There seemed a short pause.
“This is Pearl. I was not entirely sure that you could hear me, or that I would understand your response.”
“I hear you, Pearl. Where are you?” Brian looked around. He was still alone.
“At the moment, I am swimming, with Dolcita, Linda, and Carlos. I think you know the truth about me.”
“Yes, my little robot girl. I shouldn’t be surprised that you can talk to me, and swim at the same time.”
“My companions do not know that I am talking to you. In fact, I could talk to Carlos with words up on the surface, and at the same time hold different conversations with Linda and Dolcita underwater, and a discussion with you about which no one knows.”
“Impressive! How is it that you can understand me? I’m not even making words, or even my usual nonsense syllables.”
“I have a network of communication fibers spread throughout your brain and your body. I have been monitoring and guiding your development from the beginning, transferring memories from your original body as your intellectual capacity developed. Even now, a portion of your memories still reside in your original body. We will need to complete the process quickly. I do not think that your former body will be alive much longer.”
Brian felt fear course through him. “What do you mean?”
“A few rooms away from you, your original body lies in a coma. It has been that way for many months. I have used the time to transfer your memories, and I believe, your personality, into your new childlike body and brain.”
“But my body is dying?” Brian asked again, not quite grasping how to frame his question, or control his confusion.
“Yes, I have been working to sustain it, while the transfer process was going on. I realized that this would become necessary when I saw that your body was continuing to decline even under Dr. Regalo’s care.”
“Dr. Regalo? You, Pearl? I didn’t know you were a Doctor!”
“I was not a Doctor until I needed to be. Then I produced the necessary documents and records, and studied the appropriate medical information and procedures.”
“The local Doctor for this area has allowed me to take complete control over your treatment. We set up a comprehensive medical clinic in your bedroom, and undertook to completely rehabilitate your aged body. At first, you made great progress, recovering well from the initial stroke. You redeveloped the ability to walk and to speak, but the biochemistry that caused your initial problems continued to be a barrier to full recovery, and eventually it began causing problems throughout your cerebral vascular system. I was not able to counter the effects of it, and fell back to the natural process of renewal for humans.”
Brian was quiet for a time, as his thoughts swirled with realizations.