[ichabod00x]

If you are familiar with nanotechnology, you may already know about Gray Goo. If not, let me try to break it down in the simplest language I can manage.

Nanotech is the building of machines only a few nanometers big. It is possible through machines that lets us "grab" atoms and study them by running microsopic scanners over their surfaces.

Already we have nanomachines that perfrom simple tasks, like transporting atoms from one place to another. Some years ago, a IBM used a nanomachine to create the IBM logo made up of nothing but atoms of Xenon.

Now nanomachines can be used to break down the atoms of something and rebuild it into something else entirely.

The problem here is that our ever increasing need for efficiency could eventually lead to the invention of a nanomachine who's job it is to build other nanomachines. It would essentially grab the atoms of whatever you put it in and reform them into nanomachines.

THIS IS BAD!

A nanomachine programmed to build nanomachines would grab atoms from all around it and turn them into nanomachines which build nanomachines which would grab atoms from all around it and turn them into nanomachines which build nanomachines which would grab atoms from all around it and turn them into nanomachines.

With the superspeed and accuracy of nanomachines, within minutes all matter would be rebuilt into nanomachines which do the same thing. Trillions of trillions of nanomachines floating around in space... grey goo.
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[BenDaMan]

But without nanomachines, spiderman unlimited wouldnt be able to have his cool suit.
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[ndl]

You should read Limit of Vision sometime.

[ichabod00x]

And what's that about?
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[ndl]

It's about nanotech, which they call in conversation LOVs, as they are at the limit of vision (as in diffraction-limited optics).

The baic story is that, fearing Grey Goo, which they call something like 'disasseblers' or maybe 'nibblers' or something, they disassemble orcanic molecules and are used for cleaning, mostly or only on the moon...sorry, rambling. Anyway these destructive LOVs are controlled by UV light, but fearing they might go wild, all LOVs are banned from earth.

The problem with that is that only one certain type of LOV is a rampant disassembler. At the other end of the spectrum, are implanted colonies of LOVs on the foreheads of some researchers which allow communication with large, intelligent colonies of LOVs maintained on space stations for research.

If these researchers ever want to go to earth, they have to smuggle themselves in and hide the colonies on their foreheads.

It's a rather good read.

[ichabod00x]

Now that sounds interesting. I'll keep an eye out for it.
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