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Science Friday > Archives > 2003 > September
> September 26, 2003:
Hour Two: Nanotechnology
News / Farewell Galileo
Nanotechnology, if its proponents are to be believed, offers the
potential for a world of super-strong materials, blazingly fast computation,
and tiny machines capable of carrying out just about any task. On
the other hand, critics say that if the technology is not checked,
it could lead to destruction and environmental chaos.
While researchers are still learning the basics of how to manipulate
materials on the molecular level, the technological path to practical
nanotechnology may lie closer than you think. In this hour, we'll
talk about the present state of nanotech research, as well as some
of its promises for the future -- and how to separate science fact
from science fiction.
Plus -- the space craft Galileo orbited Jupiter for almost eight
years, but crashed into that planet last weekend as a deliberate end
to its mission. As the orbiter began to near the end of its useful
life, a decision was made to send Galileo into Jupiter's atmosphere
to eliminate the chance of the craft going out of control and hitting
Europa, possibly contaminating that moon with Earth bacteria. In this
hour, we'll look back at what scientists learned from the Galileo
mission.Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255
(3-4 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).
Guests:
Ralph C. Merkle
Vice President for Technology Assessment, Foresight
Institute
Professor, Georgia Tech College
of Computing
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia
James Gimzewski
Professor of Chemistry
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Davis Baird
Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy
Member, USC NanoCenter
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Rosaly Lopes
Volcanologist
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, California
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
National
Nanotechnology Initiative
Nanotechnology
- Foresight Institute - Molecular Nanotech
Nanodot
: News and Discussion of Emerging Technologies
Scientific
American.com: Nanotechnology
Ralph
Merkle's Nanotechnology page
Nanotechnology
(scientific journal)
NANO exhibit at Los Angeles County
Museum of art
Zero@wavefunction
installation
Greenpeace:
Future technologies, today's choices
Wired:
Bill Joy: Why The Future Doesn't Need Us
JPL
News -- Galileo End of Mission Status
Galileo
Project Home
Galileo
Project: Asteroids
This segment produced by Charles Bergquist and Anna Lee Strachan
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