Metamodern isn’t intended to be “a blog about nanotechnology”; its scope includes broader issues involving technologies with world-changing potential. For example, looking well downstream in technology development, I will sketch the requirements for large-scale systems able to restore the atmosphere to its pre-industrial composition. Closer to hand, social software and the computational infrastructure of our society are high on the list.
It should be a must read for futurist and people interested in making molecular nanotechnology happen as Eric Drexler takes a systems view and will “suggest research objectives that seem practical, valuable, and ready for serious pursuit”. Many of these opportunities could lead to the goal of advanced nanotechnology.
The idea is to exploit the properties of structural DNA nanotechnology (in particular, DNA orgami [pdf]) to provide an easy-to-design framework, together with complementary properties of folded polymeric molecular objects (“foldamers”, and in particular, products of protein engineering) to bind and organize functional components in precise 2- and 3-D configurations
2. A DNA Imaging Bottleneck: the scarcity of cryo-electron tomography capability is a problem.
– peptoid synthesis is uncommonly flexible and straightforward.
– The field has progressed beyond making only small, floppy molecules. There are now prototypes of protein-like peptoids built up from helical secondary structures loosely analogous to the alpha helices of the peptide world
– The limit today is design, not fabrication, and pushing back this limit will require a partnership that links scientific exploration to software development.
4. Combining molecular signals
There is also the new H+ magazine, which covers Humanity Plus/Transhumanist Technology and Society.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.