> ---------- > From: lcs Mixmaster Remailer[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Reply To: lcs Mixmaster Remailer > Sent: Friday, June 16, 2000 5:20 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Encrypted nanotech designs > > The Foresight Institute is an organization promoting planning for the > impact of future technologies, particularly nanotech. They have a new > set of design guidelines to prevent potential nanotech catastrophes at > http://www.foresight.org/guidelines/current.html. > > One of the points involves encryption: > > > 1. Any self-replicating device which has sufficient onboard > > information to describe its own manufacture should encrypt it such > > that any replication error will randomize its blueprint. > > Anyone have any idea what this means? How would crypto be used here? > I think the goal here does not involve enemy action - it's to prevent a 'gray goo' disaster scenario, in which a self-replicating nanobot replicates until the entire mass of the planet is turned into nanos. By inserting cryptographicly strong error resistance into the device, any 'mutation' renders the resulting bot sterile. This prevents evolution which might result in a inadvertant 'gray goo' situation. Peter Trei [Adding CPUNK to the Subject line of all legitimate posts helps prevent spam.]
