exchange of letters between Eric “molecular assemblers” Drexler and Richard “Buckyballs” Smalley, from Chemical and Engineering News. See handwaving and chemistry slug it out…
Link from Evan Goer. Goer summarizes a talk by Drexler like this:
Now, let’s review the structure of Drexler’s argument:
- Molecular operations are millions of times faster than the mechanical operations of a robotic arm in a factory.
- Here is a molecular robotic arm.
- Here is a set of useful-looking molecular structures.
- …
- Profit!