Homely Scientist

In 1867 nanomachines where first theorized and the first was "Maxwell’s Demon".  In 1867 you couldn’t work with things on the molecular or sub-molecular scale (that’s really, really small).  Times have changed and Maxwell’s Demon has inspired a real nanomachine (via Engadget and Yahoo News):

Regardless of their personal differences, David Leigh has borrowed an idea from 1867 in crafting "a minuscule motor that could lead to the creation of microscopic nanomachines," and while he credits the "Maxwell’s Demon" as its inspiration, he hopes these plans will actually lead to something substantial. The bantam motor is entirely solar-powered, and has been "devised to trap molecules as they move in a certain direction under their natural motion."

This might sound like impractical science fiction, well rest assured that it isn’t.  Nanomachines could one day build things, fix you, clean up the environment … the list could go on, but my cold-addeled brain is failing me.  Basically these machines are so small that they can work with the molecular forces and because they are small, individually they don’t need a heck of a lot of energy to run.  This motor runs entirely on solar power.  Okay, yeah something that small … not much help around the house.  Sure, one wouldn’t be, but millions or billions of them could be.  The nagging question is controlling them of course.  There is that little problem of making sure they stop doing what they are built to do.  Gotta  make sure that’s on the list before someone decides to clean up before a party by dumping them on the rug.

Tags: Maxwell’s Demon, nanomachines, bantam motor

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