X-Message-Number: 32823
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 10:21:15 -0700
Subject: Re:[Perry Metzger] Re: Cryonet #32800 [MARK PLUS]
From: Keith Henson <>

On Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 2:00 AM, MARK PLUS <> wrote:

> From: MARK PLUS <>

snip

> The "molecular machines" in biology don't incorporate principles from
> macroscopic mechanical engineering, because those principles don't
> work on that scale.

Can you be specific about which fail at the nanometer scale?  I can't
think of any.  Take rotation.  "In the light of independent evidence
for a transmembrane arrangement of the oxidase and for the general
fluidity of the inner mitochondrial membrane we consider anisotropic
mobility of the cytochrome oxidase around an axis normal to the plane
of the membrane as the most likely interpretation."  From "Symmetry,
orientation and rotational mobility in the a3 heme of cytochrome c
oxidase in the inner membrane of mitochondria."

snip

> Drexlerologists have had a quarter century to make their case for more
> people and more funding, in an era when other dubious ideas like
> "green energy" don't seem to have trouble finding resources. What does
> that say about Drexlerology's reputation? In the absence of tangible
> results, you can play the can-rattling "Neglected Visionary" game for
> only so long before you lose status, as Nikola Tesla discovered later
> in his life.

May I inquire as to why human status has anything to do with the
physics of the universe?  As far as Tesla is concerned, the man's
inventions in AC motors and generators underpin the whole power
industry.

> As a rule of thumb, it seems to me that a new technology can progress
> quickly if it exploits the correct principles of physics from the
> beginning, something that I have yet to see demonstrated in
> Drexlerology.

There is no doubt Charles Babbage's technology used correct principles
of physics.  It was even within the current state of the art to have
built his engines.  But it didn't happen for over a hundred years.

Having read and somewhat understanding the physics Eric Drexler
presents in Nanosystems, he has the physics right.  I expect machines
designed on those principles will work.  The problem is that we lack
the tools for getting into this regime.

snip

Keith

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