Saturday, February 26, 2005

The Future Is Now

by
Christina Nikolov
Founder ChartWatchCentral, Inc.

One of the missions of ChartWatchCentral is to inform our readers of opportunity before it mainstreams. There is tremendous opportunity in the futuristic field of Nanotechnology.Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines nanotechnology thusly: “the art of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices.” A more proper working definition is: the creation of an entirely new species and world.Nanotechnology is also very fertile ground for the investor who does his homework. As always, the ground floor is the preferred position for a new era.

Quite simply, Nanotechnology will make every technological advance that has preceded it insignificant by comparison. The time frame for this sweeping worldwide change is short, investors who want to be at the forefront of profit in this change should begin serious investigation of this subject now because this is one future that will not wait – it is, in fact happening now.

A Brief Overview of the Changes Forthcoming

Computer processing power continues to increase at an astounding pace, and that will continue. These extremely powerful processors have fueled the technological explosion we have all experienced and continue to experience. We are now at the tipping point.

Processor speed will soon take a quantum leap in speed and flexibility because newer, faster processors are being designed with the help of the current generation of fast processors. This sets up a chain reaction as each generation of faster processors is used to design its replacement. Human DNA is being looked at as the basis of near-term ultra fast ultra small processors. In fact, initial experiments have shown that DNA can indeed perform simple, although extremely brief, input/output operations.

As faster upon faster generations of silicon-based processors, allowing for more sophisticated software, come into use, not only will the DNA-based processor hurdle be overcome, the prototype DNA-based processors will thus accelerate the processor speed curve.

The human genome has been mapped – blazing processor speed will ‘crack’ the code, which will, in turn, allow for processors with calculation speeds unheard of today to be constructed at the molecular and atomic level. This is currently in the works; research is going full speed on a highly accelerated track.

Molecular level computing utilizing DNA based processors will result in what now may be viewed as Science Fiction, but will become fact within the next ten years. I state again that current research is moving rapidly and breakthroughs are occurring at an astounding pace. I cannot over emphasize the importance of this issue because this molecular computing revolution will create a world that, just a few short years ago, would have been considered impossible. All of humanity will be affected and all of the world’s economies will experience a corresponding explosion in activity and worth.

Just Imagine

What are some of the things in store? Just imagine! In fact, let your imagination run rampant, the researchers and creators of emerging Nanotechnology, and its sibling Genomics, are doing just that. Products and services will become available that today, would be viewed as miraculous. These advanced products and services will, however, become commonplace in the early 21st Century and will be replaced by a dizzying and constant stream of even more amazing products and services. This technology, of course, will first be utilized in military, medical and scientific applications. In fact the DOD research arm DARPA, is currently researching ‘super-human’ soldier applications utilizing Nanotechnology.

Molecule and atomic sized computerized applications will enhance the strength, speed, agility, vision and survivability of the soldier on the battlefield. Once perfected and implemented, the ‘cyborg’ soldier applications will be able to communicate via satellite directly to commanders at the Pentagon, or in the field. What he sees with his nanite eyes, can be delivered in real-time to command centers, the same will hold true for what he hears, what he thinks and his biological signs. Instructions from command and control centers will be delivered directly to his brain almost instantaneously.

Some have envisioned nightmare scenarios whereby, as a military application, Nanotechnology and Genomics will lead to the creation of soldiers without remorse, guilt, or fear – those sections of his brain responsible for emotion will be held in check or blocked altogether by molecular computers - creating soldiers capable of following orders without question, acting upon orders
without fear, without worry, without remorse. This will also be applicable to the intelligence sector.

In reality however, it will be possible to utterly obviate and render obsolete today’s need for intelligence gathering altogether simply by delivering payloads of nanites to the enemy’s water supply – both civilian and military. Or, the payload could simply be delivered via air dispersion over wide areas – both battlefield and civilian areas could easily be targeted – remember these computers are molecular in size and capable of integrating with humans at the cellular level, and will execute their programming directly to the human, including easily reproducing themselves from cellular material. The enemy, in point of fact, would be rendered non-existent if ‘re-programmed’ to be the friend, or let your own imagination stage the scenario. It will be possible.

In the field of medicine, a few of the many uses will include heart patients injected with nanites designed to clear deposits from the circulatory system. Other uses will be nanites designed for microsurgery easily repairing damaged tissue and performing cellular surgery for a variety of maladies. The sky, and the imagination of the medical community is the limit. Nanotechnology will revolutionize the world. There is no aspect of life that will be untouched by this advance.

From agriculture to marketing – from biology to communication – virtually all that we can dream, both good and bad, will be possible. It will be possible for humans to carry within them the totality of human knowledge, available for instant recall. New knowledge could easily be passed from one human to another simply by touch, or by sight.

Communication without speech will exist. Most disease can be eradicated, more food can be grown, and a ‘golden age’ will be entirely within humanity’s grasp. Or, a nightmare world of programmed ‘cyborgs’ will be commonplace. We will soon create a new species, which I have dubbed ‘Homo Superioralis,’ a blending, meshing and melding of human and DNA based molecular processors.

Fantastic abilities and health will be available to anyone who carries within them these molecular computers. This is an issue that will soon confront all of us and it will become the biggest issue of this century. The time is rapidly approaching, we will have to deal with this and make of it what we will. The technology, in its nascent stage, exists. It is rapidly evolving and emerging. A new world is being born.

How Does This Affect the Investor?

Opportunities will arise that we cannot, at this time, comprehend, or even imagine. As with any total revolution, everything changes. Those who invest for the long-term in stable and reliable companies at the leading edge of current research in this area will be on the ground floor of the most explosive economic growth in history. For example, HP is expending tremendous effort to be at the forefront of this research. The door to the digital, information age is only slightly ajar, the Internet and communication revolution barely turned the knob of the future. We have barely crossed the threshold – Nanotechnology will throw the door to the future wide open.Of course, some people continued to invest in buggy and surrey manufacturers even as others invested in the manufacture of cantankerous automobiles rolling along primitive highways. A new world awaits, there is profit to be made. Make no mistake - Nanotechnology is the ultimate next big thing - it will revolutionize humankind.

Time frame – ten to twenty years max! Do your research and prepare.