Merkle is quoted on the notion of self-replication as the basis for nanotechnology. Potatoes don't cost very much, even though they are miracles of biology with tens of thousands of genes and proteins. Natural diamond is expensive, we can't make it in the shapes we want, and it shatters. Merkle has placed an expanded version of his article on his Web site. It's definitely not worth searching out.
Man clones sheep.
Man clones monkeys. The near-hysterical reactions within media and government circles to these developments offers one potential scenario for considering the reverberations that could occur when nanotechnology is realized. Self-proclaimed experts weighed in with lofty opinions, many of which misrepresented the science, the ethical issues, or both. And the pundits did not disappoint. Their responses were dismissive, scared, funny, outrageous, wise and stupid by turns.