crankyand you thought scifi wasnt real :p
Scientists have created a robot that can replicate itself in minutes. The team behind the machine says the experiment shows that self- reproduction is not unique to living organisms
The researchers add that the ability could be harnessed to drive major advances in nanotechnology, the science of the very small, and may even lead to space colonization by robots.
Developed by researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, the machine was constructed from cube-shaped robotic units (modules) that functioned independently. A four-module robot could assemble an exact replica of itself in just two and a half minutes.
rest of the story is here
and it ends with this
Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, is one of the more visible public figures to voice concerns over the potentially "enormous environmental and social risks" of nanotechnology.
However, proponents counter that the risks associated with self-replicating machines have been much exaggerated.
"Artificial self-replication is already a risk when it comes to computer viruses and genetically modified crops," Lipson, the Cornell researcher, said. "I think that mechanical self-replication is far down the priority list. There are plenty of other things to worry about before this."
good god. when are people gonna learn. i dont think computer viruses and genetically modified crops are the same thing MISTER. pfft.
