Imagine a world where an average person gets to live for more than 100 years. Where death from diseases is almost non-existent, and everyone can be a superhero…really? I can only think of this happening if we have …” drumroll ”... nanobots! Yes, nanobots as in robots the size of a nanometer or less. A nanometer is 10-9 meters. Compared to the size of a virus which ranges from 5 to 500 nanometers in diameter, these robots are invisible to the human eyes.
Of course, if injected with these bots, a person won’t just be like Wolverine that can regenerate in a matter of seconds. If a person’s amputated (pardon the atrocity), they still might die. Period. I really do like Marvel eh? Here’s another. These nanobots can be programmed to form some sort of body armor (> insert Iron Man from Avengers: Infinity War meme) that can protect a person from bodily harm. When used externally, it can regenerate much faster (again, Iron Man against Thanos scene). Anyways, those are just what I would like to see these bots do, but who knows.
Maybe nanobots made of Adamantium?
As a science fiction enthusiast, I imagine nanobots to be like:
Programmable nanometer-sized robots that can be controlled externally.
Specific to an individual with different variants as options.
Powered by body heat or even oxygen from our blood.
Prolong the life of a cell by providing it with enough nutrients to stay healthy.
Target a specific illness and command cells to help fight said illness or disease.
There are tons of uses for this “Holy Grail” of science but with power comes great responsibility. Of course, in the hands of evil, these miracle minions can be directed to destroy rather than cure. I will dig a little deeper into how this technology could be possible in a couple of decades.
Now, let’s also discuss what I think are the advantages and disadvantages of using nanobots.
Nanochips are a possibility now according to 1Moore’s Law getting us closer to finally building robots at the nanoscale.
2Physicists claim they can control the electron's movement. To what extent? I don’t know yet.
The rapid development of quantum computers can lead to new discoveries in many fields. Our nanobots could be one of those. In fact, maybe quantum computers are the ones to build these invisible minions.
Advantages:
Longevity. Prolong life by fighting disease, illness, and external sources like accidents through armoring, and fixing unhealthy cells programmed per person.
Repurposing. Facilitate and build stronger materials to further advance technologies. Recycling using these bots will dramatically improve due to the bots’ capability to separate elements and return back manufactured products into raw materials.
Environmental. Contain or neutralize harmful pollution including cleaning up our oceans.
Tracking. Ability to track missing people. It can track a person’s well-being and alert medical personnel in case of an emergency.
Productivity. Give us the necessary boost to do more with our lives (like overpowered vitamins) which can contribute to high productivity.
Superheroes. Maintain peace through the emergence of vigilantes/heroes equipped with these bots. (Kickass, I’m looking at you).
Kickass or get your a** kicked?
Disadvantages:
Hackable. Unless these robots are uniquely programmed per person (each will have its own variant or version so to speak), they can be hacked. Either by actually touching the person or by some sort of physical contact through a device.
Overpopulation. This can be a huge concern as people live longer. We also can’t forget poverty and inequality as an effect of overpopulation.
Privacy. There will be no privacy if people can be tracked by the government.
Mass Destruction. These bots can destroy properties/assets if used for evil. (like from GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra)
Supervillains. We will absolutely see an abundance of supervillains with the intention of destroying our planet. I mean, we have to consider the worst-case scenario right?
Despite its potential disadvantages, I think with proper universal laws and vigilance, nanobots are beneficial to mankind. By using nanobots’ potential, we could achieve a greater knowledge of our universe, and protect the only planet we currently have.
Tony Stark: It’s nanotech, Do you like it?
Much of anything we built has these Yin-Yang effects that suggest: It is in our hands to make sure the technologies we build are used for the betterment of tomorrow.
Our choices today are keys to our future. Cheers!
Featured Image Sources: Thor Deichmann via Pixabay, qimono via Pixabay, Canva
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