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JAMAIS CASCIO
WorldChanging
Nanotechnology by Jamais Cascio said
Not all nanotechnologies
are alike; the range of innovations encompassed under the umbrella of
"nanotechnology" is even greater than the difference between
"micro-scale" technologies such as antibiotics and printed circuits.
Although some nanotechnology specialists may quibble, I tend to split the
concept of nanotechnology into three general categories. There are
differences in complexity between the categories, but more important are
the differences in use.
Read on for a discussion of the various types of nanotechnologies,
including examples pulled from research announcements made over the last
day or two, along with examinations of both their possible benefits and
their potential risks...
Jamais Cascio writes about the intersection of emerging technologies
and cultural transformation, and specializes in the design and
creation of plausible scenarios of the future. His work focuses on
the relationships between disparate forces and systems, and the
importance of long-term, systemic thinking, particularly regarding
the environment and technological development. A recurring theme in
his current writing is the importance of openness,
transparency
and flexibility as a toolkit for social and technological progress.
Based on this approach, Jamais is a strong advocate of open,
collaborative responses to concerns surrounding biotechnology and
nanotechnology. He argues that "knowledge-enabled problems require
knowledge-enabled solutions," and supports open access to bio- and
nanotechnology discoveries. In this, he
disagrees with the
Lifeboat perspective on the availability of the 1918 flu virus gene
sequence.
In 2003, he cofounded WorldChanging.com, the award-winning website
dedicated to finding and calling attention to models, tools and ideas
for building a "bright green" future. In his time at WorldChanging,
he has written nearly 2000 articles so far, covering topics including
urban
design, climate science, renewable energy, open source models,
emerging technologies, social networks, "leapfrog" global
development, and much more.
His essays on the environment, technology and social change are
regularly linked to and discussed by both online and print
publications, including MSNBC and Salon, and have been cited by
numerous academic and online writers. He speaks about future
possibilities around the world, most notably at the TED 2006 conference, "The
Future We Will Create".
Listen to his presentations at 2005 Meshforum and
2005
Accelerating Change Conference!
Read his
Revolution
in a Box on KurzweilAI.net!
Jamais has worked in the field of scenario development for over a
decade. After several years at scenario planning pioneer Global Business Network,
he went on to
craft scenarios on topics ranging from energy (for an industry think
tank), nuclear proliferation (for a political research non-profit),
and sustainable development (for a multi-client project). He has also
applied his scenario development skills in the entertainment
industry, designing several well-received science fiction game
settings, and advising multiple television and film projects.
Jamais lives outside of San Francisco, California, with his wife, two
cats, and four Macs.
Print bio!
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