“Plants with leaves no more efficient than today's solar cells could out-compete real plants, crowding the biosphere with an inedible foliage. Tough omnivorous bacteria could out-compete real bacteria: They could spread like blowing pollen, replicate swiftly, and reduce the biosphere to dust in a matter of days. Dangerous replicators could easily be too tough, small, and rapidly spreading to stop - at least if we make no preparation. We have trouble enough controlling viruses and fruit flies.” IfsRealMatterEnoughTodayEnvironmentTroubleDangerousToughPlantFruitEnvironmentalSpreadDustCellsPreparationEfficientVirusesBacteriaReplicateBiosphereFoliagePollenFruit FliesSolar Cells Book:Engines of Creation Source: Engines of Creation
“I've encountered a lot of people who sound like critics but very few who have substantive criticisms. There is a lot of skepticism, but it seems to be more a matter of inertia than it is of people having some real reason for thinking something else.” PeopleThinkingRealMatterReasonSeemsSoundCriticismCriticsSkepticismInertia Author:K. Eric Drexler
