Apocalypse Hors D'oeuvre
A few years ago I read that there are more scientists alive today than have lived in the entirety of human history. Probably a good thing.
After the discovery of fire and the invention of the wheel it took forever for someone to organize the Industrial Revolution (most likely done by a committee).
None of them seemed to have had an eye on the future as now we have global warming and auto-tune pop (music?).
Science, technology and innovation invite, nay, insinuate change upon our lives, whether for good, or not. Think steam train to diesel, transistor to xm radio, over-the-air tv to cable to satellite to Internet streaming. Will we one day mourn the passing of the television remote? I think so.
Present day technology stands on the shoulders of advancement once powered by the engines of war, the unifying force, galvanizing nations to succeed. Or at least survive.
Facing forward, technological momentum may be spurred on by a more powerful force. Greed. Or maybe survival.
The inspiration for this blog was an ad proclaiming “The end of Made in China”. (China’s emerging economic threat to the free world, so survival ).
The gist of the ad was that 3D printing technology would replace American union manufacturing workers (oops), and produce products more cheaply than China thus saving the U.S. economy from its journey over the precipice. And, if you subscribe, you will be provided with the knowledge to invest and make a killing in the stock market.
But is this technology just the pinnacle of a slippery slope? Ice burg to the American Titanic?
3D printing will allow you to make anything from a simple tool to one with moving parts such as a working whistle. Or a gun. Imagine all that noise. And disposable guns.
That’s not the worst of it. With one of these printers you can design a framework for growing replacement organs (pancreas not Hammond) using stem cells. It’s been done. In labs, 'tho not commercially.
What is the real evil in this scenario?
In the not too distant future you could print a dozen roses for your intended. Or failing to get around that pesky restraining order, print a friend.
And if you think Copyright law is a pain now…
Comments or
DRATS! Behind the curve again.
4D printing lets objects build themselves
I need a 4D printer to make Pokemon, and if someone tries to sue me for copyright infringement I will just get Pikachu to thunderjolt them.
ReplyDeleteI bought one.
ReplyDeletePrinted a sentient robot.
It stole the printer and ran away.
Next time, I print one with morals.