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Following the lead of American researchers, scientists in Korea have moved from the realm of science fiction and developed the worlds smallest transistor (the nanotransistor) using a single molecule. Dr. Eric Drexton, a leading proponent of nanotechnology, says that nanomachines, or biological robots, injected in human bodies, can be programmed to recognize and kill cells. "Intelligent nano-scale devices will, in a few years, be injected into the human body," says Phil Kuekes, a computer scientist at Hewlett-Packard Labs.
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, is reputed to be leading a massive nanorobot research effort headquartered in India and Korea. Could this research effort involve the injection of nanorobots into humans via vaccines?
Meanwhile, at IBM, a scientific team expects to have a nanomachine called Blue Gene built and in use by 2003. Other advanced biotech teams are working on similar projects. In January 2000, President Clinton even declared a National Nanotechnology Initiative, promising $500 million for the effort.
Physicists at Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, and other universities believe that nanotechnology will be for the 21st century what computers, aircraft, autos, atomic power, and electricity were for the 20th century. Scientists believe that, eventually, tiny nano-technology robots will rebuild all of society and even fabricate new baby humans!
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