Memorialization: Nanotechnology's Grandfather - Dr. Richard Phillips Feynman

The field of nanotechnology was originally launched from a lecture given by the late Richard P. Feynman at the California Institute of Technology in 1960. Here is a link to the appropriate transcribed talk in formal publication from CalTech- http://calteches.library.caltech.edu/1976/1/1960Bottom.pdf

The gist of the talk was an interdisciplinary approach to building molecular machines in ways other than (but not exclusive to) organic or inorganic syntheses. Feynman correctly reasoned that 1960s technology could build those types of machines.  At that time, his talk was viewed as the ‘ingenious’ Feynman lecture—a brilliant idea that was theoretically possible but impractical in terms of cost. 

Not meaning to disparage the Nobel laureate by any means, he is mostly remembered for his brilliant contributions to Quantum Electrodynamics, his book of lectures for University physics students, and his brilliant analysis of the Shuttle Challenger disaster. His genius is often imitated but never duplicated. For anyone who doesn’t know of  him, he was uniquely gifted— you maybe able to find his quick summary and insights in this comprehensive YouTube video for the Challenger disaster— 


While the Dr. Feynman's insights are legendary, the shuttle program was perhaps more complicated than the Apollo program-- more insights are here:

                             https://youtu.be/-O_DMyHdq_M 

Dr. Feynman's  personality is forever memorialized in a pair of classic, popular science books, Surely You Are Joking Mr. Feynman? and What Do You Care What Other People Think?. In his two books, Dr. Feynman waxes prophetically and profanely. His tour de force adventures are the stuff of legend for those who can remember him. The books read as if this mere man of genius could outfox any problem or person. [His third popular science book, Tuva - Or Bust!, was published after his death and is not as well known.]The period of time in the books cover his adventures in graduate school to his work on the first Atomic bombs during WWII to his adventures of playing the bongos as a professor and cracking safe combinations at Los Alamos. It is funny, profound, and tragic, all at once.

Perspective

We need more scientists like the late professor Feynman. Despite any foibles of personality, his example of a scientist is needed in this time of conspiracy theory and untruth. It is correctly overheard in hushed tones, he was that genius who could transcend time. 


REFERENCES:

Nanotechnology:

K. Eric Drexler, Nanosystems, 1992.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction Part II. Black Lives Matter—What Does It All Mean?

I live in Fresno—downtown Fresno to be more precise. It isn’t the safest area nor the prettiest area of Fresno. I live in an area near a stadium, Chukchansi stadium. Fresno is home to minor league baseball. While the significance of minor league baseball is that it brings an income base to the city.  Fresno, if anything, is in the heart of the agricultural boom-area of California. It is a shameful sight, however, the heart of the San Joaquin valley has a rather poor infrastructure. If anything, Fresno and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley host the most productive agricultural land anywhere in the world. However, downtown Fresno looks decrepit and somewhat slummy.   Truly, it isn’t the best area of Fresno—there are worse areas. Parts of Fresno host gangs that prey on the poor and the disadvantaged. The gangs are known to peddle drugs and similar mayhem. I do my utmost to stay as far from them as I can. However, their presence is a constant reminder why Black Lives Matter to me. When th
Read more

Antibiotics: Where The Buck Stops?

Antibiotics were discovered in the twentieth century just prior to the start of WWII. Fortunately, the discovery of penicillin allowed Allied forces to leapfrog successfully from battle to battle without suffering significant losses. Post-WWII medicine ultimately rose to pinnacles of success by nearly eliminating bacterial infections. The reasons for their eventual diminishing potency is due to a multi-faceted resistance that follow the laws of evolution. One of the truly misunderstood aspects of anti-biotic resistance is the role of human-mediated evolution. Evolution for all of its misunderstandings will never change-- it is up to the individual to change their behavior to avert complete disasters that await us from total anti-biotic resistance. So, the first lesson? What is evolution... Evolution What does it mean? Evolution isn't just a theory--it is fact. The misnomer of facts as theories is sloppy thinking. Firstly, how do we change perceptions of facts versus theories?  Roug
Read more

An Energy Sufficient Planet -- Happy Earth Day!

The earth's stewardship is the foundation that our progeny will judge us. Our stewardship will determine how the climate affects large swaths of the earth's population. The earth's climate, in recent years, has undergone changes that many experts could not have foreseen.  However, certain experts have recognized the implied issues behind a climate change for number of decades. At the birth of the environmental movement, think tanks like the The Club of Rome analyzed energy consumption and trends. Their pronouncements were published in a book, The Limits to Growth. The dire consequences predicted circa 1976 were delayed.  However, ecological challenges were exacerbated by the rampant disregard of ec stem changes iOne The arctic will have shipping lanes for all of the year--the winters in the Northern Hemisphere of the Americas subject the people of the USA to 'a polar vortex.' The extraordinary amount of extra ice and cold have brutalized parts of the USA. What is un
Read more