Non-Solutions -- Technology and Human Extinction

There is no turning back, no closing of Pandora's Box.

Trying to regulate research into nanotechnology and biotechnology might delay extinction within the biosphere, but as long as we are human, this will not be able to contain the risk because:

1. It's difficult to persuade governments and peoples that these are dangerous technologies, whereby we should forgo many potential personal benefits from them.
2. Even if we could convince some countries, it's not feasible to pass sufficient laws and regulations in all countries. Many will resist.
3. Even if we could pass them in all countries, enforcing them comprehensively will not be feasible. Many will still break the laws.

There are:

• The desire to make money, and to get ahead in business;
• The desire to find solutions to problems -- experimenting with viruses to develop vaccines, treating diseases, slowing human aging (a powerful emotional drive), and manufacturing new products;
• The desire to do research and development out of curiosity;
• The desire to create weapons;
• The desire to fulfill egotistical pursuits.

Individuals on the world wide web can help tip off the world about some dangerous research, but it will miss much of it, just like the web misses most nuclear bomb and biological weapons research today, as well as a whole lot of other dangerous stuff.

Social and political changes are not a complete solution.

Technology as Defense Against Human Extinction

For most things in this world, the only solution is more and better technology.

For example, innovations and advances in technology can help solve global warming, energy shortages, supply of good food and clean water to the burgeoning human population, bring a higher standard of living to everybody, and so on. The pursuit of better technology can solve many problems on its own, without needing social change, though not all problems.

However, this doesn't apply to an extinction level man-made virus in the Earth's biosphere because it is possible to create such a virus which would kill us all before we have time to create an antidote.

The same applies to nanotechnology. Once it's out into Earth's biosphere and self-replicating exponentially, how could we catch up in time, and have our antidote particles find all the microscopic nanites in the world?

What solution is there?

The Only Sure Defense Technology Against Human Extinction

We need to develop technologies and businesses to develop and colonize outer space, to get humans out of the biosphere.

We can also create outer space biospheres and permacultures to accommodate other species from Earth.

Perhaps we can also create biotechnology and nanotechnology laboratories in space, and create a ban on Earth, so that researchers can still do their research within sealed laboratories in space. These could have wireless communications thru the seal so that teleoperation of the laboratories is acceptable, or they could be laboratories where people can enter and exit. If they die inside, maybe we nuke or solar heat the laboratory.

The solution is technology and business -- led in the right direction!