Why Does the U.S. Trail China in Molecular Nanotechnology?
This brings us to the second most frequent question my readers ask me in their e-mail. Thus, on July 29, Gene Essman wrote in his e-mail to me: I read all of your articles concerning nanotechnology. You continue to make the arguments that we, the USA, are not doing anything substantial and serious concerning R&D in this technology. I read an article on Wired.com. … Gene supplied the article. Indeed, it says, in a sense, the opposite of what I have been saying. First of all, the article makes no distinction between geostrategic molecular nanoweapons research and civilian nanotechnology nanobusiness. The author speaks of nanotechnology as a single entity. In his opinion, nanotechnology is not ready for massive business investment, but American businessmen are so enterprising that more than $1 billion venture capitalists and corporations have sunk into startups since 1999. Or [recall] the $4.6 billion the federal government has authorized for both R&D and programs of the National Nanote
