Gray goo

Probably the most famous fictional account of the gray goo problem has been Michael Crichton s 2002 novel Prey. In his book, Crichton tells of the escape of nanobots (replicators) into the surrounding environment from a research facility in the desert of Nevada. The nanobots then begin to replicate by attacking humans and other animals to extract the raw materials they need for their own reproduction. Crichton s hook was on the New York Times bestseller list for months, and in 2002 Twentieth-Century Fox purchased him rights to the story. 

Whether nanotechnology will be good or bad for the human race remains to be seen. There is tremendous potential associated with the ability to manipulate individual atoms and molecules, to deliver medications to a disease site, and to build products such as cars that are lighter yet stronger than ever. There also exists the persistent worry that humans will lose control of this technology and face what one writer called gray goo, a scenario in which self-replicating nanorobots take over and ultimately destroy the world. 

---