During the Schrodinger at 75 Conference held this last week, a noted scientist made some startling predictions about how technology will alter humanity’s future. Bernard Feringa is an organic chemist who is a professor at the University of Groningen located in the Netherlands. The professor was awarded the Nobel Prize in the field of chemistry in 2016 for his work in developing molecular machines.
Professor Feringa predicted that in less than 50 years, many operations would be performed utilizing nano-technology. The professor stated that nano-robots would be placed within the bloodstream to act as surgeons. These nano-robots could seek out and destroy molecular cancers and do some minor repair work within the human body.
The professor made other prediction that he believes will come about within a decade. One technology that he believes is coming soon is a car that repairs itself. Right now, if a car gets a small scratch of a door ding, it has to go to the shop for some minor repair work. However, cars of the future will have a type of paint that will heal paint scratches with the wipe of cloth and with exposure to light.
The professor is an expert in the field of nano-technology, and he revealed a new project that he and his colleagues are working on. It already works in the lab, and clinical trials are underway. The new technology is a an antibiotic with a type of light switch built into it. A person would take the antibiotic, but it would not be active without exposure to a certain type of light. Doctors would turn on a light source that would allow the antibiotic to work in a specific part of the body. This would spare the other parts of the body from the effects of the antibiotic.
Professor Feringa stated at the conference that what seemed at one time like science fiction is now a reality. He urged young conference attendees to become involved in the sciences and be a part of world of new possibilities.
