A question for the fen.

[kengr]

You are wandering through the dealer room at a medium to large convention (Westercon, Baycon, that sort of thing).

There's a table with a couple of people wearing some pretty good spacesuit outfits, complete with mirrored helmets. Even have "translators" with an appropriately "computer" voice.

They're selling toy radio controlled flying saucers. They zip around nicely, making a humming noise much like the cars in the Jetsons.

They want $50 for them.

What do you do?

Comments

Re: In THAT case...

[kengr]

Oh yeah, I assume you *don't* mess with the "guts" of the originals until you have working copies?

When you are confident enough to tear it apart, you'll discover a few things. "identical" parts *are* identical. Chemical analysis (assuming someone tries the right kind soon enough) will suggest that all elements present were isotopically pure. Add in the lack pf tool marks and molding seems and someone will probably suggest that these where assembled using some sort of "fabber" that built them up from atoms.

Not that such is necessary to make things work. But...

To be expected...

[seawasp]

... nanotech advancement would be natural for a more advanced race.

Re: To be expected...

[kengr]

You also have proof that they aren't perfect. In disassembling the original, at some point you'll wind up with a screw that had to be turned from the side because you can't get a straighgt shot at the head. And while it can be unscrewed enough to seperate the parts it's holding together, it can't be removed all the way as there isn't *room*.

Handing that part and screw to a machinist ought to producing some interesting reactions. :-)

Oh yeah, "atomic/molecular constructors" aka "fabbers" are not necessarily nanotech. They could be used to construct "nanites", but they are not nanites or even necessarily nanite based.