When life is good, it is
especially bitter to admit
that it will end some day.
And this simple truth
encourages nouveaux riches
[sic] Russians, called
oligarchs here, to spend
through the nose on all
kinds of rejuvenation
procedures and on scientific
research to create the
"elixir of youth." The
people who have everything
you can dream about, from
castles in Scotland to
garages with a dozen
Ferraris, want absolute,
100% joie de vivre in their
own immortality.

And then, a


Federation Council round-table
concludes that Russia must spend
more to develop


nanotechnology...

State Duma deputy and Nobel
prizewinner Zhores Alferov
said far more was spent on
nanotechnology in the United
States than in Russia. He
also said the development of
electronics and other
cutting-edge sectors is
impossible without
nanotechnology.

Round-table participants
noted that nanotechnology
research has been conducted
by individual academic
institutes and
higher-education
establishments. However, the
results of such research
usually remain on paper.
Different forms of state
support are essential,
including targeted
appropriations and tax
breaks.

The Russian government
was asked to set aside $70
million from the
Stabilization Fund this year
for developing
nanotechnology. Subsequent
federal budgets should
stipulate $500 million for
this purpose.

Russia is not a rich country
these days, and the government
is hard-pressed to find funds
for basic research. But some


rich individuals and family
groups may decide to
do things on their own...

The Science of Longevity
foundation, created by
Russia's most exclusive
family club, Monolith, is
very enthusiastic. Its
members are the cream of the
country's financial elite
and, not surprisingly, they
would like to prolong the
benefits of the
post-communism era into
eternity. The foundation's
board, whose trustees are
Yuri Osipov, president of
the Russian Academy of
Sciences, Yuri Pokrovsky,
president of the Russian
Academy of Medical Sciences,
and ex-Health Minister Yuri
Shevchenko, has called on
Russian scientists to take
part in a competition "for
the best program of
prolonging human life." The
board has received over 300
proposals and projects.

CRN recently published


an analysis showing
that development of advanced
nanotechnology --


molecular manufacturing
(MM) -- can be an
incremental process from
today's capabilities, and may
not be as distant as many
believe.

Incentives to develop MM are
growing, even as the difficulty
and cost seem to be shrinking.
What might trigger some nation,
corporation, or other group to
begin a crash program? It could
be the desire for immortality,
the need for


cheap and clean energy,
the hope for


environmental remediation,
or the craving for


military superiority.

All our research indicates
that molecular manufacturing
will arrive suddenly. If it
takes the world by surprise, we
will not have systems in place
that can deal with it
effectively.

By the time this
technological capability
arrives, we must have
accomplished several things that
each will take significant time.
First, we must understand the


risks. Second, make


policy. Third, design


institutions. Fourth,
create the institutions -- at
all levels including


international levels,
where things move slowly. This
could easily take twenty years.
If advanced nanotechnology could
arrive in ten or fifteen years
-- or even sooner -- then we'd
better


get to work.