a new form of technology based on molecular “assemblers,” which would be able to “place atoms in almost any reasonable arrangement” and thereby allow the formation of “almost anything the laws of nature allow.”
This really just sounds like we’re talking about the ability to create extra strong metal, or scaled up versions of the “stain-free pants” you mentioned, which doesn’t really cover why MNT would be so powerful. For someone who has never heard of this subject, it will take more information before they realize why this is more important than, say, a new method to create higher resolution graphics on computer screens. Explain why MNT is worth discussing in a Singularity FAQ, instead of any of the other classes of technology that look feasible.
Overall, I think it looks pretty good.
This really just sounds like we’re talking about the ability to create extra strong metal, or scaled up versions of the “stain-free pants” you mentioned, which doesn’t really cover why MNT would be so powerful. For someone who has never heard of this subject, it will take more information before they realize why this is more important than, say, a new method to create higher resolution graphics on computer screens. Explain why MNT is worth discussing in a Singularity FAQ, instead of any of the other classes of technology that look feasible.