This is, to me, the most frightening thing about grey goo or nanotechnological weapons—that they could eat the whole Earth and then that would be it, nothing interesting would happen afterward.
@Eliezer: So unless that goo can already get off-planet, it won’t ever? Good! Personally, I’m more scared by things that can eat the universe, like UFAI. If it’s only us gets eaten, someone else can step up before the last star burns out.
@Others: All the more reason to support FAI research. The longer it takes to get it right, the more time for someone less careful to crack recursive self-improvement.
This is, to me, the most frightening thing about grey goo or nanotechnological weapons—that they could eat the whole Earth and then that would be it, nothing interesting would happen afterward.
@Eliezer: So unless that goo can already get off-planet, it won’t ever? Good! Personally, I’m more scared by things that can eat the universe, like UFAI. If it’s only us gets eaten, someone else can step up before the last star burns out.
@Others: All the more reason to support FAI research. The longer it takes to get it right, the more time for someone less careful to crack recursive self-improvement.