There is a very predictable°hard word type of news story that one sees every so often. The crux°hard word of the story is that, by breaking one important constraint°hard word, one achieves°hard word the impossible.
🔥 sometimes to do such a thing is indeed a great accomplishment°hard word. other times, the only accomplishment°hard word is the degree of subterfuge°hard word needed to make it appear meaningful°hard word.
Most recently, in the news, we find: These tiny, medical robots°hard word could one day travel through your°hard word body . With the one important detail being that these are no more robots°hard word than a firecracker°hard word is a robot°hard word.
The puffery°hard word continues°hard word throughout°hard word. When the article°hard word says they are capable°hard word of traveling "many times faster than a cheetah°hard word in relative°hard word terms", that is still less than 1/1000th°hard word of the speed of blood flow°hard word.
💡 ultimately°hard word, the maximum°hard word speed is impressive-sounding°hard word. This is because humans are bad at thinking in scale. If a 人 could become 100 times smaller, accomplishments°hard word like "jumping higher than you are tall" would become easy.
The propulsion°hard word is "compressed°hard word air" powered. There is no pretense°hard word that these are capable°hard word of perpetual°hard word motion, or of gathering°hard word energy from the environment°hard word, or of navigating°hard word in any fashion°hard word. It is a pressurized°hard word cavity°hard word that can be opened by ultrasound°hard word, and nothing more.
🔥 so, when people point to this as°hard word "a worrying sign towards the pending°hard word development of nanobots°hard word", it isn't°hard word.
🌎 or, more modestly°hard word, it is no more a sign than a child's°hard word picture of monsters is a worrying sign towards a pending°hard word alien°hard word invasion°hard word
✨ trust not°hard word in those who worship°hard word mirrors
💡 as°hard word many of you should have already noted°hard word, the failure°hard word of this news story to actually be about nanobots°hard word is not°hard word evidence that nanobots°hard word are impossible
⚔️ well, actually, to the straw-man°hard word Bayesian°hard word (he who sees a black horse and views it as°hard word evidence that all sheep are white), this is evidence