
Berkeley Lab Scientists Print All-Liquid 3-D Structures - sohkamyung
http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2018/03/26/print-all-liquid-3-d-structures/
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noahdesu
> “It’s a new class of material that can reconfigure itself, and it has the
> potential to be customized into liquid reaction vessels for many uses, from
> chemical synthesis to ion transport to catalysis,”

It really is only a matter of time between society must address the general
availability of technologies that have remained self-regulating through sheer
intellectual and resource bottlenecks. This has probably already started in
some form in terms of home-based genetic and biological engineering.

I'm no chemist, and do not know how likely it would be to effectively build a
general chemical printer. But, one area of application would be recreational
drug synthesis. Getting a handle on controlling the potential for biological
weaponry is a challenge, no doubt. But we actually can address the failures of
the drug war right now before a different reality is immediately thrust upon a
society.

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laumars
The war on drugs was already lost because people have been able to make drugs
in their basements for years already. I honestly think the best approach here
is taxation and regulation - some people want to get high so why not make it
safe for them to do. But that's a whole other tangent.

In terms of your original point, I do agree with you. In fact we have already
seen this happen; first with computing resources, and again now with 3D
printers (the regular kind). As you said, as more tech becomes generally
available legislation and morality will need to play catch up - which is
worrying because we've not had a good track record with law keeping track with
shifts in technology.

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sneak
Any argument that begins with “tax it” is a nonstarter so long as the majority
of tax dollars goes to perpetrate violence. But, now we’re off topic.

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adventured
> so long as the majority of tax dollars goes to perpetrate violence

The overwhelming majority of tax dollars go into social security, healthcare,
welfare/assistance programs, education, general government operational costs,
debt interest, science/research, and infrastructure.

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sneak
Sorry, I should have specified “in the United States”.

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igorkraw
As much as I think too much you guys spend on the military...still majority
healthcare, next social security

[https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-
bud...](https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-
budget-101/spending/)

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jeffwass
“Using a modified 3-D printer, they injected threads of water into silicone
oil — sculpting tubes made of one liquid within another liquid.”

From the article, in case anyone’s curious how 3D printing of liquids works.

