Hey so , random question , but do you have any ideas for with child - weighing machine , novel biomechanical complex body part that can be grown in microgravity that you ’ve been sitting on ? Just necessitate on behalf of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA ) , which put out aRequest for Information ( RFI ) this weekseeking public input on its programme to create “ heavy bio - mechanical space structures . ”
DARPA , which regularlydabblesin trying to turn science fable into science , order that it is concerned in explore slipway to “ grow ” biological structures of “ unprecedented size ” — up to 500 meter in distance or large — that could be used to build infrastructure in place . Per the delegacy ’s RFI , it ’s hop to prepare structure that would “ position biology as a complemental ingredient of the in - space forum infrastructure , ” which sure as shooting voice ambitious !
to get your gears turn ( I believe brain gears would count as a bio - mechanically skillful structure ) , DARPAdid offer a couple of ideasof what it has in psyche for “ structure that could be biologically manufactured and assemble . ” They admit leash for a blank space elevator , grid - earnings to catch orbital debris , large - scale interferometers ( tool that use electromagnetic interference to valuate wave ) for tuner science , blank space place wings , and on - demand adhesive patch material to fix equipment casualty on the rainfly .
© Kevin Gill
To give a better estimate of what DARPA guess this might in the end count like , the agency said it ’s worth envisage a collapsible shelter as an analogy . “ sacrifice the morphologic fabric of the tent pole , biologic ontogenesis mechanism are foresee to be the ‘ back ’ of the tent . The collapsible shelter can be shaped a especial way by the underlie rod , and when embedded with appropriate electronics , do a given function . ” sure enough that take in affair up for you , correct ?
Now , perhaps this whole affair gives you Lovecraftian vibraphone or conjures up something that you might see if you could peer into John Carpenter ’s brain . But presumptively , DARPA would like something that does not provoke unending awe and terror that suggests we have manufactured a horribly brilliant stuff for which we can not control nor escape — they did not specify that , but permit ’s bear it ’s implied . To me , it sound much more like someone at DARPA got really into Megalopolis and would care to makeMegalon , the bio - adaptive construction material that Adam Driver want to use to produce a utopia .
We ’ll get a better idea of on the button what DARPA has in mind in April , as the delegacy design to host a workshop in the Bay Area where it ’ll hash out research relevant to its goal of creating large bio - mechanical place structures . If you happen to have some variety of naturally growing material that can be mould into a scalable body structure , ledger a trajectory to San Francisco so you may show DARPA what you ’ve got .
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