Von Ehr is prepared to work another 20 years to perfect his first self-replicating nano construction workers.

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Both of these reforms have created regulatory entities that are self-replicating and open-ended.

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In a sense, many roads lead back to RepRap, the open-source, community-fueled project aimed at creating a self-replicating machine.

ENGADGET

"Our holding today is limited -- addressing the situation before us, rather than every one involving a self-replicating product, " she said.

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Life has been trying to do this since the first protozoa appeared in the primordeal oceans: heck since the first self-replicating chemical compound turned up.

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He described a hypothetical scenario in which self-replicating nanomachines able to break down biological material could run amok, replicating exponentially and turning terrestrial life into mush.

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The justices delivered a narrow ruling that applied only to seed patents and the particulars of this case, but it could have long-term implications for other self-replicating innovative technologies.

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