N
NANARCHIST: Someone who circumvents
government control to use nanotechnology, or someone who advocates this.
[Eli Brandt, October 1991]
NANARCHY: The use of automatic law-enforcement
by nanomachines or robots, without any human control [Mark S. Miller].
NANITE: Slang term for a nanomachine (see
nanotechnology), esp. a machine
able to replicate itself. [Popularized by the Star Trek episode "Evolution"]
NANOCHONDRIA: Nanomachines existing
inside living cells, participating in their biochemistry (like mitochondria)
and/or assembling various structures. See also nanosome.
[Ken Clements 1996]
NANOFACTURE: The fabrication of goods
using nanotechnology [Geoff Dale 1995].
NANOMEDICINE: The use of molecular-scale
devices (nanotechnology) to repair
damage and boost the immune system. For some applications, see Nanotechnology
and Medicine by Ralph C. Merkle [Max More, Extropy #10].
NANOSOME: Nanodevices existing symbiotically
inside biological cells, doing mechanosynthesis and disassembly for
it and replicating with the cell. Similar to nanochondria.
[Anders Sandberg January 1998]
NANOTECH: Slang for nanotechnology.
(MOLECULAR) NANOTECHNOLOGY: The
technology of precisely- constructed molecular-scale machines; from
nanometer: a billionth of a meter. For a good introduction, see What
is Nanotechnology? or Ralph
C. Merkle's nanotechnology page. See also my nanotechnology
page. [K. Eric Drexler, Engines
of Creation, 1986]
NEG: Someone who typically complains, moans,
and whines, Someone practicing the opposite of dynamic
optimism.
NEOLOGOMANIA: The transhuman enthusiasm
for neologisms, especially the creation of words with many prefixes.
[Brian Manning Delany]
NEOMORPH: A transhuman
or posthuman with a non-humanoid body
[Greg Bear, Eon]
NEOPHILE: One who welcomes the future
and who enjoys change and evolution.
NEOPHILIA: (From the Jargon File, with
a slight hacker bias): The trait of being excited and pleased by novelty.
Common among most hackers, SF fans, and members of several other connected
leading-edge subcultures, including the pro-technology `Whole Earth'
wing of the ecology movement, space activists, many members of Mensa,
and the Discordian/neo-pagan underground. All these groups overlap heavily
and (where evidence is available) seem to share characteristic hacker
tropisms for science fiction, music, and oriental food. The opposite
tendency is `neophobia'.
NEOPHOBE: One who fears change and wants
to abort technological and social transformation.
NEUROCOMPUTATION: The study of
how natural and artificial neural networks process information.
NEURONAUT: A person who explores their
own neural functioning and internal mentational processes by various
means, including deep introspection and meditation, psychoactive drugs,
mind machines, and neuroscientific understanding.
NEURON STAR: A neutron star used as
a basis for a densely packed mind (similar to a jupiter
brain or a omegon) exploiting neutronium
or quark matter for computation [Damien Broderick, 1996]
NEUROPROSTHESIS: Implanted cybernetic
brain augmentation.
NEUROSUSPENSION: Cryonically
suspending only the head or brain of a person.
NOOTROPIC:
A cognition-enhancing drug that has no significant side- effects. (cf.
extropiate). [C. Giurgea]
NOW SHOCK: Being shocked or confused
by the rapid changes that has already taken place, a kind of future
shock before the present. [Michael Rothschild 1995, "Cornucopia
Or Black Hole?", Upside]
NUTRACEUTICAL: A foodstuff or parts
of foodstuff that offers medical or health benefits related to the prevention
and treatment of disease.
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