Molecular Nanotechnology (New Century)

Molecular Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale. It is a key technology previously used extensively during the New Century, but was largely abandoned following the von Neumann Catastophe in 4 N.C.

History
Initially designed on a cellular scale, the very first artificially created nanotechnology operated though modified animal cells to create modified materials. These cells were controlled through genetic modification to introduce various biomechanical triggers, allowing for easier external control of the cell systems, later referred to as "bio-looms". While proficient at manufacturing molecular chains and designer molecules, this technology was limited in speed and inorganic materials production.

The next step in this technology moved towards biomechanical viruses, the precursor to what would later be known as nanites. These "biomides" were heavily modified viruses programmed to form simple tasks and had a relatively sophisticated medical capacity, but only when pre-programmed. However, the genetic programming developed for the biomides quickly grew in sophistication, forming the basis of a synthetic atomic-scale coding system. The biomides themselves were ultimately also used to build fully synthetic nanites, functioning on a basic atomic operating system, but could be remotely controlled wirelessly. The emergence of nanite technology represented the pinnacle of molecular nanotechnology, allowing for numerous leaps across the sciences and engineering, marking the start of the New Century.

Four years later the Earth Alliance developed the first Self-replicating spacecraft purely constructed from nanites, designed for autonomous space exploration. However, the launch was a failure and the von Neumann probe launch system exploded in high altitude over the Earth, causing the probe's nanites to spread back down to the planet. It is unclear how, but the nanite's that made up the probe quickly demonstrated signs of severe programming corruption and began to run rampant on a global scale.