Nanofactories: The Scientific Equivalent Of Defecating In a Swimming Pool?

Given the recent discussions of the effect of the Singlarity University, and the difficulty of discussing nanotechnology without getting sidetracked by discussions about life extension, nanofactories and human extension, someone recently commented that these ideas have ‘polluted the well (of nanoscience).’ The problem is that the propagation of these rather odd ideas is continuous, just when you think the last …