Replicators a Reality

Recently I posed this far-out scenario as a means of stimulating careful thought about economic progress and the way that progress is measured using conventional concepts and national-income-accounting categories.

Turns out that my scenario isn't as far-fetched as I assumed.  (HT to the more-than-a-dozen people who've sent me links to this video)  Wow.  Wow!  Wow ten-thousand times over!

Watching this remarkable technology, I can't help but reflect on the importance of Matt Ridley's point that progress is fueled by ideas having sex with each other; the resulting creativity makes optimism rational.