Hacking Matter: Levitating Chairs, Quantum Mirages, and the Infinite Weirdness of Programmable Atoms

by Wil McCarthy

Programmable matter is probably not the next technological revolution, nor even perhaps the one after that. But it's coming, and when it does, it will change our lives as much as any invention ever has. Imagine being able to program matter itself-to change it, with the click of a cursor, from hard to soft, from paper to stone, from fluorescent to super-reflective to invisible. Supported by organizations ranging from Levi Strauss and IBM to the Defense Department, solid-state physicists in renowned laboratories are working to make it a reality. In this dazzling investigation, Wil McCarthy visits the laboratories and talks with the researchers who are developing this extraordinary technology, describes how they are learning to control it, and tells us where all this will lead. The possibilities are truly astonishing.

Genres: Science, Physics, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Science fiction author and Chief Technology Officer for Galileo Shipyards


Engineer/Novelist/Journalist/Entrepreneur Wil McCarthy is a former contributing editor for WIRED magazine and science columnist for the SyFy channel (previously SciFi channel), where his popular "Lab Notes" column ran from 1999 through 2009. A lifetime member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, he has been nominated for the Nebula, Locus, Seiun, AnLab, Colorado Book, Theodore Sturgeon and Philip K. Dick awards, and contributed to projects that won a Webbie, an Eppie, a Game Developers' Choice Award, and a General Excellence National Magazine Award. In addition, his imaginary world of "P2", from the novel LOST IN TRANSMISSION, was rated one of the 10 best science fiction planets of all time by Discover magazine. His short fiction has graced the pages of magazines like Analog, Asimov's, WIRED, and SF Age, and his novels include the New York Times Notable BLOOM, Amazon.com "Best of Y2K" THE COLLAPSIUM (a national bestseller) and, most recently, TO CRUSH THE MOON. He has also written for TV, appeared on The History Channel and The Science Channel, and published nonfiction in half a dozen magazines, including WIRED, Discover, GQ, Popular Mechanics, IEEE Spectrum, and the Journal of Applied Polymer Science. Previously a flight controller for Lockheed Martin Space Launch Systems and later an engineering manager for Omnitech Robotics, McCarthy is now the president and Chief Technology Officer of RavenBrick LLC in Denver, CO, a developer of smart window technologies. He lives in Colorado with his family

Reviews

[AndrewP · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book about leading edge scientific research into quantum dots and artificial matter. Like all books of this sort, technology rapidly catches up and since this book was written in 2003 that has happened here to some degree.

Although the bulk of the book is still speculation, there is some discussion about things like LED lighting that are now common place. Most of the authors ideas seem to neglect the fact that even if you can make a large array of programmable matter quantum dots, you still have to connect those with electrical wires. The programmable matter is not solid atoms, its just dots in a surrounding matrix so I don't see how the whole can be as strong as he suggests. Also, if the properties are controlled by changing electron states then the whole thing would be susceptible, and very sensitive, to electrical shocks.

One point the author did make clear is that basic scientific research of this kind progresses slowly because it gets very little funding. Unfortunately the vast bulk of government funding goes to soft/social sciences and studies that are tabloid ready at best.

[Beth Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This popular science book focused very tightly on quantum dots, also called artificial atoms. It provided a solid build up - beginning with high-school level science to being able to reasonably understand how odd these things are and the significance of how that oddity fits with the current technology of today. He wandered through meeting with different cutting edge scientists. Then McCarthy took off into the maybes and might-bes of how the technology could influence the future. He added a little personal touch to it, describing how he first became interested in the idea and how he then went and used the more out there possibilities to write science fiction based on what he'd learned. Since the book was written over ten years ago I was curious to see if the technology had developed and it seems to have found some current uses. Overall I enjoyed the book.

[Michael Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to the possible future applications of programmable matter and quantum physics applied to technology in general for those who might have heard of such things before. It makes for an interesting read but the non-physics and/or computer minded need not bother.

[Ray Savarda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inventive, a good description of early theory and design work on Quantum dots and their possibilities, though probably a bit dated now (written 2003).
Lots of far-out "maybe it could be used for" things that show great inventiveness, but sadly almost 20 years later, most of the ideas are still just ideas.

[Adrian Herbez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a worthwhile read. I never really understood what quantum dots were but after reading this I have a newfound appreciation for both what they are (artificial atoms) and the kind of opportunities they offer.

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this would be a fascinating pop science book about the applications of this new century's cutting edge technologies. Instead, "levitating chairs" are covered in one phrase of one sentence in the book. "Quantum mirages" are covered in two sentences. The entire rest of the book consists of as heavy physics descriptions as you can get without including mathematical equations. Will be mostly impenetrable for casual readers.

Kind of sad that none of the possibilities dreamed of by these scientific pioneers have really come to pass after 14 years on. What the heck happened? We should have at least had quantum computers by now.

I also found the author's inclusion of his patent application annoying, particularly after extolling the open atmosphere of scientific collaboration among those in the field. Where does McCarthy, a science fiction writer and journalist, get off filing a patent based on the decades of research by the scientific geniuses he interviewed? He is not a member of that circle. Smacks of cynical opportunism or intellectual piracy to me.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely enjoyed reading Hacking Matter. The language was complicated, but attempting to decipher McCarthy’s meaning was a challenge I relished. Reading his vision for the future, one of glowing cities and homes that are electrically self-sufficient, renewed my interest in physics and engineering. I became excited about the future again. I also appreciated the tone McCarthy used when discussing quantum dots. Using phrases like, “Their finding: much weirdness,” and “Alchemist Roger Bacon, in his monkish, thirteenth-century dreams, could scarcely have asked for more,” the book is both funny and informative. One may not expect to laugh out loud at a physics-centric nonfiction book, but when McCarty spelled out the options for programmable matter and listed with equal importance the properties of magnetism, photoresistivity, and greenness (being green in color), I giggled hysterically. McCarthy’s careful explanations combined with casual vernacular make the book a memorable read, allowing me, the reader, to pass on what I have learned to others. If one is already an expert in the field, this book will be unhelpful because of its age. However, if one is new to the idea, as I was, it is a genuinely interesting read. The word of quantum dot technology deserves to be spread, and Hacking Matter is the book to spread it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is heady stuff, but the science may fly over the heads of many (myself included) at least part of the time. A knowledge of physics and electronics is helpful. This is not nanotechnology he's writing about, which funcions on a mechanical model, this is quantum dot technology, which attempts to harness the mind-warping physics of Eistein and beyond. Short book, imaginative and informative.

[Jef · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, can you say pretty paint. That's what the quantum dots have been used for, mostly in biological dies. I can't find any further evidence of the wellstone of quantum technology. Though I find the research aspects of the quantum wells fascinating.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

The technology described in this book is super cool, creating materials using silicon chips. Who knows if this will ever come to fruition, but if it did we could have super-efficient solar cells and highly energy efficient buildings and homes.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super well written book detailing the world of Quantum Physics.

[Sonia · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! Calls for occasional breaks for brain cell recovery.

[DeAnna Knippling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stuff. I think the book did a good job of explaining both the basic science (for those of us who don't do this on a daily basis) and the ideas behind the quantum dots.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is all about quantum dots ( which I think should be called quantum cells ) and it doesn't skip on details

[Gary Levin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting read!

[Kunal Lyf]

gud