Nanocosm

by William Illsey Atkinson, Richard Smalley (Foreword by)

"Since the dawn of technology, many tools have grown steadily smaller even as they have grown more powerful and complex. Now nanoscience takes technology beyond most popular definitions of reality, to a realm of astounding possibilities. With Nanocosm, William Atkinson reveals a spectacular view of the immediate future of nanoscience and its applications in:

* medicine -- drugs whose effective dose is only a few molecules and thus have minimal side effects

* computing -- quantum processors triggered by a single photon of light

* engineering -- megastructures woven from hollow nanotubes 200 times stronger than steel



and countless other arenas that affect our world, redefining how we work, play, and live.

President Bush recently signed a $3.7 billion nanotechnology bill, the largest government-funded science program since Kennedy started the space race. Nanocosmshows why."

Genres: Science

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2003

Reviews

[Pramod Pant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why was it written? Out of a runaway enthusiasm for new technology. This book is not a child of science or technology, but that of mere excitement.
Not worth much.

[Alice Browne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays written for popular science magazines and compiled into a book which neither informs nor entertains. Though dated, the wild promises it makes in regards to nanotech for the near future (i.e., 5 years ago) don't seem very exciting in retrospect. Atkinson's book makes nanotech look like the cold fusion of the 2000s.

[Zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a scientist this book had plenty of faults in reasoning, but as an enthusiast I couldn't put it down. If a tenth of the tech predictions made in this book come true, this world is going to be a radically different place. I don't know if I should be excited, cautious, or scared out of mind.

[Marklandman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book, author keep things moving so I never got bored and I appreciated his humor. Even though it is an "old" book by tech standards I found it still had some information I didn't know before. If I had read this book 10 years ago when it was first published it would have blown my mind.