Nanotechnology 114
| Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea | |
| author | Mark Ratner, Daniel Ratner |
| pages | 188 |
| publisher | Prentice Hall |
| rating | 9 |
| reviewer | Conrad |
| ISBN | 0131014005 |
| summary | A (mostly) non-technical introduction to nano |
In other words, I started this book very skeptical, but it convinced me. I don't know how many of you have heard of Mark Ratner, but he is credited with being the first to speculate on using individual molecules as components in electronic circuits back in 1974. If you read about molecular electronics now (or go to any moletronics conferences) you'll see his name come up constantly. He is also associate director of the nanotech institute at Northwestern University, the first dedicated nanotech center in the country. This is not like reading a lot of the books out there - he really knows his stuff.
The book starts with a general introduction, talks about hype, nanobots, and the big budgets that are out there for nanotech research. It opens a lot of questions, including ethical issues and a little bit of skepticism which I think is very healthy for a science which promises a lot, but has yet to truly distinguish itself.
After the introduction, there is a chapter which gets to the heart of matters -- it explains that nanotech is not just the ultimate level of miniaturization, but that it is special since it is at the interface of bulk properties, quantum properties, and the key elements in life processes (such as DNA). It also sets the stage for the heart of the book -- chapters on tools for the nanosciences (ever wonder why nano wasn't real until now even though Feynman started talking about it in the 1960s?), a grand tour which will quickly dispel any illusions that nanotechnology is all about nanobots a la Bill Joy and Star Trek, and chapters on smart materials, biomedical applications, sensors, optics, and electronics. There is also recap of some basic science, but not many Slashdotters will need that.
While the hype may not be breathless, these chapters left me that way. What the Ratners discuss is real, in context, and discussed intelligently and thoughtfully. They gave me enough science to explain what they are talking about but not enough to distract me and they include a dash of some appropriately wry humor to lighten things up. There are illustrations throughout and a color inset in the middle. The illustrations are clearly from lab work -- their quality varies significantly, but I found them very useful indeed.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is the sidebars -- there are sections on DNA computing, quantum computing, swarm computing, nanotubes, lab-on-a-chip, and other applications. These are short, sweet, and, as always, to the point.
The book ends with two chapters on business and ethics. Unlike most nanotech books I've read, there was some substantial thought here. Ethical issues such as intellectual property concerns as well as health issues were treated at some length. The book doesn't come to conclusions on these points -- it attempts to present a balanced discussion and actively encourages readers to enter the debate. The business section was obviously written by someone who lived through the dot-com bubble (I'm guessing this was Mark's coauthor, Dan). Some of the points were obvious, but the analysis for investors is something well worth reading (attention VCs!) and again, the authors set the sights at a reasonable level. They point out that there are fortunes to be made, but not by accident. They also make some predictions about where the money is.
My only complaints about this book were that a few of the pictures were not of ideal quality, and that the companion web site wasn't very exciting (though they promise to update it.) All in all I found the book to be an ideal mix of technical and non-technical, a superb survey of a complex field, and an interesting read throughout. It leaves all of the other "introduction to nano" books in the shade -- perhaps because it is written by a pioneer in the field as well as someone who has thought about how to make it pay. I considered it required reading for anyone who wants to understand what nano is really about.
You can purchase Nanotechnology: A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Where do you keep the batteries? (Score:5, Interesting)
'Nanosystems' for the rest of us (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Where do you keep the batteries? (Score:5, Interesting)
Nanomachines on an IC substrate, attached to external power, look much more feasible.
How about radio waves? (Score:4, Interesting)
Nanobots are small - they shouldn't need too much power. I don't know about the real feasibility of this, hardware not being my department :), but I wonder if there is a way to power nanobots "wirelessly".
Re:Next Step (Score:3, Interesting)
One of my favorites:
Cookie cutters, things the size of a blood-cell that contain 2 spinning wedges that spin at oppoisite orientations (to eliminate the gyroscope effects of the spinning mass.) when the detonation command occurs, the central axis disolves and the two wedges fly outwards at above the speed of sound. They are slowed, and the thing that turns your body into a pulpy bag of undiffrential gore are the sonic booms. They are called cookie cutters becuase they pulp everything outside their area of effect, but the inside is relativly untouched.
Fun with nanotech!
Re:Where do you keep the batteries? (Score:3, Interesting)
reproduction, on the other hand, probably isn't desired of nanobots. certainly not uncontrolled reproduction (ask Bill Joy
when it comes to building jet engines, or any other large or complicated thing, the interesting thing is more likely cell lineage, like in biology. see the nematode for a good example; its entire cell lineage is known. how would these nanobots know how to assemble into something useful?
Autonomy - Freedom of Thought (Score:2, Interesting)
For a great piece of fiction concerning nanotechnologies, patents, RIAA, virtual reality, quantum computing (e.g. everything people around here love/hate :), read Autonomy - Freedom of Thought [expressivefreedom.org]. It basically talks about a groups of scientists that 'escaped' to a virtual world to flee drastic copyright and patent laws that crippled their research in the 'real' world.
Microwaves, fuel cells, even a strong light (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:How about radio waves? (Score:3, Interesting)
This seems pretty exciting to me. Since it would run off of reduction/oxidation states, one could recharge in with a chemical reaction, light, or just by applying a voltage accross the solution that the machines are in. Yeah, so this seems pretty promising, although a long way off.