Unbounding the Future: The Nanotechnology Revolution

This book is about molecular nanotechnology for the layperson. According to the glossary of the book, molecular nanotechnology is "thorough, inexpensive control of the structure of matter based on molecule-by-molecule control of products and byproducts; the products and processes of molecular manufacturing, including molecular machinery." Basically, what if you could build something by assembling it one molecule at a time? The book covers the technology itself, paths leading to the development of the technology, and the positive and negative social and economic consequences of the technology. This is a fascinating subject, but I found the book tedious to read. I think this is due in large part to the numerous "scenarios" that the authors present. There are two main problems with the scenarios. First, the book dwells too much on the fact that they are scenarios. Second, the scenarios are too explanatory to be good stories, and too tedious to be good explanations. Perhaps science fiction would have been a more effective format. Additionally, I believe this book paints an overoptimistic picture, for two reasons. First, I feel that the scientific and engineering difficulties in developing nanotechnology have been glossed over. For example, it is one thing to note that plants can transform sunlight into stored energy; it is another to suggest, with no justification or explanation, that we can engineer an equivalent system. Second, despite the authors' claim that this is not an optimistic book, I think the difficulties in preventing accidents and abuse have been underestimated. For those of you familiar with SETI and the Drake Equation, perhaps the true measure of L, the lifetime of communicating civilizations, is not the ability to survive nuclear weapons (which seems to be the commonly assumed limiting factor) but the ability to survive nanotechnology. Despite my criticisms, this book has many fascinating ideas and I recommend it...

I'd give the authors five stars on this except, as with Drexler's "Engines of Creation," it's a bit dry and analytical for my taste. I'd very much like to see an update with more on the current prospects for nanotechnology development, along with more "scenarios"--the authors' efforts to depict some of the ways in which it is likely to change society and the world. Those interested in this topic should be sure not to miss two SF books by Nancy Kress, "Beggars in Spain" and "Beggars and Choosers," which explore potential impacts on society of genetic modification and nanotech. Interested readers should also contact Drexler's Foresight Institute (it's on the Web), which is working to encourage public policy debate on these topics.

Depressed about the future of mankind! Drexler clearly explains a fundamentally different way of looking at using technology: nanotechnology. The notion behind nanotech is simple: by exerting control over individual atoms, we can custom-build molecules with incredible properties. Furthermore, we can create automated molecular factories with the potential to build other molecules, and eventually macro-scale items that we need. The possibilities are nearly limitless for example, molecular "nanosurgeons" that can easily track down viruses, bacteria, or cancer cells. Or we can give ordinary items extraodinary properties: self-spreading paints, roofing material with low-voltage solar cells built in, modular building tiles with plumbing and wiring that self-connects... It's all there in Drexler's readable book. Please read Unbounding The Future for a dose of technological optimism!!!

It's been a few years since I read it, so let's see how much I remember:The author is probably the world's foremost authority on the subject of the book, therefore you are assured that the explanations presented do not come from a charlatan. The book is about nanotechnology, the manipulation of atoms individually. Nanotechnolgy would create machines that are the ultimate in miniaturization or form materials with properties far superior to that of present day. The field is in its infancy, assuming it will mature. The conjectures are informative yet sometimes fanciful (at least to THIS reader).Anyone interested in future applications of current research may want a copy. Gee, I hope I can refine this review later. See also Visions by Michio Kaku