[.uk] Nanocosm: Nanotechnology and the Big Changes Coming from ...

Book Description:
"An irreverant, comprehensive romp, by an experienced science popularizer, through the many fascinating details of the nano-world." -- The Wall Street JournalSince 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. Nanocosm shows why.

Loaded with fresh views of nanotechnology's future:
William Illsey Atkinson's Nanocosm is an expert survey of nanotechnology and the big changes coming from small science advancements providing a series of eye-opening insights on the nature of scale and space. Nanoscience is the study of the infinitesimally small: the discoveries of nanotechnology and speculation of the nature of reality in a small, changed world make for a moving, involving title loaded with fresh views of nanotechnology's future.

Nanatechnology: Real and Now!:
Did you know that President Bush recently announced that $500 million would go to the National Nanotechnology Initiative? And that nano-technology is now considered one of the top 10 technologies that will change our lives? In this new book, William Illsey Atkinson delivers us to the world of the future, the world of incredible innovations in the fields of medicine, computing and engineering - the world of nanotechnology. Now, when we talk about nanotechnology, we are talking small (really small, smaller-than-an-atom small). The book talks about what will happen once we get more prolific in working with this tiny technology, and how we will actually produce nanotechnology machines that will produce even smaller machines. Actually, these machines are so small, molecules will produce them automatically. Are you overwhelmed yet? Read on - this gets better. The following are some of Atkinson's amazing projections (remember, this isn't science fiction, this is real stuff that's being developed as you read this). In two to five years, we can expect to see: Car tires that will need air only once a year Self assembly of small electronic parts (based on artificial DNA or guest host systems) Artificial semiconductors based on protein Complete medical diagnostic laboratories based on a single computer chip less than one inch square In five to 10 years, we can expect to see: Erasable/Rewritable paper for programmable books, magazines and newspapers Light, efficient ceramic car engines "Smart" buildings that self-stabilize after earthquakes and bombings Inexpensive solar power that heats and lights cities by using roads and building windows as sun collectors And in 10 to 15 years, we can expect to see: Paint-on computer and video displays Cosmetic nanotechnology, including permanent hair and teeth restoration Handheld super computers This book is just loaded with this kind of earth-shaking information. And the good news is that, for a science book, it reads like a best seller. If you want to get a clear glimpse into the future for all of us, make sure you give this one a read.

Onan of nano?:
Several earlier reviewers have detailed the major shortcomings of this book, so I defer any add-ons. Mr Atkinson is a name-dropper, heaping effusive praise on some researchers & companies, while flogging other individuals or groups. He covers many aspects and potentials of nanotechnology, a good point, but the (startup) companies he mentions have not set the world on fire. He is not a linguist, or he & his editor would not muff simple stuff like "und so weiter" into "und so unter"(p.168). There are a few technical glitches as well. Overall, I give it a "3" and worth the price of a magazine... that's what I paid off the remainder table.

Nano = this book's value:
"Nanocosm" is extremely negative and critical, wasting most of its pages (and hence a majority of every chapter) with a seemingly personal attack on K. Eric Drexler and other nanotech populizers. Atkinson provides little to no facts to back up his assertions, and narrates the book with an unimaginable level of arrogance. Skip this book, and read "Nano-hype" or "The Next Big Thing is Really Small" instead.

I found the book interesting and entertaining.:
Lower, Slower, and Smaller. Eric Dexler books helped envision the future of nanotechnology: 1. Nanosystem: Molecular Machinery, Manfacturing, and Computation. 2. Engines of Creation 3. Nanotechnology: Molecular Speculations on Global Abundance. All technology is in a sense nanotechnology. Carbon Nanotubes may soon create supercomputers the size of a fleck of dust. Macro carbon nanotube applications would be able to support the Golden Gate bridge with a cable no thicker than a pencil. The nanobased world of tomorrow will not be totally unrecognizable. Nanotechnology is still bound by physical and marketing limits. NanoWorld 2015. In 2015, Medication is delivered by synthetic molecules called dendrites. Medical dosages are delivered inside the target cell. 2015, dustbot 70 nm robots powered by ATP flagellate motor break down dust into carbon dioxide and trace elements. The nanobots will be capable of self-replication and are reprogrammable increasing their usefulness. 2015, new nano composite diesel engines will reduce energy production costs through unique engine design. The new diesel engine could burn oil sludge without processing through a refinery. The cylinder wall will be two millimeters thick with 1,400 Celsius and fifty atmosphere on the inside. Nanoscience trends in world research. Dr. Simon Haykin thinks about reducing energy requirements and size dimensions for CPU chips. "It's obvious to me that miniaturization, as a route to hardware innovation, is a dead-end street. It's given us some noteworthy achievements, but now its run smack up against its ultimate limitations." A brain has logic gates called neurons that operate a million times slower than a computer logic gate and burns ten billion times less power than a microtransistor logic gate. The computation model of the brain is massively parrellel and great quantities of neurons chew through problems from many different directions at the same time. In 1994-95 the Teramac massively parallel computer was built. Its designers built in over 200,000 hardware defects, any which would have failed in a serial computing Von Neumann designed machine. "Yet the Termac consistently operates two orders of magnitude faster than the fastest single processor commercial workstation". Teramac uses paths and components alternative to the damaged ones. "You can view neurons as unreliable components if you like. And individually, they are. They're rather messy things. But that doesn't matter, because there are so many of them." Nanotechnology trends in World development. "In 1997, aggregate U.S. spending for both government and private-sector nanoscience was approximately $400 million. In 2001, it was three times the level; in 2002, the aggregate gain approached 450 percent." In 2001, the US government budgeted $422 million for nanoscience R & D. Cool Chips Inc brings one of the first nanotechnology applications to the market. Solid state wafers can be inserted on top of solid-state devices to provide cooling. The thermal efficiency is 70-80 percent. A Cool Chip one-inch square could provide the cooling power of a standard refrigerator. A Cool chip will get hot on one side and cool on the other with a 10 nm gap; the cool side has hot electrons removed which pass over the gap to the hotside which represents a concentration of electrons. A gap of 5 nm calculates out to carry a theoretical heat-extraction limit of 5,000 watts per square centimeter. Once heat is trapped on one side, it can not easily return.