Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 416 pages
• Published by: Anchor September 15, 1998
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0385484992
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0385484992
• Book Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 12.8 ounces

Product Review
Take it easy: that's Michio Kaku's motto. Given the extraordinary advances science has thrown up in time for the millennium, the only way you could possibly fit them into a single volume is by a correspondingly massive simplification.

Subtitled How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century and Beyond, Visions assumes that, by and large, scientists get to do whatever they like, that all technologies are consumer technologies, and that consumers welcome anything and everything science throws at them. Kaku gets away with this frankly dodgy strategy by dint of sheer hard work. He has based his predictions on interviews with more than 150 renowned working scientists; he integrates these interviews with a huge body of original journalistic material; and, above all, he roots that mass of information on an entirely reasonable model of what the purpose of science will be in the third millennium. Up until now, science has expended its efforts on decoding most of the fundamental natural processes--"the dance," as Kaku puts it, of elementary particles deep inside stars and the rhythms of DNA molecules coiling and uncoiling within our bodies. Science's task now, Kaku believes, is to cross-pollinate advances thrown up by the study of matter, biology, and mind--modern science's three main theaters of endeavor. "We are now making the transition from amateur chess players to grand masters," he writes, "from observers to choreographers of nature." Then again, he also believes that "the Internet will eventually become a 'Magic Mirror' that appears in fairy tales, able to speak with the wisdom of the human race." Kaku, in short, deserves a good slapping--but he also deserves to be read. --Simon Ings, Amazon.co.uk

From Kirkus Reviews
Here's another entry in the game of predicting what science and technology will come up with after the turn of the millennium, this one from a theoretical physicist. Kaku, author of Hyperspace (1994), defines his central thesis in a few words: We humans are about to make the transition ``from being passive observers of Nature to active choreographers of Nature.'' He forecasts major breakthroughs in three specific areas: computer science, molecular biology, and quantum physics. While all three of these disciplines have already had a significant impact on our daily lives, Kaku finds a broad consensus among scientists, many of whom believe that everything we have seen so far is merely a prelude to what lies in store. In particular, while the development to date of these areas of science has been marked by extreme specialization, the 21st century is likely to be an age of synergy, in which each area builds on the discoveries of the others. On a 20-year time frame, computer chips will become smaller, cheaper, and almost ubiquitous; genetic therapy will have cured many diseases, possibly including most cancers. But beyond that point, it appears that fundamental bottlenecks in both computer science and molecular biology will necessitate new breakthroughs, many of which will derive from quantum physics. This may fuel a new round of technological innovations, among them artificial intelligence (a robot in every home), tailor-made organisms (new foods and medicines), nanotechnology, and new energy sources. Kaku does not ignore the potential downside of these developments, looking at such nightmare scenarios as robot killing machines fighting future wars and a revived eugenics movement. But if all goes well, says Kaku, we may well develop into a true planetary society, the first step toward making the entire universe our home. With this fascinating volume, Kaku positions himself as a worthy successor to the late Carl Sagan as a spokesman for the potential of science to revolutionize our lives. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Reader Reviews
Michio Kaku, a renowned physicist, attempts to give a view of what to expect from technology and science in the near future. His predictions are based on interviews which he conducted with scientists and engineers from various fields. In making his predictions, he focuses on three fields: computers, biotechnology, and quantum physics. First of all, please check the publication date of this book. Since this book was published in 1998, some of these predictions have already come true, and others seem a little too optimistic. In fact, while reading the computer section, it reminded me of reading pre-tech bubble Wired magazine. In other words, sometimes overly bubbly and cheery about the wonders of progress, and unwilling to deal with the dark sides of issues. Of the three sections, the one that I found enjoyable was the section on quantum mechanics, which, surprise, happens to be his area of study. I found his discussion about space exploration and cosmic phenomena to be very interesting. On the other hand, the section on computers was a little boring, and the section on biotechnology was OK. Perhaps it would be better to pick up one of Michio Kaku's books on physics rather than this one.