Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100

The "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Physics of the Impossible" offers a stunning and provocative vision of the future, and explains how science will shape human destiny and everyone's daily life by the year 2100.
Publishers Weekly (01/10/2011):
Kaku (Physics of the Impossible), a professor of physics at the CUNY Graduate Center, gathers ideas from more than 300 experts, scientists, and researchers at the cutting edge of their fields, to offer a glimpse of what the next 100 years may bring. The predictions all conform to certain ground rules (e.g., "Prototypes of all technologies mentioned... already exist"), and some seem obvious (computer chips will continue to get faster and smaller). Others seem less far-fetched than they might have a decade ago: for instance, space tourism will be popular, especially once a permanent base is established on the moon. Other predictions may come true downloading the Internet right into a pair of contact lenses but whether they're desirable is another matter. Some of the predictions are familiar but still startling: robots will develop emotions by mid-century, and we will start merging mind and body with them. Despite the familiarity of many of the predictions to readers of popular science and science fiction, Kaku's book should capture the imagination of everyday readers. (Mar.) Copyright 2011 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews (01/15/2011):
Optimistic, scientifically sound forecasts of wonders in store for us.
Physicist and science writer Kaku (Theoretical Physics/City Univ. of New York; Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel, 2008, etc.) divides his chapters into "near future" (until 2030), "mid-century" (2030 to 2070) and "far future" (2070 to 2100). Each begins with familiar technology and ongoing research. The near future of computers will give us self-driving cars and computers cheap enough to be disposable. Mid-century will see universal translators, and by 2100 thinking will control computers, producing instant, person-to-person communication and the ability to manipulate our environment, including malfunctioning body parts. Doctors already cure rare genetic diseases by inserting a single healthy gene into a patient's cells. Correcting complex genetic defects (e.g., diabetes, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's) and growing artificial organs is a matter of decades; vastly increasing longevity will come later. Genuine artificial intelligence will arrive later this century. It will take longer for machines to attain self-awareness and become smarter than us, writes the author, but it's inevitable. Ditto for fusion energy, laser-powered rockets and high-tech cures for global warming, but in this case readers may be more skeptical?computer and genetic-engineering marvels seem reasonable because we're used to dazzling progress; other technologies have moved more slowly. Because Kaku is old enough to remember post?World War II forecasts that 2000 would bring interplanetary travel, the conquest of disease, world government and flying cars, he cherry-picks a few home runs from these old prophecies but understandably passes over futurology's dismal success rate.
The author's scientific expertise will engage readers too sophisticated for predictions based on psychic powers or astrology.
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(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Library Journal (02/01/2011):
Kaku hosts popular-science programs on the Science Channel ("Sci Q"), the Discovery Channel, and the BBC, among others. He is best known academically for his work as a cofounder of the string field theory. His previous book, "Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel", was well received and helps demonstrate how scientific discoveries have changed how we view the world. Here, Kaku looks closely at current research and trends and offers fact-based predictions on how the world may look ten to 100 years in the future. He discusses a wide range of topics from Internet-enabled contact lenses to the future of robots and artificial intelligence. His strength is translating potentially difficult concepts into easily understandable information and exciting stories of the future that can be embraced by lay readers. VERDICT This work is highly recommended for fans of Kaku's previous books and for readers interested in science and robotics.?Eric D. Albright, Tufts Univ. Health Sciences Lib., Boston Copyright 2011 Reed Business Information.

Booklist (02/01/2011):
Following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Jules Verne, Kaku, author of a handful of books about science, looks into the not-so-distant future and envisions what the world will look like. It should be an exciting place, with driverless cars, Internet glasses, universal translators, robot surgeons, the resurrection of extinct life forms, designer children, space tourism, a manned mission to Mars, none of which turn out to be as science-fictiony as they sound. In fact, the most exciting thing about the book is the fact that most of the developments Kaku discusses can be directly extrapolated from existing technologies. Robot surgeons and driverless cars, for example, already exist in rudimentary forms. Kaku, a physics professor and one of the originators of the string field theory (an offshoot of the more general string theory), draws on current research to show how, in a very real sense, our future has already been written. The books lively, user-friendly style should appeal equally to fans of science fiction and popular science.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

Library Journal (03/01/2013):
Popular science readers will be fascinated by the potential future of science and technology in our lives to come, from robotic limbs and magnetic cars to new sources of energy and routine space travel, as put forth by physicist and best-selling author Kaku. ("LJ" 2/1/11) Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review Quotes:
"Following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Jules Verne, Kaku, author of a handful of books about science, looks into the not-so-distant future and envisions what the world will look like. It should be an exciting place, with driverless cars, Internet glasses, universal translators, robot surgeons, the resurrection of extinct life forms, designer children, space tourism, a manned mission to Mars, none of which turn out to be as science-fictiony as they sound. In fact, the most exciting thing about the book is the fact that most of the developments Kaku discusses can be directly extrapolated from existing technologies. Robot surgeons and driverless cars, for example, already exist in rudimentary forms. Kaku, a physics professor and one of the originators of the string field theory (an offshoot of the more general string theory), draws on current research to show how, in a very real sense, our future has already been written. The book's lively, user-friendly style should appeal

Biographical Note:
MICHIO KAKU is a professor of physics at the CUNY Graduate Center, cofounder of string field theory, and the author of several widely acclaimed science books, including "Physics of the Impossible, "also the basis for his Science Channel show and two radio programs, "Explorations" and "Science Fantastic. "

Review Quotes:
"[A] wide-ranging tour of what to expect from technological progress over the next century or so.... fascinating--and related with commendable clarity"--"Wall Street Journal"
"Mind-bending....fascinating....Kaku has a gift for explaining incredibly complex concepts, on subjects as far-ranging as nanotechnology and space travel, in language the lay reader can grasp....engrossing"--"San Francisco Chronicle
"
"[Kaku] has the rare ability to take complicated scientific theories and turn them into readable tales about what our lives will be like in the future.....fun...fascinating. And just a little bit spooky"--"USA Today
""Epic in its scope and heroic in its inspiration"--"Scientific American
"
"Following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Jules Verne, Kaku, author of a handful of books about science, looks into the not-so-distant future and envisions what the world will look like. It should be an exciting place, with driverless cars, Internet glasses, universal translators, robot surgeons, the resurrection of extinct life forms, designer children, space tourism, a manned mission to Mars, none of which turn out to be as science-fictiony as they sound. In fact, the most exciting thing about the book is the fact that most of the developments Kaku discusses can be directly extrapolated from existing technologies. Robot surgeons and driverless cars, for example, already exist in rudimentary forms. Kaku, a physics professor and one of the originators of the string field theory (an offshoot of the more general string theory), draws on current research to show how, in a very real sense, our future has already been written. The book's lively, user-friendly style should appeal equally to fans of science fiction and popular science."
--"Booklist
"
"Breezy, accessible and cheerily upbeat new book....Kaku's primary strengths, other than his obvious expertise as a physicist, lie in the lucidity of his explanations....enviable access to many

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments -- Introduction: Predicting the Next 100 Years -- 1. Future of the Computer: Mind over Matter -- 2. Future of AI: Rise of the Machines -- 3. Future of Medicine: Perfection and Beyond -- 4. Nanotechnology: Everything from Nothing? -- 5. Future of Energy: Energy from the Stars -- 6. Future of Space Travel: To the Stars -- 7. Future of Wealth: Winners and Losers -- 8. Future of Humanity: Planetary Civilization -- 9. A Day in the Life in 2100 -- Notes -- Recommended Reading -- Index.

Marc Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Imagine, if you can, the world in the year 2100.
In "Physics of the Future," Michio Kaku--the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Physics of the Impossible"--gives us a stunning, provocative, and exhilarating vision of the coming century based on interviews with over three hundred of the world's top scientists who are already inventing the future in their labs. The result is the most authoritative and scientifically accurate description of the revolutionary developments taking place in medicine, computers, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, energy production, and astronautics.
In all likelihood, by 2100 we will control computers via tiny brain sensors and, like magicians, move objects around with the power of our minds. Artificial intelligence will be dispersed throughout the environment, and Internet-enabled contact lenses will allow us to access the world's information base or conjure up any image we desire in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, cars will drive themselves using GPS, and if room-temperature superconductors are discovered, vehicles will effortlessly fly on a cushion of air, coasting on powerful magnetic fields and ushering in the age of magnetism.
Using molecular medicine, scientists will be able to grow almost every organ of the body and cure genetic diseases. Millions of tiny DNA sensors and nanoparticles patrolling our blood cells will silently scan our bodies for the first sign of illness, while rapid advances in genetic research will enable us to slow down or maybe even reverse the aging process, allowing human life spans to increase dramatically.
In space, radically new ships--needle-sized vessels using laser propulsion--could replace the expensive chemical rockets of today and perhaps visit nearby stars. Advances in nanotechnology may lead to the fabled space elevator, which would propel humans hundreds of miles above the earth's atmosphere at the push of a button.
But these astonishing revelations are only the tip of the iceberg."" Kaku also discusses emotional robots, antimatter rockets, X-ray vision, and the ability to create new life-forms, and he considers the development of the world economy. He addresses the key questions: Who are the winner and losers of the future? Who will have jobs, and which nations will prosper?
All the while, Kaku illuminates the rigorous scientific principles, examining the rate at which certain technologies are likely to mature, how far they can advance, and what their ultimate limitations and hazards are. Synthesizing a vast amount of information to construct an exciting look at the years leading up to 2100, "Physics of the Future" is a thrilling, wondrous ride through the next 100 years of breathtaking scientific revolution.

Review Citations:
Library Journal Prepub Alert 09/01/2010 pg. 89 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Publishers Weekly 01/10/2011 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2011 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Library Journal 02/01/2011 pg. 81 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Booklist 02/01/2011 pg. 12 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Choice 10/01/2011 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Wilson Senior High Core Col 01/01/2011 pg. 90 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Library Journal 03/01/2013 pg. 43 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Wilson Public Library Catalog 01/01/2013 pg. 155 (EAN 9780385530804, Hardcover)
Wilson Senior High Core Col 01/01/2011 pg. 90 (EAN 9780385530811, Open Ebook)
Wilson Public Library Catalog 01/01/2013 pg. 155 (EAN 9780385530811, Open Ebook)
Audio File 10/01/2011 pg. 46 (EAN 9780307877055, Compact Disc)
Contributor Bio: Kaku, Michio
Dr. Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist and the cofounder of string field theory (a branch of string theory), and he continues Einstein's search to unite the four fundamental forces of nature into one unified theory. He is also the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including his most recent work, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100.