(Originally published 2011, Paperback edition 425 pages)
Many people who have reviewed this work know who Mr. Kaku is, but I sure didn't.
What attracted me to his book was that the author is a theoretical physicist and
his intent to was to make his predictions rooted in physics and not flights of
fancy. He interviewed 300 top scientists and wrote the book for the general
layman. As long as you're intellectual curious and can read, you will not find
Mr. Kaku's work difficult to follow. He makes quite a few pop-cultural
references to Star Trek, The Terminator, Star Wars technology as well as
their feasibility.
The author has broken each chapter into time sections. First he gives a general overview of physics up to present day then explains the advancements we should see between today and 2030 (Near Future,) 2030 through 2070 (Midcentury,) and 2070 until 2100 (Far Future.) Topics which are covered include computer technology, artificial intelligence, medicine, communication, space travel, germ warfare, cloning, nanotechnology, and energy. Mr. Kaku only skims certain social aspects of the future. This is the biggest problem with his work. He does acknowledge that advancements may be hindered by human fears or superstitions, but ignores such things as companies incorporating planned obsolescence such as how light bulbs are built to wear out instead of lasting practically forever. Also, religious fundamentalism like is seen throughout the Middle East and the United States Bible Belt are huge roadblocks to scientific advancement and acceptance.
Overall, the book has an upbeat, geewhiz feel. I even learned a great deal about where we are today when it comes to scientific discoveries. "Physics of the Future" is very interesting because the author does an excellent job describing how the different scientific principles work and the difficulties ahead. As with any science book worth its salt, evolution is taken as a given. People who are religious creationists should read the book purely to understand the whole Adam-and-Eve thing is nonsense. As Mr. Kaku aptly writes in his work, "...One is free to ignore science and technology, but only at your peril. The world does not stand still because you are reading a religious text. If you do not master the latest in science and technology, then your competitors will."
The author has broken each chapter into time sections. First he gives a general overview of physics up to present day then explains the advancements we should see between today and 2030 (Near Future,) 2030 through 2070 (Midcentury,) and 2070 until 2100 (Far Future.) Topics which are covered include computer technology, artificial intelligence, medicine, communication, space travel, germ warfare, cloning, nanotechnology, and energy. Mr. Kaku only skims certain social aspects of the future. This is the biggest problem with his work. He does acknowledge that advancements may be hindered by human fears or superstitions, but ignores such things as companies incorporating planned obsolescence such as how light bulbs are built to wear out instead of lasting practically forever. Also, religious fundamentalism like is seen throughout the Middle East and the United States Bible Belt are huge roadblocks to scientific advancement and acceptance.
Overall, the book has an upbeat, geewhiz feel. I even learned a great deal about where we are today when it comes to scientific discoveries. "Physics of the Future" is very interesting because the author does an excellent job describing how the different scientific principles work and the difficulties ahead. As with any science book worth its salt, evolution is taken as a given. People who are religious creationists should read the book purely to understand the whole Adam-and-Eve thing is nonsense. As Mr. Kaku aptly writes in his work, "...One is free to ignore science and technology, but only at your peril. The world does not stand still because you are reading a religious text. If you do not master the latest in science and technology, then your competitors will."
(Meyers - A few years ago, I
started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short
reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #347)
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