Physics of the Future

Imagine,ifyoucan,theworldintheyear2100.InPhysicsoftheFuture,MichioKaku—theNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofPhysicsoftheImpossible—givesusastunning,provocative,andexhilaratingvisionofthecomingcenturybasedoninterviewswithoverthreehundredoftheworld’stopscientistswhoarealreadyinventingthefutureintheirlabs.Theresultisthemostauthoritativeandscientificallyaccuratedescriptionoftherevolutionarydevelopmentstakingplaceinmedicine,computers,artificialintelligence,nanotechnology,energyproduction,andastronautics.Inalllikelihood,by2100wewillcontrolcomputersviatinybrainsensorsand,likemagicians,moveobjectsaroundwiththepowerofourminds.Artificialintelligencewillbedispersedthroughouttheenvironment,andInternet-enabledcontactlenseswillallowustoaccesstheworld'sinformationbaseorconjureupanyimagewedesireintheblinkofaneye.Meanwhile,carswilldrivethemselvesusingGPS,andifroom-temperaturesuperconductorsarediscovered,vehicleswilleffortlesslyflyonacushionofair,coastingonpowerfulmagneticfieldsandusheringintheageofmagnetism.Usingmolecularmedicine,scientistswillbeabletogrowalmosteveryorganofthebodyandcuregeneticdiseases.MillionsoftinyDNAsensorsandnanoparticlespatrollingourbloodcellswillsilentlyscanourbodiesforthefirstsignofillness,whilerapidadvancesingeneticresearchwillenableustoslowdownormaybeevenreversetheagingprocess,allowinghumanlifespanstoincreasedramatically.Inspace,radicallynewships—needle-sizedvesselsusinglaserpropulsion—couldreplacetheexpensivechemicalrocketsoftodayandperhapsvisitnearbystars.Advancesinnanotechnologymayleadtothefabledspaceelevator,whichwouldpropelhumanshundredsofmilesabovetheearth’satmosphereatthepushofabutton.Buttheseastonishingrevelationsareonlythetipoftheiceberg.Kakualsodiscussesemotionalrobots,antimatterrockets,X-rayvision,andtheabilitytocreatenewlife-forms,andheconsidersthedevelopmentoftheworldeconomy.Headdressesthekeyquestions:Whoarethewinnerandlosersofthefuture?Whowillhavejobs,andwhichnationswillprosper?Allthewhile,Kakuilluminatestherigorousscientificprinciples,examiningtherateatwhichcertaintechnologiesarelikelytomature,howfartheycanadvance,andwhattheirultimatelimitationsandhazardsare.Synthesizingavastamountofinformationtoconstructanexcitinglookattheyearsleadingupto2100,PhysicsoftheFutureisathrilling,wondrousridethroughthenext100yearsofbreathtakingscientificrevolution.