Visions: How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century

Jacket Description/Flap: In "Visions, physicist and author Michio Kaku examines the great scientific revolutions that have dramatically reshaped the twentieth century--the quantum mechanics, biogenetics, and artificial intelligence--and shows how they will change and alter science and the way we live. The next century will witness more far-reaching scientific revolutions, as we make the transition from unraveling the secrets of nature to becoming masters of nature. We will no longer be passive bystanders to the dance of the universe, but will become creative choreographers of matter, life, and intelligence. The first section of "Visions presents a shocking look at a cyber-world infiltrated by millions of tiny intelligence systems. Part two illustrates how the decoding of DNA's genetic structure will allow humans the "godlike ability to manipulate life almost at will." Finally, VISIONS focuses on the future of quantum physics, in which physicists will perfect new ways to manipulate matter and harness the cosmic energy of the universe. What makes Michio Kaku's vision of the science of the future so compelling--and so different from the mere forecasts of most thinkers--is that it is based on the groundbreaking research taking place in labs today, as well as the consensus of over 150 of Kaku's scientific colleagues. Science, for all its breathtaking change, evolves slowly; we can accurately predict, asserts Kaku, what the direction of science will be, based on the paths that are being forged today. A thrilling, unique narrative that brings together the thinking of many of the world's most accomplished scientists to explore the world of the future, "Visions is science writing at its best. Biographical Note: Michio Kaku is the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics at the City College of New York. Cofounder of string field theory, he is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling "Hyperspace, " as well as "Beyond Einstein" (with Jennifer Thompson), "Quantum Field Theory: A Modern Introduction, " and "Introduction to Superstrings." He hosts an hour-long weekly radio science program that is nationally syndicated. "From the Hardcover edition."Marc Notes: Originally published in 1997.; Includes bibliographical references (p. [356]-393) and index. Review Quotes: Critical acclaim for Michio Kaku's previous book, "Hyperspace: " "Among the best of its genre to appear in recent years... What a wonderful adventure it is, trying to think the unthinkable!""--The New York Times Book Review" "A roller coaster of an intellectual ride through the extraordinary world of black holes, wormholes, parallel universes, higher dimensions and time travel.""--Philadelphia Inquirer" "Mesmerizing...the reader exits dizzy, elated and looking at the world in a literally revolutionary way.""--Washington Post" "From the Hardcover edition."Publisher Marketing: In Visions, Dr. Kaku examines in vivid detail how the three scientific revolutions that profoundly reshaped the twentieth-century - the quantum, biogenetic, and computer revolutions - will transform the way we live in the twenty-first century. What makes Michio Kaku's vision of the future of science so compelling and authoritative is that it is based on the groundbreaking research already underway at leading laboratories around the world. Weaving interviews with over 150 scientists - several of them Nobel laureates - into a rich, inspiring narrative, Dr. Kaku reveals the growing consensus among key scientists about how science will likely evolve through the early, middle, and late years of the twenty-first century. Publisher Marketing: In "Visions, " physicist and author Michio Kaku examines the great scientific revolutions that have dramatically reshaped the twentieth century--the quantum mechanics, biogenetics, and artificial intelligence--and shows how they will change and alter science and the way we live. The next century will witness more far-reaching scientific revolutions, as we make the transition from unraveling the secrets of nature to becoming masters of nature. We will no longer be passive bystanders to the dance of the universe, but will become creative choreographers of matter, life, and intelligence. The first section of "Visions" presents a shocking look at a cyber-world infiltrated by millions of tiny intelligence systems. Part two illustrates how the decoding of DNA's genetic structure will allow humans the "godlike ability to manipulate life almost at will." Finally, VISIONS focuses on the future of quantum physics, in which physicists will perfect new ways to manipulate matter and harness the cosmic energy of the universe. What makes Michio Kaku's vision of the science of the future so compelling--and so different from the mere forecasts of most thinkers--is that it is based on the groundbreaking research taking place in labs today, as well as the consensus of over 150 of Kaku's scientific colleagues. Science, for all its breathtaking change, evolves slowly; we can accurately predict, asserts Kaku, what the direction of science will be, based on the paths that are being forged today. A thrilling, unique narrative that brings together the thinking of many of the world's most accomplished scientists to explore the world of the future, "Visions" is science writing at its best.

Contributor Bio:  Kaku, Michio Michio Kaku, Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York, is the author of Hyperspace, Visions, and Beyond Einstein. He hosts Explorations, a nationally broadcast radio show. He lives in New York City.