Understanding Nanotechnology

by Scientific American

Book Overview

Taken from the Greek, nano means 'one billionth part of' a whole; or very, very small. Nanotechnology is the next step after miniaturization. This book explores the cutting edge of a new technology... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446679569
• ISBN13: 9780446679565
• Release Date: December 2002
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Understanding Nanotechnology, a compilation of articles from Scientific American

"Understanding Technology", a compilation of articles from Scientific American, is an excellent book for the layperson to find out about nanotechnology. It's not too lofty or heavily technical - a big help in introducing someone to this field who might not have a background in science. Very readable and interesting. Unfortunately, the field of nanotech is changing so rapidly that many discoveries have been made since this book was first published.

A good introduction

If you want to know what Nanothechnology is this book will tell you. It is aimed at the "intelligent layman" and as such succeeds rather well. I found it easier going from a stylistic point of view than Ratner's "Nanothechnology: Gentle Introduction to the next big idea". If I were to buy only one of them I should buy this one.

An excellent introduction for the new technological bang

Materials Science usually offers an unique opportunity to test our scientific models. The search for new properties in the mesoscopic realm has open such expectatives in several scientific fields -from physics and chemistry to biology and medicine- that an introductory text is a great help in order to obtain a wide view of the next scientific and technological trends. Scientific American has made this recopilation of several essays that bring together the main ideas for the new technological revolution, at a level usefull for the expert and understandable for the lay man. As a Materials Scientist I enthusiastically recommend it.

Lukasz WRA 110 review

Understanding Nanotechnology was a good book to read for someone who desires to get a small introduction into the nanotechnology field. The structure of the book flows very well giving the reader a large perspective about nanotechnology, what it is about, and how it can be used. Furthermore, the wording within this book is not too technical since most of the information can be learned through high school chemistry or a semester of college chemistry. Due to the overall simplistic wording, the book allows people who don't understand too much about science other than the basics to be able to comprehend what nanotechnology is about and its many uses. The book places articles detailing the use of these nanomachines in drug delivery, genetic testing, and creating nano-scale electronics from organic molecules. The book allows the reader to slowly begin understanding how, why, and what this science intends to achieve. The book speaks about how definite and small these creations are and their possible achievements if duplicated by man. One such example is the use of proteins to create these electronics for the distribution of medication within the body at a more precise and efficient way. Furthermore, the book refers to the affects of nanotechnology within the computer world, and its possible replacement of silicon electronics. With the use of nanotechnology the pathways of those electrical signals would be more abundant and allow a faster and more efficient way of transporting information. Overall the book does a great job of showing a person with minimal science background the possible potentials of nanotechnology within the world and the basics behind this science.

An Interesting Guide to Nanotechnology

This book has a number of different chapters from different authors. Each author seems to have had good experience in the nanotech field, relating his experiences, overview knowledge and expectations in the future. I liked the fact that they referred to very current day progress and studies they had done in their own laboratories, giving it a very real experience. They also gave a good overview of future nanotech, and did not go overboard on radical futuristic predications, grounding their vision both on scientific limits and what exists in nature already.Its a short book (140+ pages), and managed to read through it very quickly based on its interesting content and well written nature. I'd recommend it for people who have great interest in nanotechnology and are making their first few steps. Possibly, read this first to get an overview and then get into the more technical books. After having read this book, already articles on nanotech news sites are making easier reading already.This is probably not easy reading for the average person, one would have to have a basic chemistry and physics to maximize ones gain from the book. A PHD/Masters (thankfully) is not required.