Hacking Matter

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Hacking Matter is a 2003 book by Wil McCarthy. It deals with "programmable matter" (like colloidal films, bulk crystals, and quantum dots) that, he predicts, will someday be able mimic the properties of any natural atom, and ultimately also non-natural atoms. McCarthy predicts that programmable matter will someday change our lives as much as any invention ever has. He predicts that we will have the ability to program matter itself - to change it, with the click of a cursor, from hard to soft, from paper to stone, from fluorescent to super-reflective to invisible. In his science fiction, he calls this technology Wellstone.

Wil McCarthy visits the laboratories of major companies and talks with the researchers who are developing this technology; describes how they are learning to control its electronic, optical, thermal, magnetic, and mechanical properties; and tells us where all this will lead.

[edit] Critique

I've recently read the book and would note that this book has a good "curb appeal" and a lot of information, but is a hard read, especially when McCarthy refers to numerous acronyms and different theories in the latter part of the book. Additionally, unless interested in quantum mechanics, theories and technology, you may find this book a little boring to read. Overall, I liked the quality of the material and the possibilities of the technology, but disliked that you are required to remember some guy's observation that morphed into some theory and strange acronyms like MOSFETs and RTG. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in quantum sciences and strange new technologies.

[edit] See also

Nanotechnology

[edit] External links

ISBN 0-465-04428-X, Hacking Matter: Levitating Chairs, Quantum Mirages, and the Infinite Weirdness of Programmable Atoms, Basic Books, 2003
Book home page, includes free PDF version.
Ultimate Alchemy. This article in Wired 9.10 was expanded into this book.
"Beyond the Periodic Table: Artificial Atoms and Programmable Matter", Analog Science Fiction, Jan 2002