As the new millennium draws closer, our insatiable desire to know the future
will be matched only by the willingness of a growing band of self-appointed
prophets to tell us. Many of these soothsayers will be charlatans. But Key
Technologies For The 21st Century (W. H. Freeman, $16.95, ISBN 0 7167
2948 2) is a collection of essays by some of the scientists and researchers best
qualified to gaze into crystal balls. Commissioned by the popular science
magazine, Scientific American, the book paints a hugely optimistic picture of
cheap power, amazing medical advances and digital literacy. I hope it’s
right—if so, the 21st century will have been worth waiting for.
More from New ÒÁÈ˾þÃ
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New ÒÁÈ˾þà articles
1
The Selfish Gene at 50: Why Dawkins’s evolution classic still holds up
2
Mystery of the ancient giant stone jars of Laos may have been solved
3
The distant world that is our best hope of finding alien life
4
Can we harness quantum effects to create a new kind of healthcare?
5
The ‘doomsday’ glacier’s giant ice shelf is about to break away
6
Photos reveal unexpected details from the world's first atomic test
7
After news about Oliver Sacks's "lies", we revisit his best-loved book
8
3 things you need to know about quantum computers, from an expert
9
Solar farm on the ocean outperforms land-based solar in Taiwan
10
CAR T-cell therapy bolstered by stiffening up cancer cells first
