The next world war

Sample

Richard Turton

In The Quantum Dot, physicist Richard Turton provides a clear, informative look at the science that lies behind the modern revolution in microelectronics and offers an intriguing glimpse of the possible future of this rapidly evolving field. Turton illuminates the development of the microchip, in a discussion that ranges from a primer on atoms and electrons, to the properties of semiconductors (most notably, silicon), to the structure of the transistor. We learn how researchers have managed to pack the tiny silicon chip with more and more bits, and we get a state-of-the-art look at the microelectronic industry today, from the newest chip materials (such as gallium arsenide, a much faster material than silicon, used in the recently released Cray 3 supercomputer) to the exotic world of high-temperature superconductors. Perhaps most interesting, Turton offers a provocative glimpse of the future of microelectronics. Here readers enter the strange realm where quantum theory prevails and where physical events contradict our intuitive perceptions. Turton shows how researchers are leaving the transistor far behind as they struggle to exploit quantum effects to create incredibly small and fast devices, such as "designer atoms" and the quantum dot. He concludes that the range of future possibilities are immense, including devices in which electrons behave not as particles but as waves, and computers in which there are no electrical signals, only beams of light.

Sample

B. Alexandra Szerlip

"Norman Bel Geddes designed everything from Broadway sets to Chrysler cars; from the first all-weather stadium to Futurama, the prescient 1939 World's Fair exhibit that would go down as the most popular of all time. In The Man Who Designed the Future, B. Alexandra Szerlip tells the astonishing story of a 9th grade dropout with a Midwestern twang who presided over a seismic shift in American culture--a moment in which entertainment became immersive, people became consumers, and the country came to look the way it does today"--

Sample

text and photography by Luc Cuyvers

This official companion to an exhilarating PBS documentary series takes readers on a sweeping voyage over the oceans of the world to explore how the sea has shaped the fates of nations. Throughout history; people have depended on the oceans for progress as well as power. In this book Luc Cuyvers reiterates Alfred Thayer Mahan's thesis that powerful navies are an essential component in command of the sea. But like Mahan, Cuyvers emphasizes that there is more to sea power than naval might. With unerring accuracy and acumen, he explores a much vaster legacy. Within the narrative of his uncommon ocean travels, Cuyvers skillfully interweaves the continuum of sea power, linking past, present, and future. His vision encompasses a role that extends far beyond traditional concepts to include the extraction of marine resources as well as knowledge. More than a hundred of Cuyvers's own photographs - some displayed in a double-page format - add an immediacy to the eloquence of his prose. Through his lens the romance and vibrancy of life at sea are captured in evocative yet crisp imagery. Each chapter of the book corresponds to a single episode from the PBS series but further defines and illustrates the subject. Readers will experience life and work aboard such vessels as a Greek oil tanker heading to Europe from the Persian Gulf, a Chinese container ship crossing the Pacific, a Japanese research vessel launching a deepsea submersible, and a 250-foot supply vessel plying the oil fields of the North Sea. Whether it be trade, transportation, research, or defense, the visual scope and detailed research of this book show how sea power affects the world we all inhabit.

Sample

John Malam

Explores world-famous man-made structures of the ancient and modern world, discussing how they were built, why they are important, and how architecture may change in the future.