Physics of the Future

How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100

By: Michio Kaku

Narrated by: Feodor Chin

Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Imagine, if you can, the world in the year 2100.

In Physics of the Future, Michio Kaku - the New York Times best-selling author of Physics of the Impossible - gives us a stunning, provocative, and exhilarating vision of the coming century based on interviews with over 300 of the world’s top scientists who are already inventing the future in their labs.

The result is the most authoritative and scientifically accurate description of the revolutionary developments taking place in medicine, computers, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, energy production, and astronautics.

In all likelihood, by 2100 we will control computers via tiny brain sensors and, like magicians, move objects around with the power of our minds. Artificial intelligence will be dispersed throughout the environment, and Internet-enabled contact lenses will allow us to access the world's information base or conjure up any image we desire in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, cars will drive themselves using GPS, and if room-temperature superconductors are discovered, vehicles will effortlessly fly on a cushion of air, coasting on powerful magnetic fields and ushering in the age of magnetism.

Using molecular medicine, scientists will be able to grow almost every organ of the body and cure genetic diseases. Millions of tiny DNA sensors and nanoparticles patrolling our blood cells will silently scan our bodies for the first sign of illness, while rapid advances in genetic research will enable us to slow down or maybe even reverse the aging process, allowing human life spans to increase dramatically.

In space, radically new ships - needle-sized vessels using laser propulsion - could replace the expensive chemical rockets of today and perhaps visit nearby stars.

Advances in nanotechnology may lead to the fabled space elevator, which would propel humans hundreds of miles above the earth’s atmosphere at the push of a button. But these astonishing revelations are only the tip of the iceberg. Kaku also discusses emotional robots, antimatter rockets, X-ray vision, and the ability to create new life-forms, and he considers the development of the world economy. He addresses the key questions: Who are the winner and losers of the future? Who will have jobs, and which nations will prosper?

All the while, Kaku illuminates the rigorous scientific principles, examining the rate at which certain technologies are likely to mature, how far they can advance, and what their ultimate limitations and hazards are.

Synthesizing a vast amount of information to construct an exciting look at the years leading up to 2100, Physics of the Future is a thrilling, wondrous ride through the next 100 years of breathtaking scientific revolution.

©2011 Michio Kaku (P)2011 Random House

Critic reviews

"Following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci and Jules Verne, Kaku, author of a handful of books about science, looks into the not-so-distant future and envisions what the world will look like. It should be an exciting place, with driverless cars, Internet glasses, universal translators, robot surgeons, the resurrection of extinct life forms, designer children, space tourism, a manned mission to Mars, none of which turn out to be as science-fictiony as they sound. In fact, the most exciting thing about the book is the fact that most of the developments Kaku discusses can be directly extrapolated from existing technologies. Robot surgeons and driverless cars, for example, already exist in rudimentary forms. Kaku, a physics professor and one of the originators of the string field theory (an offshoot of the more general string theory), draws on current research to show how, in a very real sense, our future has already been written. The book's lively, user-friendly style should appeal equally to fans of science fiction and popular science." (Booklist)

🖒

Interesting take on how technology will progress and how that will shape our interaction with another & overall life.

Delightful projection of the future.

I’ll put my dislike first: personally, the term “Software Program” makes my blood curdle, and he says it so much tha I wanted to delete the audiobook. It’s like saying “Program Program” with that over with, I’ll continue the review. Since this book pre-dates Alexa & Google Assistant, some of his predictions are already happening. I like his idea of the MRI Mouse, being compared with the tricorder from Star Trek! Its tech that is already in its infancy. I like that he managed to visit places where all this science is happening. Very insightful book, as long as we don’t blow ourselves up before it happens. It’s a great listen, I think a bit more fun than Science Fiction. Enjoy it.

A great view to what the future may hold. I deeply

highly enjoyable. a great view into what the future may hold for mankind. thank you

Good Listen!

If you could sum up Physics of the Future in three words, what would they be?

Learned something new.

What other book might you compare Physics of the Future to and why?

Any other Michio Kaku book.

Have you listened to any of Feodor Chin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. Quite comparable.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes. The importance of technology now and in the future.

Any additional comments?

If you have listened to his other books he pretty much copied and pasted his life story. It took an hour or two before you actually got to anything new that you have not heard before. It took too long to get to the good topics. However the author is very incite-full.

Some wrong prediction but good to know that it’s hard to predict

I’m in 2023 Some wrong prediction specially AI but good to know that it’s hard to predict

Even just afew years later, the future is here.

I like Prof Kaku and enjoyed his TV show. This book though was probably much more relevant when it came out. Already, the technology of the next 100 years is here. I would probably not recommend this simply because of that. There were several parts where I had to remind myself that he wasn't being a dullard - his predictions just came true far ahead of when he was expecting them.

Great way to learn about technical news.

Would you listen to Physics of the Future again? Why?

Yes. Lots to remember and try to work towards.

What other book might you compare Physics of the Future to and why?

Einstein - alot of futuristic thinking in both books.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

A little less time on individualist effects of future technology.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Can't answer this.

Very Interesting and Enjoyable Book

What made the experience of listening to Physics of the Future the most enjoyable?

While I find it very interesting to think about where science and technology will take us in the future, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned about what is currently being worked on. Kaku covers a very wide range of topics and has given me some great ideas for future reading!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I definately found it hard to put down and ended up losing some sleep because I couldn't stop listening.

Great info AWFUL narrator

Any additional comments?

Listening to the narrator was painful. It sounded as if he was plugging his noise while reading. Very, very nasally.

Amazing book and read

Loved this book along with all of his other books. Dr Michio Kaku is an amazing book writer amongst other things. Would listen to this and all of his other books time and time again!