Anybody without a technical background may be easily swayed by all the hype surrounding nanotechnology. Yes, nanotechnology does hold a lot of promise. But let's separate fact from fiction. "Nanotechnology, A Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea" helps us do that. Co-authored by nanotech pioneer Mark Ratner, this book provides an easy to understand introduction to nanotechnology. It is for the non-technical reader wishing to gain a good understanding of this subject. Overall, the book presents scientific concepts in a way that can be understood by readers of any background. It uses graphics and pictures to illustrate certain ideas. It gives you just enough scientific background in order to understand how nanotechnology can be used in various types of applications ranging from computer chips to suntan lotion.

Nanotechnology is a multi-disciplinary field encompassing chemistry, physics, biology, computer science and a host of other applied sciences. In order to understand it, one needs to have a background in atoms and molecules. The book is successful in giving the reader this basic knowledge.

The authors do a good job in presenting scientific concepts in a way that ordinary readers will be able to relate to. For example, in order to explain how research in nanotechnology can further improve the way we harness the power of the sun, the authors had to explain photosynthesis. They did a good job in doing this that even a person far removed from his/her high school biology class will be able to understand it.

Overall, the book achieves its purpose of introducing the non-technical reader to nanotechnology. The writers' style of writing is lucid but at the same time engaging. Their method of describing everyday things familiar to us and relating these to the technical aspects of nanotechnology was very effective in explaining scientific concepts. The book covers a broad range of scientific fields reflecting nanotechnology's multi-disciplinary nature. After reading the book, a reader would have enough knowledge to discern what is fact and what is fiction.

An updated edition of the book is now warranted. New developments in this field have occurred since the book was published. Intel, for one, has already demonstrated its 32nm-based microprocessor. At the time the book was written, the existing chip technology that the authors mentioned was 130nm. Even with some examples already outdated though, I would highly recommend the book to anyone wishing to get a good understanding of nanotechnology. This book is truly a "Gentle Introduction to the Next Big Idea".

Good book for begginers. It starts simple and build you up. Not too many hard conecpts.

Quantum Dots contain only a few hundred atoms. Because the electrons in a quantum dot are confined to widely separated energy levels, the dot emits only one wavelength of light when excited. The size of the dot determines its electronic, magnetic, and optical properties. Quantum Dot Corporation has developed a QD cadmium selenide nanoparticle for use as biological labels. Researchers can tag proteins and nucleic acids with QD and illuminate them with ultraviolet light and the crystal will fluoresce at a specific wavelength and show the location of attached proteins. How does a QD work? An organic dye molecule absorbs only photons of light with just the right energy to lift its electrons from their quiescent state to one of the higher levels available to them. The incident light must be exactly the right wavelength or color. The molecule will emit a photon when the electron falls to a lower energy level.

Colloids: nanoparticles in suspension. IBM is exploring using colloids to build ultrahigh density data storage. IBM is using colloids containing magnetic nanoparticles 3 nm across, each composing of about 1,000 iron and platinum atoms. The colloid is spread on a surface and the solvent allowed to evaporate and these nanoparticles crytalize into 2 or 3 dimensional arrays. These arrays could hold trillions of bits per square inch.

Cantilevers: IBM is exploring using atomic force microscopes to screen samples for certain genetic sequences. They attach short strands of DNA to the tops of cantilevers. When genetic material carrying a complementary sequence binds to the anchored strands, it induces a surface stress, which bends the cantilevers subtly, by use nanometers, but enough for detection.

Dendrimers: An dendrimer is an artifical molecule. Dendrimers are globular molecules about the size of a typical protein, but they do not come apart or unfold because they are held together with stronger chemical bonds. Dendrimers can be engineered to transport DNA into cells for gene therapy. Dendrimers offer control. It may be possible to design dendrimers that spontaneously swell and liberate their contents oly when the appropriate trigger molecules are present. This ability would allow a custom-made dendrimer to release its load of drugs I just the tissues or organs needing treatment.

Nanoshells: Nanoshells are extremely small beads of glass coated with gold. Nanoshells capture energy in near-infrared fashion. Such a nanoshell could be made to deliver drug molecules at specific times by attaching it to a capsule made of heat-sensitive polymer. The capsule would release its contents only when gentle heating of the attached nonshell caused it to deform. Another more dramatic application envisions connecting nanoshells with antibodies. The antibodies attach to the tumor cells and the nanoshells are heated using high power infrared sufficiently to destroy the cancer cells, while leaving nearby tissue unharmed.

The book promised an intro to nanotechnology and that's what it delivered. A fairly nontechnical, but graphic representation of a new science. If someone wants a thourough education buy a textbook. If you want an intro into one of the most promising new fields without a 400 page manual, this is a good place to start. The previous reviewer is a moron. Read the cover before you buy it.

Great job organizing such sciency material in easy, yet educational format! Some of the best in the field recommended this read. The author's analogies and content are accurate. This book gives the reader a toolset of knowledge to expand on. Regardless of ones background, this technology is worth knowing about. With a background as a manufacturing engineer, I don't fit into the traditional chemistry and biology scene. I look at this area and see untraditional manufacturing processes that people need to know about. When these processes come out of research, and into the manufacturing sector there are going to be serious manufacturing challenges. This book has helped me solidify my interest within this field.