Physics of the Future Book Summary - Physics of the Future Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Physics of the Future summary

Michio Kaku

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

4.2 (218 ratings)
27 mins

Brief summary

'Physics of the Future' by Michio Kaku offers a glimpse into the technologies that will shape our lives in the next 100 years: from AI and nanobots to space travel and medicine. A fascinating look at what's to come.

Table of Contents

    Physics of the Future
    Summary of 14 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 14

    We can make predictions of future technologies based on observations of current technological trends.

    When meteorologists tell us that it will rain tomorrow, they are making a prediction based on today's weather patterns, which they use as their point of reference.

    In the same way, we can look at trends in technology today to make predictions about tomorrow.

    Some technologies evolve with a very distinct pattern in their development. In the world of computers, for example, we’ve observed that computing power grows by the same factor over a period of time, following a trend called exponential growth. More specifically, computing power has doubled every 18 months since the invention of the microchip. Scientists call this observation Moore’s Law.

    One of the consequences of the exponential growth of computer power has been a constant decline in production costs, due to manufacturers’ ability to simply tinker with the same production process. Today computer chips have become so cheap they are even disposable.

    To illustrate how drastic this exponential growth is, consider this: that singing birthday card you threw away had more computing power than the entire Allied Forces during World War II, at only a tiny fraction of the cost.

    Since we know at what rate computing power increases and production costs decrease, we can, like the weatherman, use today’s trends to predict the future of technology. Moore’s Law provides us with a guide to help us reckon when computers will be powerful enough to make certain future technologies possible.

    For example, if we want to know when it would be possible to make a universal translator that would allow us to communicate with anyone in any language, we must first divide it into its component technologies, such as a text scanner and language processor. We can use Moore’s Law to figure out when each component technology will be ready, and when the integration of these technologies will be possible, and therefore when the device might be ready for market. In this way, we can predict the future based on the technological trends of today.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Physics of the Future?

    Key ideas in Physics of the Future

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Physics of the Future about?

    Physics of the Future (2011) lays out predictions of future technology based on the works and opinions of experts on the cutting edge of physics, genetics, biology and computer science. The author explores some of the hurdles we will have to overcome in order to develop these future technologies, and what fundamental changes we can expect their presence to make on our society.

    Who should read Physics of the Future?

    • Anyone interested in cutting-edge science
    • Anyone interested in future technologies
    • Anyone interested in the future of humanity
    • Anyone with a great imagination

    About the Author

    Michio Kaku, co-founder of the string field theory and professor of theoretical physics at the City University of New York, is the author of a number of best-selling books, including Hyperspace and Physics of the Impossible. In addition, he also hosts the Science Channel’s Sci Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible along with two radio programs, Explorations in Science and Science Fantastic.

    Categories with Physics of the Future

    Book summaries like Physics of the Future

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    28 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial