Few industries, with the exception of space flight, have acquired as much public attention and media hype within such a short period of time as nanotechnology has. I would guess that having a “cool” name has something to do with its popularity. So, it should not come as a surprise that despite a lack of understanding, everyone has an opinion on the topic. The line between fact and fiction blurred long ago, which is what Mongillo sets out to fix: to teach the public.
Chapter 1 provides a synopsis of what nanotechnology is, including how it affects everyone and everything. It details the millions that will be employed, the billions that will be spent on research, and the trillions that will be earned. In fact, it reads very much like an industry marketing manifesto. The next chapter is more down to earth, and describes atoms, what they are made of, and the different theories of atoms and molecules.
Chapter 3 looks at the tools of the trade. It starts with a description of optical and electron microscopes, then details the different scan tunneling techniques used to map nanoscale features and individual atoms. The focus of the next chapter is carbon. Questions, such as what are carbon’s different lattice structures, how are carbon buckyballs and nanotubes made, and what can we do with them, are answered. The chapter ends with brief descriptions of nanowires, nanocrystals, and quantum dots. A significant part of this chapter, particularly the use of nanostructures, is a repeat of chapter 1.
The next chapter looks at nanotechnology in medicine. This chapter is predominantly forward looking, as in what may one day be possible. Technologies--such as lab-on-a-chip, cancer-targeting nanoparticles, and burn treatments--are discussed, again repeating much of the material presented in chapters 1 and 4. Chapter 6 brings the focus back to what is available today, and identifies some of the currently available products that incorporate nanotechnology. From sunscreen to stain-repelling clothes and self-cleaning glass, this chapter looks at the businesses in nanotechnology and how they make a profit from new innovations.
Chapter 7 looks at the impact that nanotechnology will have on food production, packaging, and storage industries, for example, labels that will detect when the food has gone bad and packaging that enhances the longevity and freshness of the food. Very little is said, however, about how all ofthese and other advances will work. Questions, such as why clay particles embedded in wrapping are better than plastics on their own, are sadly left unanswered. The chapter on the environment has more substance. It describes, among other things, how nanoparticles are used to clean up toxic chemicals in ground water, the pollution reduction benefits of titanium dioxide, and the improvements that can be achieved in photovoltaic cells.
Chapter 9 focuses on the US government and agencies. It looks into what each agency’s interest in nanotechnology is, what sort of research it sponsors, and how it impacts the industry. The final chapter also focuses on the US. It identifies the universities and institutions that either conduct research in the area or provide teaching resources. The primary focus of the chapter is on the facilities that are available to teachers, in order to help them incorporate nanotechnology into teaching curricula.
Overall, I was not impressed with the book. I don’t think I have ever been as critical of another book in a review, but this one reads like a collection of PowerPoint presentations, each with a different target audience, with very little continuity between sections and between paragraphs within a section. There is a lot of repetition, although the human-interest interviews at the end of each chapter provide unique and original insight. However, even in the interviews, I would have edited out the questions where the interviewee’s answers are not very informative. I suspect that Mongillo struggled to find enough material to fill a book--a suspicion further aroused by the fact that the book’s length is sizeably increased through the inclusion of seven appendices.
My assessment for a target audience would be schoolteachers in the US who are considering incorporating nanotechnology into their curricula. Many useful resources are identified, as are organizations in the US that can provide teaching assistance. Despite my criticism, if I was a teacher, I would find inspiration to teach a module on nanotechnology. So, Mongillo does achieve at least one of his aims. If nothing else, I have been inspired to do more science experiments with my two sons--bring out the recipe for ferrous fluids!
