Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything

I adore this book. It teaches about cutting edge technology while interjecting humor. I cannot count the number of times I said “what, really?” while reading it. You may annoy those around you by insisting they listen while you read out loud whole sections. I was flabbergasted by how much information I was absorbing while simultaneously being entertained.Each section outlines advancements in an area of science or technology, and then muses about how those advancements might change the world. I teach physics, and I learned a great deal from this book. The biology section really astonished me, as I do not keep up with that area at all. AND there is a comprehensive bibliography if you care to delve deeper into any of the areas of interest.Topics covered include cheap access to space, asteroid mining, fusion power, programmable matter (woah, yeah this is mind blowing), robotic construction, augmented reality, synthetic biology (I knew absolutely nothing in the section, I read it three times), precision medicine, bioprinting and brain-computer interfaces. Then there is a section of topics that were considered and rejected.I bought it originally to support SMBC, but have already been back to purchase three more copies for friends and family. If you need a gift for a nerd or science geek, you have found the perfect book.

This book is funny. If you follow Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, you would expect that. I bought the book figuring that would be enough. And the humor alone would have been a nice 4* review. But this book is more than funny. The authors clearly have an abiding passion for science. And for educating. And for humanity. And it all comes through.The most interesting part of the book comes at the end, when they point out that the people working on these technologies are anonymous academics who just happen to work in fields that could change the world. I suspect, though I don't know, that this revelation surprised them. It surprised me. It's crazy enough that humanity is figuring out how to mine asteroids or 3D print new livers. But it's refreshing and affirming and amazing to realize that the people actually doing this are people who decided "You know what I want to do with my life? Get us to Mars." And they worked hard, got their PhDs, and started trying to get us to Mars.This idea is so amazing. You know who can change the world? You! Or me! Or my kids! Or your kids! The people changing the world right now are the people who decided to change the world.Buy this book. Get inspired. Get some laughs. And feel good about your fellow humans.

I picked this book up because I'm a fan of Zach Weinersmith's web comic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC). I actually pre-ordered the book because I liked his writing and non-fiction about technology is usually a big win with me. I was not disappointed!The potential technologies brought up in Soonish were not just computer science based. They cover many areas of science including medical, world enhancements and energy. Many of the topics covered are ones I had no idea we were so close to. Programmable matter would be an incredible game changer in the world, for better and worse.And that's something else that I really appreciated about this book. Each technology sounds like it would be an incredible boon to mankind. So the authors have made sure to include a "Concerns" section for each of these potential marvels. It is important that these exciting innovations are properly thought through and discussed. As much fun as it was thinking that Asteroid Mining could soon be a reality, what would be the actual economic effects? Being able to 3D print your own replacement heart valve or liver sounds like nothing but good news (and the authors do struggle to find a concern for this one) but how do we make it fair to those who may not be able to afford this marvel?As much fun as the content is to read, the comics that they include are fun as well. Sometimes they're included to help drive a point home. Other times they're included to show the authors' sense of humor. For example, one comic shows Elon Musk walking on Mars and proclaiming "Finders Keepers" to talk about the legal issues of private companies driving the space program. Another comic shows one of the authors assuring Dr. Elvis they will not draw him as Elvis (though they totally do).Overall, I'm glad I got this book. If you're looking for a science, non-fiction with a good sense of humor, you'll enjoy this.

Have you ever read about some grand new technological development that promises to completely change the way we do things… and then that’s it? It never seems to turn up again? This book is about some of the biggest of these pending promises, and what’s holding up the march of progress. The Weinersmiths read numerous scientific journals and interviewed experts in the field to assemble this book. It’s loaded with facts about how these things might work, why they haven’t actually worked yet (or if they have, why they aren’t all over the place), and the implications for humankind if they ever do actually get off the ground. It also has plenty of hilarious asides, footnotes, running gags, and cartoon illustrations to keep the pace brisk and the writing fresh.If you enjoy reading or writing science-fiction, or just love to keep on top of cutting-edge tech, this book is well worth the read.

Terrific book. Simplifies complicated issues.

Fantastic book! Well written, thought-provoking and humorous. I definitely recommend it.

Divertido, bueno, bonito, tiene de todo. La verdad muy recomendado, está bien escrito el libro y terminas aprendiendo mucho en el proceso.

With the same classic sense of humour from Saturday Mornig Breakfeast Cereal, Jack and Kelly give us this mazing work of art, with many information about the future technologies that will surely bring us total doom

It's about future tech.

I loved this book, so fun yet so insightful, makes you laugh and think a lot