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Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything
From a top scientist and the creator of the hugely popular web comic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, an illustrated investigation into future technologies
What will the world of tomorrow be like? How does progress happen? And why do we not have a lunar colony already?
In this book, Zach and Kelly Weinersmith give us a snapshot of the transformative technologies that are coming next - from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters - and explain how they will change our world in astonishing ways. By weaving together their own research, interviews with pioneering scientists and Zach's trademark comics, the Weinersmiths investigate why these innovations are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.
What will the world of tomorrow be like? How does progress happen? And why do we not have a lunar colony already?
In this book, Zach and Kelly Weinersmith give us a snapshot of the transformative technologies that are coming next - from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters - and explain how they will change our world in astonishing ways. By weaving together their own research, interviews with pioneering scientists and Zach's trademark comics, the Weinersmiths investigate why these innovations are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2017
1145 people are currently reading
17489 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Weinersmith
5books271followersDr. Kelly Weinersmith is adjunct faculty Biosciences department at Rice University, where she studies parasites that manipulate the behavior of their hosts. She also cohosts Science…sort of, which is one of the top 20 natural science podcasts. Kelly spoke at Smithsonian magazine’s The Future Is Here Festival in 2015, and her work has been featured in The Atlantic, National Geographic, BBC World, Science, and Nature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 810 reviews
February 27, 2020
I devour tech nonfiction books, especially those who give a good overview and I tend to incidentally analyze how the authors' professions, ideas, and outlook influence how different the future extrapolations can be.
In this case, it´s as perfect as it can be, because Weinersmith is a parasitologist with a progressive perspective on the ten mostly techy topics and, most importantly, a podcaster who knows how to entertain an audience. Jay, no dry science in the house.
Access to space, asteroid mining, fusion power, programmable matter, robotics, AR, synthetic biology, bioprinting, and brain-computer interfaces are some of the stars of a close future.
I like this fresh, not so techy, agenda and bias-free look at technologies, as books with this kind of overview and prognostic character often tend to have elements of subliminal messaging towards pro humanities, transhumanism, pro-tech, pro philosophy,� that let the focus escalate in just one direction, ignoring many key elements that wouldn´t fit to the wished reasoning. Yes, it are often books written by males.
A wiki walk can be as refreshing to the mind as a walk through nature in this completely overrated real life outside books:
In this case, it´s as perfect as it can be, because Weinersmith is a parasitologist with a progressive perspective on the ten mostly techy topics and, most importantly, a podcaster who knows how to entertain an audience. Jay, no dry science in the house.
Access to space, asteroid mining, fusion power, programmable matter, robotics, AR, synthetic biology, bioprinting, and brain-computer interfaces are some of the stars of a close future.
I like this fresh, not so techy, agenda and bias-free look at technologies, as books with this kind of overview and prognostic character often tend to have elements of subliminal messaging towards pro humanities, transhumanism, pro-tech, pro philosophy,� that let the focus escalate in just one direction, ignoring many key elements that wouldn´t fit to the wished reasoning. Yes, it are often books written by males.
A wiki walk can be as refreshing to the mind as a walk through nature in this completely overrated real life outside books:
May 18, 2020
“Why stop at seven margaritas when you can just print a new liver?�
Predictions from futurists are not all equal or equally entertaining. Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith's Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything was interesting, compelling and (replete with references to D&D, Star Trek, Star Wars and the robot uprising of 2027) was relatable in a geeky way. Weinersmith looks at how emerging technologies will impact our everyday reality and change our perception of our place in the universe. Fusion energy, the exploration and colonization of the solar system, programmable matter, augmented reality, brain-computer interfaces, precision medicine and origami robots are all covered. Some of what the Weinersmiths wrote about was surprising, but regardless of how implausible any given prediction might be, experts who are working out these innovations were interviewed and the status of their work assessed. Easy to follow and read! 3.75 stars.
Predictions from futurists are not all equal or equally entertaining. Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith's Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything was interesting, compelling and (replete with references to D&D, Star Trek, Star Wars and the robot uprising of 2027) was relatable in a geeky way. Weinersmith looks at how emerging technologies will impact our everyday reality and change our perception of our place in the universe. Fusion energy, the exploration and colonization of the solar system, programmable matter, augmented reality, brain-computer interfaces, precision medicine and origami robots are all covered. Some of what the Weinersmiths wrote about was surprising, but regardless of how implausible any given prediction might be, experts who are working out these innovations were interviewed and the status of their work assessed. Easy to follow and read! 3.75 stars.
October 30, 2022
Q:
Fortunately, predicting the future is pretty easy. People do it all the time. Getting your prediction right is a bit harder, but honestly, does anyone really care? (c)
Q:
There was a study in 2011 called “Are Talking Heads Blowing Hot Air,�* in which the predictive abilities of twenty-six pundits were assessed. Predictive powers ranged from mostly right to usually wrong.*
For most people, the pleasure of reading this study was the discovery that certain individuals were not just intolerable morons, but statistically intolerable morons. From our perspective as pop science writers, there was an even more exciting result: Regardless of their predictive prowess, all these people still have jobs. In fact, a lot of the worst predictors were the most prominent public figures. (c)
Q:
The big discontinuous leaps, like the laser and the computer, often depend on unrelated developments in different fields. (c)
Q:
Consider this: If someone came to you two hundred years ago and asked how we might build a device to scan people’s brain patterns, would your immediate response be, “Well, first we need to trap some gas in a glass tube�? (c)
Q:
The same difficulty holds for all the technologies in this book: Whether we can build an elevator to space may depend on how good chemists get at arranging carbon atoms into little straws. Whether we can make matter that assumes any shape we tell it to may depend on how well we understand termite behavior. Whether we can build medical nanobots may depend on how well we understand origami. Or maybe none of that stuff will end up mattering in the end. There is nothing about history that necessarily had to be as it was. (c)
Q:
We now know that the ancient Greeks could create complex gear systems, but never constructed an advanced clock. The ancient Alexandrians had a rudimentary steam engine but never designed a train. The ancient Egyptians invented the folding stool four thousand years ago, but never built an IKEA. (c)
Q:
There are also people who become cynical because they thought we’d have fusion power or weekend trips to Venus by now. (c)
Q:
For all these chapters, we had to read a lot of technical books and papers and we had to talk to a lot of mildly crazy people. Some were crazier than others, and generally they were our favorites. (c)
Q:
The road to Mars may be paved with small discounts. (c)
Fortunately, predicting the future is pretty easy. People do it all the time. Getting your prediction right is a bit harder, but honestly, does anyone really care? (c)
Q:
There was a study in 2011 called “Are Talking Heads Blowing Hot Air,�* in which the predictive abilities of twenty-six pundits were assessed. Predictive powers ranged from mostly right to usually wrong.*
For most people, the pleasure of reading this study was the discovery that certain individuals were not just intolerable morons, but statistically intolerable morons. From our perspective as pop science writers, there was an even more exciting result: Regardless of their predictive prowess, all these people still have jobs. In fact, a lot of the worst predictors were the most prominent public figures. (c)
Q:
The big discontinuous leaps, like the laser and the computer, often depend on unrelated developments in different fields. (c)
Q:
Consider this: If someone came to you two hundred years ago and asked how we might build a device to scan people’s brain patterns, would your immediate response be, “Well, first we need to trap some gas in a glass tube�? (c)
Q:
The same difficulty holds for all the technologies in this book: Whether we can build an elevator to space may depend on how good chemists get at arranging carbon atoms into little straws. Whether we can make matter that assumes any shape we tell it to may depend on how well we understand termite behavior. Whether we can build medical nanobots may depend on how well we understand origami. Or maybe none of that stuff will end up mattering in the end. There is nothing about history that necessarily had to be as it was. (c)
Q:
We now know that the ancient Greeks could create complex gear systems, but never constructed an advanced clock. The ancient Alexandrians had a rudimentary steam engine but never designed a train. The ancient Egyptians invented the folding stool four thousand years ago, but never built an IKEA. (c)
Q:
There are also people who become cynical because they thought we’d have fusion power or weekend trips to Venus by now. (c)
Q:
For all these chapters, we had to read a lot of technical books and papers and we had to talk to a lot of mildly crazy people. Some were crazier than others, and generally they were our favorites. (c)
Q:
The road to Mars may be paved with small discounts. (c)
January 28, 2018
This book delves into technological realms that the authors feel could see gigantic leaps in our access to and use of in the future. This novel was written by husband and wife pair, the former, a cartoonist and the latter, a noted Rice University Researcher. They interviewed many scientists across various fields of study to learn about up and coming technologies. They start each segment by explaining where we are with a certain technology, then discuss where research is heading, what the future could be like, potential advantages, concerns and pitfalls. Interspersed within this writing are many nerdy scientific jokes and cartoons to help lighten the reading. The humor is the kind you would expect from scientists, not the laugh out loud kind. That said, I did appreciate the diversion.
The ten areas explored in the book are: 1. Cheap Access to Space, 2. Asteroid Mining, 3. Fusion Power, 4. Programmable Matter, 5. Robotic Construction, 6. Augmented Reality, 7. Synthetic Biology, 8. Precision Medicine, 9. Bioprinting and 10. Brain-Computer Interfaces. There were some chapters, especially the medical ones, where I found I knew much of the content, but still the future applications were quite interesting. Other chapters were completely new to me and I was grateful to this book for enlightening me. Depending on your background, you may find the presentation of information simplistic or you may find it mind blowing. For the average lay person without a scientific background, this book is a wonderful introduction to emerging technologies and what we might expect in the future. I also found myself envisioning ideas for futuristic science fiction novels while reading this. There is much food for thought here.
I like that the authors are bringing much of what is currently exciting about science and technology to greater attention in a very readable format. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about the topics mentioned above. I am also grateful to the Book Riot 2017 Read Harder Challenge for pushing me to read harder and choose a book in this category. I'm glad I did!
The ten areas explored in the book are: 1. Cheap Access to Space, 2. Asteroid Mining, 3. Fusion Power, 4. Programmable Matter, 5. Robotic Construction, 6. Augmented Reality, 7. Synthetic Biology, 8. Precision Medicine, 9. Bioprinting and 10. Brain-Computer Interfaces. There were some chapters, especially the medical ones, where I found I knew much of the content, but still the future applications were quite interesting. Other chapters were completely new to me and I was grateful to this book for enlightening me. Depending on your background, you may find the presentation of information simplistic or you may find it mind blowing. For the average lay person without a scientific background, this book is a wonderful introduction to emerging technologies and what we might expect in the future. I also found myself envisioning ideas for futuristic science fiction novels while reading this. There is much food for thought here.
I like that the authors are bringing much of what is currently exciting about science and technology to greater attention in a very readable format. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning more about the topics mentioned above. I am also grateful to the Book Riot 2017 Read Harder Challenge for pushing me to read harder and choose a book in this category. I'm glad I did!
September 18, 2018
Imagine you are at a dinner party and you meet a new person, let’s call him Bob. Now you quickly realise that Bob is super intelligent, and you start having the most interesting conversations. The problem is Bob spits when he talks. Its highly annoying (and unhygienic) and you end up cutting the chat short.
Reading this book was something like that. The content is highly interesting, but the way it was told was off-putting.
If you can ignored the juvenile humour and the cringe worthy cartoons what you are left with is speculative science. Looking at emerging science/technology and how it could be applied in future.
Humor is always a tricky thing as not everyone things the same things are funny and there are obviously readers who loved this, but for me it was a huge disappointment.
Reading this book was something like that. The content is highly interesting, but the way it was told was off-putting.
If you can ignored the juvenile humour and the cringe worthy cartoons what you are left with is speculative science. Looking at emerging science/technology and how it could be applied in future.
Humor is always a tricky thing as not everyone things the same things are funny and there are obviously readers who loved this, but for me it was a huge disappointment.
September 17, 2018
"You promised me Mars colonies, and all I got was all of human knowledge indexed and available to everyone on Earth for free."
Remember watching "Back to the Future" and thinking we'd have hoverboards and self-tying shoes by now? Does it ever frustrate you that technology doesn't progress FASTER than what it does? Like, "What the heck are those scientists doing? They can't grow us new bodies yet?? What's the big hold up, this one is falling apart!". I love to read technology books and they're usually quite optimistic that all these new devices and medical procedures, etc. will be available in "the very near future". I am often left wondering, If we already have experimental versions of these technologies, why won't they be available for several more years? The books make it seem so simple, and I wonder why it's not as simple for those scientists creating these technologies.
In Soonish..., wife and husband team Kelly and Zach Weinersmith tell us exactly WHY. They discuss 10 emerging technologies, explaining what they are, what we can do with them so far, and why they don't yet do everything they theoretically can/should. Sure, you might think that it's oh-so-easy to build a space lift that will transport you from the ground to the international space station. Well, actually, if that's what you're thinking, you're wrong. You probably should read this book to see why it's not quite as simple as you think it is.
The Weinersmiths delve into such areas as brain upgrades, programmable matter, mining on asteroids, bioprinting new organs, and many other interesting topics. Whilst I didn't learn of any technologies I hadn't previously known about, this book was still informative and a lot of fun! The authors are incredibly witty and I often found myself laughing. If you like comics, there are several interspersed within the chapters (normally comics aren't my thing, but they somehow made this book even better). If you like technology, and you like to learn, and you like to laugh whilst you're learning, this is the book for you!
January 1, 2021
OT: Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything
A popular science book that takes a look at emerging technologies and pairs it with comic strips and humor? Yes, please!
This book has a lot of things going for it. Most importantly the technologies that are covered within. Some highlights being cheap access to space (space elevators! - and others), fusion power, programmable matter, bioprinting and brain-computer interfaces.
The authors put a lot of effort into the research AND are able to explain science to the layman - quite effortlessly in fact. And also with an open mind and a considerable amount of imagination. So, that’s great.
I also like how they structured the book. First they provide some background information on the respective topic. Then they look at where we are standing now, covering different technologies/approaches. Thirdly they present possible future applications and discuss potential problems and reservations. And then we also get sometimes funny and sometimes informative asides. It works pretty well.
What didn’t work well for me at all was the humor. There are maybe ten or so panels per chapter of Zach Weinersmith’s drawings. And they simply aren’t very funny. Or many of them I did not find funny. While I could live with that and just write it off as a bit of a wasted opportunity, the text, after some time, becomes a problem. What the authors optimistically call humor (their words) is just everywhere, on every page. It’s often juvenile (which I don’t mind) and very rarely is it funny (which I mind a lot). It was okay in the beginning, but got a little tiring towards the end. I just got the feeling they were trying a little too hard. Or maybe we are just not compatible in that department.
Another problem with books like these is that technology moves fast. Inevitably, a book like this will be outdated quickly. Perhaps even at the time of publication (which was 2017 in this case). But it isn’t that much of a problem, actually. If you are not an expert in the field of, say, bioprinting but you think it’s an interesting topic then why not start here?! You can always look up the newest developments on the internet. And this book may give you some ideas what should be interesting to take a deeper look at.
Overall 3.5 stars, rounded down. Without the funny it might have gotten four. As strange as that may sound.
A popular science book that takes a look at emerging technologies and pairs it with comic strips and humor? Yes, please!
This book has a lot of things going for it. Most importantly the technologies that are covered within. Some highlights being cheap access to space (space elevators! - and others), fusion power, programmable matter, bioprinting and brain-computer interfaces.
The authors put a lot of effort into the research AND are able to explain science to the layman - quite effortlessly in fact. And also with an open mind and a considerable amount of imagination. So, that’s great.
I also like how they structured the book. First they provide some background information on the respective topic. Then they look at where we are standing now, covering different technologies/approaches. Thirdly they present possible future applications and discuss potential problems and reservations. And then we also get sometimes funny and sometimes informative asides. It works pretty well.
What didn’t work well for me at all was the humor. There are maybe ten or so panels per chapter of Zach Weinersmith’s drawings. And they simply aren’t very funny. Or many of them I did not find funny. While I could live with that and just write it off as a bit of a wasted opportunity, the text, after some time, becomes a problem. What the authors optimistically call humor (their words) is just everywhere, on every page. It’s often juvenile (which I don’t mind) and very rarely is it funny (which I mind a lot). It was okay in the beginning, but got a little tiring towards the end. I just got the feeling they were trying a little too hard. Or maybe we are just not compatible in that department.
Another problem with books like these is that technology moves fast. Inevitably, a book like this will be outdated quickly. Perhaps even at the time of publication (which was 2017 in this case). But it isn’t that much of a problem, actually. If you are not an expert in the field of, say, bioprinting but you think it’s an interesting topic then why not start here?! You can always look up the newest developments on the internet. And this book may give you some ideas what should be interesting to take a deeper look at.
Overall 3.5 stars, rounded down. Without the funny it might have gotten four. As strange as that may sound.
December 28, 2020
Uma ótima mistura entre pesquisa e comentários científicos e humor. Um daqueles livros de "popularização" de ciência que discute tendências atuais e futuras, mas muito bem embasadas. Um exercício difícil para quem faz extrapolações de tendências atuais é saber ancorar as expectativas, o que o casal Weinersmith faz muito bem. Pelo menos dentro do conteúdo que mais domino, de biotecnologia, os conceitos são bem explicados e estão bem dentro do que a ciência tem feito e promete fazer.
O humor do Zack casa muito bem com o conteúdo da Kelly, o que faz do livro uma ótima leitura sobre tendências futuras de tecnologia, saúde e ciência em geral.
O humor do Zack casa muito bem com o conteúdo da Kelly, o que faz do livro uma ótima leitura sobre tendências futuras de tecnologia, saúde e ciência em geral.
December 14, 2021
Geek factor 10. Just funny enough to entertain without overshadowing the facts
3.5 stars out of 5
3.5 stars out of 5
March 15, 2019
Ok, so here's the thing. I really LOVE science. Granted, I'm not the greatest at maths, but I love biology as well as chemistry and at least am really into what physics means. *lol*
Which might be the reason why I also love non-fiction books as much as any others ... if they are done right. Moreover, I've been a fan of comics and the age-old "what if" question.
Ergo, a book combining that sounded great. Problem was, it didn't work 100%.
I had never heard of the authors before but checked out some of Zach Weinersmith's comics after starting to read this book. I don't mind his simplistic way of drawing but quite a number of panels just failed to make me laugh. And unfortunately I had the same problem when reading this book.
It is clear that the authors have done their research and that Kelly Weinersmith especially knows her science and is very passionate about it. Consequently, the book has some interesting - albeit sometimes already outdated - information on all kinds of inventions from space elevators and reusable rockets to 3D organ printing and deep-space exploration.
I really like how they structured the book to give the reader a little bit of background to understand each topic (incl. some interesting history lessons), then explain where we are currently, before delving into what could be (incl. potential problems).
Sadly, despite the slight humour, the comics and despite me not even minding that some of the science was outdated already (technology especially is such a fast-evolving field that it's impossible not to fall behind when writing a book), the book wasn't as good as I had hoped.
Still, it is well written and one of those books that could enthuse some readers enough so that they check up on the topics mentioned here and if that is the case, it's done its job. For me, personally, it was a light refresher course on some things and an appetizer on others.
Which might be the reason why I also love non-fiction books as much as any others ... if they are done right. Moreover, I've been a fan of comics and the age-old "what if" question.
Ergo, a book combining that sounded great. Problem was, it didn't work 100%.
I had never heard of the authors before but checked out some of Zach Weinersmith's comics after starting to read this book. I don't mind his simplistic way of drawing but quite a number of panels just failed to make me laugh. And unfortunately I had the same problem when reading this book.
It is clear that the authors have done their research and that Kelly Weinersmith especially knows her science and is very passionate about it. Consequently, the book has some interesting - albeit sometimes already outdated - information on all kinds of inventions from space elevators and reusable rockets to 3D organ printing and deep-space exploration.
I really like how they structured the book to give the reader a little bit of background to understand each topic (incl. some interesting history lessons), then explain where we are currently, before delving into what could be (incl. potential problems).
Sadly, despite the slight humour, the comics and despite me not even minding that some of the science was outdated already (technology especially is such a fast-evolving field that it's impossible not to fall behind when writing a book), the book wasn't as good as I had hoped.
Still, it is well written and one of those books that could enthuse some readers enough so that they check up on the topics mentioned here and if that is the case, it's done its job. For me, personally, it was a light refresher course on some things and an appetizer on others.
October 31, 2017
If you're a citizen of the internet, you've seen Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. Trust me, you have. If you think you haven't, go google "Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal," and then be like, "Oh yeah, that," and then come back to this review.
So, Zach and Kelly wrote a book.
Pals, it's fantastic.
So, it's funny. You were probably expecting that.
So, it's got comics. You were probably expecting that.
What you might not have been expecting was one of the most thoroughly researched, best explained, unbiased looks at the future of technology and how it will change our world and ourselves. And that, actually, is the majority of what you get in Soonish. It's deeply insightful, very thorough, and incredibly easy to understand, even if you have absolutely - and I mean absolutely - no background in any of the hugely daunting topics, from robotics to bioethics, presented.
Also it's funny and there are comics.
So, Zach and Kelly wrote a book.
Pals, it's fantastic.
So, it's funny. You were probably expecting that.
So, it's got comics. You were probably expecting that.
What you might not have been expecting was one of the most thoroughly researched, best explained, unbiased looks at the future of technology and how it will change our world and ourselves. And that, actually, is the majority of what you get in Soonish. It's deeply insightful, very thorough, and incredibly easy to understand, even if you have absolutely - and I mean absolutely - no background in any of the hugely daunting topics, from robotics to bioethics, presented.
Also it's funny and there are comics.
June 10, 2018
Soonish
Ten Emerging Technologies That Will Improve and/or Ruin Everything
by Dr. Kelly Weinersmith; Zach Weinersmith
This is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary.
This book is an informative and fun book to read. Not only does it give the reader ideas for what might be coming along in the future and what that might mean for mankind (good or bad) but it is done in a very humorous way! It sure got a few chuckles and giggles out of me! That's the best way to read science! Make it fun! I would definitely recommend this to anyone! A fun coffee table book, bathroom reading book, a book for that person who has everything! Great job!
Ten Emerging Technologies That Will Improve and/or Ruin Everything
by Dr. Kelly Weinersmith; Zach Weinersmith
This is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary.
This book is an informative and fun book to read. Not only does it give the reader ideas for what might be coming along in the future and what that might mean for mankind (good or bad) but it is done in a very humorous way! It sure got a few chuckles and giggles out of me! That's the best way to read science! Make it fun! I would definitely recommend this to anyone! A fun coffee table book, bathroom reading book, a book for that person who has everything! Great job!
October 30, 2017
I was bamboozled.
I read a fantastic book called “Filmish� which uses a comic-book format to discuss the history of cinema.
When I saw a book called “Soonish�, which promised “a hilariously illustrated investigation into future technologies�, I imagined a science-focused “Filmish�.
This was not that book.
The illustrations were sparse and amateurish, the humor falls flat in most places, and although the science is accurate enough, the writing is juvenile and condescending at times.
This book would be a lot shorter (and better) without the poor illustrations and lame attempt at humor.
I read a fantastic book called “Filmish� which uses a comic-book format to discuss the history of cinema.
When I saw a book called “Soonish�, which promised “a hilariously illustrated investigation into future technologies�, I imagined a science-focused “Filmish�.
This was not that book.
The illustrations were sparse and amateurish, the humor falls flat in most places, and although the science is accurate enough, the writing is juvenile and condescending at times.
This book would be a lot shorter (and better) without the poor illustrations and lame attempt at humor.
March 27, 2018
This was such an interesting book, I have to admit that some of the information is a little bit too complex for the average person but the humor imbedded into the book helps the reader to process all the information a little better. There were some amazing ideas explored in the book (such as a elevator to an asteroid to make space exploration cheaper, meteor mining and advances in medicine) , but there were some crazy ones that seemed a little to farfetched (such as mirror humans), but overall this is a very solid book that presents very heavy information in a simplistic format.
April 20, 2017
This is a really fun collection of ten technologies currently in R&D. The Weinersmiths combine fact and humor to create a book that's so informative and silly you'll want to read it again and again.
Zach Weinersmith is the creator of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, a popular geek webcomic great for fans of XKCD. His wife, Dr. Kelly Weinersmith, is an accomplished scientist whose work has been featured through many popular science venues. They worked together to explain complicated technology and science in such a way that those who last took a science class in high school can understand what they're talking about. Their combined wit and self-deprecating humor make the writing exciting while Zach's cartoons help break up all the heavy concepts with a good laugh. Personally, I find that if I'm laughing while learning, the concepts stick with me better.
For anyone who enjoys books like WHAT IF? and science podcasts, this will be an excellent book to add to your shelf. This is a great informative book about what technologies are being researched and which ones might come out soonish.
***I read this book thanks to an ARC I received***
Zach Weinersmith is the creator of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal, a popular geek webcomic great for fans of XKCD. His wife, Dr. Kelly Weinersmith, is an accomplished scientist whose work has been featured through many popular science venues. They worked together to explain complicated technology and science in such a way that those who last took a science class in high school can understand what they're talking about. Their combined wit and self-deprecating humor make the writing exciting while Zach's cartoons help break up all the heavy concepts with a good laugh. Personally, I find that if I'm laughing while learning, the concepts stick with me better.
For anyone who enjoys books like WHAT IF? and science podcasts, this will be an excellent book to add to your shelf. This is a great informative book about what technologies are being researched and which ones might come out soonish.
***I read this book thanks to an ARC I received***
July 10, 2018
Increible, emocionante e interesante. Asi deberian ser todos los libros de divulgacion. Cumple su cometido de tal manera que deja a uno asombrado y contento de haber leído un libro de ciencia de 335 paginas, amen de darle una serie interesantísima de temas de conversación.
Creo que el libro funciona tan bien porque mezcla y balancea la posibilidad de tecnologías e investigaciones en desarrollo con un humor y una accesibilidad sumamente finos. A tal punto que está lleno de referencias nerds e incluso de chistes de doble sentido, mientras presenta de forma seria lo que implicaría ver alguna de estas tecnologías en nuestras vidas.
Las diez tecnologías son:
a) Acceso barato al espacio
b) Minería de asteroides
c) La famosa fusion
d) Materiales inteligentes y autónomos
e) Construcción robotizada
f) Realidad aumentada
g) Ingeniería genética
h) Medicina focalizada
i) Impresión de órganos en 3D
j) Interaccion biológica-cibernetica
Algo que hace tan identificable al libro es que una parte de la idea subyacente (y por lo que se afianza bastante de esta serie de referencias nerds) es que cosas que antes solo hemos visto en películas y libros de Ciencia Ficcion que amamos puede de alguna forma llegar a ser posible en el futuro. Cosas que hemos visto en lugares como The Expanse (humanos viviendo en asteroides con diferencias fisiológicas versus los de la tierra), Flubber y El Planeta del Tesoro (materiales metamórficos), Volver al Futuro (Don Fusion), Jurassic Park (des-extincion, aunque a lo sumo mamuts y dientes de sable) y la otra novela de Michael Crichton, Prey (nanobots). Incluso casas inteligentes y robotizadas como las que hacia muchísimo tiempo se veian en caricaturas de Walt Disney (la casa remolque) o Warner (Design for living).
También es de notar lo justo y balanceado que resulta el estudio de los Weinersmith al presentar en cada capitulo los riesgos de cada una de las tecnologías. Cada uno de estos riesgos tienen que ver casi siempre con problemas muy del dia de hoy: riesgos ambientales, riesgos de terrorismo riesgos de potenciar la desigualdad y riesgos de privacidad.
Esto genera, junto al estilo en el que el libro se entrega, una lectura verdaderamente esclarecedora. Aunque me hubiera gustado ver mas diagramas (el libro trae como seis) y menos caricaturas, recomiendo ampliamente su lectura. De nuevo, ojala asi fueran todos los libros de divulgacion.
Creo que el libro funciona tan bien porque mezcla y balancea la posibilidad de tecnologías e investigaciones en desarrollo con un humor y una accesibilidad sumamente finos. A tal punto que está lleno de referencias nerds e incluso de chistes de doble sentido, mientras presenta de forma seria lo que implicaría ver alguna de estas tecnologías en nuestras vidas.
Las diez tecnologías son:
a) Acceso barato al espacio
b) Minería de asteroides
c) La famosa fusion
d) Materiales inteligentes y autónomos
e) Construcción robotizada
f) Realidad aumentada
g) Ingeniería genética
h) Medicina focalizada
i) Impresión de órganos en 3D
j) Interaccion biológica-cibernetica
Algo que hace tan identificable al libro es que una parte de la idea subyacente (y por lo que se afianza bastante de esta serie de referencias nerds) es que cosas que antes solo hemos visto en películas y libros de Ciencia Ficcion que amamos puede de alguna forma llegar a ser posible en el futuro. Cosas que hemos visto en lugares como The Expanse (humanos viviendo en asteroides con diferencias fisiológicas versus los de la tierra), Flubber y El Planeta del Tesoro (materiales metamórficos), Volver al Futuro (Don Fusion), Jurassic Park (des-extincion, aunque a lo sumo mamuts y dientes de sable) y la otra novela de Michael Crichton, Prey (nanobots). Incluso casas inteligentes y robotizadas como las que hacia muchísimo tiempo se veian en caricaturas de Walt Disney (la casa remolque) o Warner (Design for living).
También es de notar lo justo y balanceado que resulta el estudio de los Weinersmith al presentar en cada capitulo los riesgos de cada una de las tecnologías. Cada uno de estos riesgos tienen que ver casi siempre con problemas muy del dia de hoy: riesgos ambientales, riesgos de terrorismo riesgos de potenciar la desigualdad y riesgos de privacidad.
Esto genera, junto al estilo en el que el libro se entrega, una lectura verdaderamente esclarecedora. Aunque me hubiera gustado ver mas diagramas (el libro trae como seis) y menos caricaturas, recomiendo ampliamente su lectura. De nuevo, ojala asi fueran todos los libros de divulgacion.
November 3, 2018
I've been a big fan of from for years and I've read some of writing on her field of paristology before, so I had a fairly good idea what to expect with this book. Insightful thinking and research about popular science with comics and humor throughout. It delivers on that very well, providing an excellent summary of the frontiers of technology towards the end of the second decade of this century. Clearly it will date quickly, but it puts some excellent real-world context around a lot of the technologies that I've been reading about in near future SF.
August 9, 2018
This book is looking at our world and tries to make predictions where science and technology will lead us. The book is split into sections: ‘the universe�, ‘stuff�, and ‘you� containing a range of topics such as asteroid mining, augmented reality, brain-computer interfaces, and space elevators. As well as diving into the science, Soonish explores some of the economic and ethical implications around these technologies
The skills of a scientist are paired with those of a cartoonist which means this book stays light and fluffy. Maybe too much so, in my opinion. Often science books can become dry and stuffy, yes, but I would have liked a little bit more focus and less flat humor on this one. Not bad, but I had hoped for more.
Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Press for providing me with a free ebook copy.
The skills of a scientist are paired with those of a cartoonist which means this book stays light and fluffy. Maybe too much so, in my opinion. Often science books can become dry and stuffy, yes, but I would have liked a little bit more focus and less flat humor on this one. Not bad, but I had hoped for more.
Thanks to netgalley and Penguin Press for providing me with a free ebook copy.
November 20, 2017
I failed to learn anything new from this book , probably because this book is a compilation of known latest technologies so any person who are follows up science news already familiar with most of content of this book besides jokes of doubtful quality.
Also I found a bit offending an oversimplified explanation of basic science terms combined with nice while not exactly correct metaphors provided for easier understanding.
On another hand I would like to thank authors for comprehensive list of perspective technologies :)
Also I found a bit offending an oversimplified explanation of basic science terms combined with nice while not exactly correct metaphors provided for easier understanding.
On another hand I would like to thank authors for comprehensive list of perspective technologies :)
August 8, 2019
клёвая книжка про клёвые технологии ближайшего будущего.
её нельзя назвать очень глубокой: если вы более-менее интересуетесь любой из описанных там сфер, то вряд ли узнаете шибко много нового. но всеми ли этими сферами вы интересуетесь? я � нет, поэтому почитать обзоры космических лифтов и биопринтеров было познавательно. авторы не гнушаются просто и наглядно объяснять даже самые базовые штуки, так что не понять материал невозможно, и в то же время содержательно и толково рассказывают про довольно продвинутые вещи. и всё это щедро пересыпано шутеечками, способных скрасить книгу даже тем, кто по существу и так всё в ней знает.
её нельзя назвать очень глубокой: если вы более-менее интересуетесь любой из описанных там сфер, то вряд ли узнаете шибко много нового. но всеми ли этими сферами вы интересуетесь? я � нет, поэтому почитать обзоры космических лифтов и биопринтеров было познавательно. авторы не гнушаются просто и наглядно объяснять даже самые базовые штуки, так что не понять материал невозможно, и в то же время содержательно и толково рассказывают про довольно продвинутые вещи. и всё это щедро пересыпано шутеечками, способных скрасить книгу даже тем, кто по существу и так всё в ней знает.
September 22, 2019
So, finally getting round to this... not really.... my NetGalley version only consists of the introduction and the first two chapters: How to get into space cheaply and asteroid mining. Once I realized that, I mostly skimmed and just perused a bit here and there.
Entertaining, amusing style, that borders on slightly silly. Amusing, very simple comic strips—I recommend reading the ebook version on something that allows colour. Easy to understand explanations of complex topics. Space elevators, reusable rockets, Elon Musk and the odd Star Trek joke make an appearance.
It‘s ok, if you are looking for something light to flick through, when you have a few minutes to spare. Coffee table reading, mostly decorative.
I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Entertaining, amusing style, that borders on slightly silly. Amusing, very simple comic strips—I recommend reading the ebook version on something that allows colour. Easy to understand explanations of complex topics. Space elevators, reusable rockets, Elon Musk and the odd Star Trek joke make an appearance.
It‘s ok, if you are looking for something light to flick through, when you have a few minutes to spare. Coffee table reading, mostly decorative.
I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
January 10, 2018
It is about a indeterminate but near in time future,it extrapoles but not too much already existing technologies ,for in some way depict the world of tomorrow,mainly in the biological,medical,astronautic and information and comunication tecnologies,all with its advantages and dangers,the book also explains the today situation of technologies as astronautic,nuclear fussion reactors,3D printing,augmented reality,brain-computer interfaces,sinthetic biology etc.
The book written by a scientific and a cartoonist is permeated with a many times fine humor and cartoons and gives a lot of intersting information.
Recomended for those that would like know the situation of leading tecnologies and its near future.
The book written by a scientific and a cartoonist is permeated with a many times fine humor and cartoons and gives a lot of intersting information.
Recomended for those that would like know the situation of leading tecnologies and its near future.
February 7, 2018
I’d been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it and finally got my hands on a copy. It was well worth keeping it at the top of my “wanna read desperately� books.
This husband and wife team have put together an amazing thing here. Each chapter really reads like a short story. All you’ve heard, all you have thought of, for future realities can be found here along with the obligatory “robot� .
Expertly researched, fantastic illustrations and jokes dispersed from beginning to end, this is easily a book that everyone should at least take a look at. I loved this!
This husband and wife team have put together an amazing thing here. Each chapter really reads like a short story. All you’ve heard, all you have thought of, for future realities can be found here along with the obligatory “robot� .
Expertly researched, fantastic illustrations and jokes dispersed from beginning to end, this is easily a book that everyone should at least take a look at. I loved this!
February 24, 2018
A delightful and deeply researched look into the possible future of certain technologies, Soonish is a fine feast for the mind.
for my online book club. Several posts have tons of material: , , , part 4 (tk).
for my online book club. Several posts have tons of material: , , , part 4 (tk).
April 27, 2019
A "what-if" kinda book exploring the future, what can be and its left to the readers in a way whether it would be so. Delightfully written with tongue-in-cheek humour, which might not appeal to everyone but if you like the darn good webcomic, Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (smbc), then you would like this one too.
My Rating - 3.5/5
My Rating - 3.5/5
January 1, 2018
I didn't like the smartass writing style, the humor left me cold, I didn't much like the cartoons, and I wasn't learning anything. 1.5 stars, rounded up.
Note that this is a minority opinion, and I'm unusually grumpy around the holidays. I'm giving up after skimming about halfway. Back it goes!
Note that this is a minority opinion, and I'm unusually grumpy around the holidays. I'm giving up after skimming about halfway. Back it goes!
December 30, 2018
For me, too much humor not enough content. I think I like more in depth types of science books rather than survey types and as always, humor is subjective and it just wasn't my type.
With those negatives out front, Weinersmith really does a good job of giving you/us the current state of a wide variety of science. Just enough information to be coherent discussing them at parties and in my case enough information that I became curious and went to find more.
A good, well thought out book that just didn't hit my sweet spot. I would recommend it to anyone. If you can find a way to read one chapter before buying it, you can tell from that if you will like the rest of the book.
With those negatives out front, Weinersmith really does a good job of giving you/us the current state of a wide variety of science. Just enough information to be coherent discussing them at parties and in my case enough information that I became curious and went to find more.
A good, well thought out book that just didn't hit my sweet spot. I would recommend it to anyone. If you can find a way to read one chapter before buying it, you can tell from that if you will like the rest of the book.
December 25, 2017
Well, this is a good book for people who know very little about latest technologies and developing scientific fields, but it may fall a little short for those who know more. It's still a good overview of most promising technologies and I'd recommend it, but somehow I expected a little more. I understand science had to be brought to a very simple level, but a little trust in readers wouldn't go amiss. The humour, though, didn't just fall flat but completely missed the point too many times to count. It was also a bit too immature for my taste and sometimes painfully shoved in when no humour was needed. (But kudos for trying to make science books more fun.)
I did enjoy the space exploration chapter, which is my favourite of the book, but that doesn't outwigh the troubles this book slowly compiled. I was also disappointed in the cartoons that often didn't contribute to the science but tried to interject some more humour. Why not let pictures speak for themselves, illustrate the technologies, rather than the authors arguing with each other?
I did enjoy the space exploration chapter, which is my favourite of the book, but that doesn't outwigh the troubles this book slowly compiled. I was also disappointed in the cartoons that often didn't contribute to the science but tried to interject some more humour. Why not let pictures speak for themselves, illustrate the technologies, rather than the authors arguing with each other?
January 29, 2018
I'll quote the authors here: "Honestly, if you just want a thumbnail overview on any of the topics in this book, Wikipedia is a decent place to go." [pg. 319] If, on the other hand, you want your overview corrupted with dubious humor befitting a snarky Buzzfeed listicle, this is the book for you.
The first few chapters held my interest well enough, despite the rising dread I felt whenever more than two sentences had elapsed since the last lame joke and it became apparent that the next one would be imminently inbound. However, once I got to the chapter on building construction, a field in which I have more experience than the authors seem to, I knew I could no longer trust their "expertise" and I began to question all of their assumptions.
Presumably, there is good scientific content in this book, but you'll have to wade through oceans of "humor" to find it. Three hundred-plus pages of this is just too much.
The first few chapters held my interest well enough, despite the rising dread I felt whenever more than two sentences had elapsed since the last lame joke and it became apparent that the next one would be imminently inbound. However, once I got to the chapter on building construction, a field in which I have more experience than the authors seem to, I knew I could no longer trust their "expertise" and I began to question all of their assumptions.
Presumably, there is good scientific content in this book, but you'll have to wade through oceans of "humor" to find it. Three hundred-plus pages of this is just too much.
September 7, 2023
This book is a collaboration between the serious scientist, Kelly Weinersmith, and her no so serious cartoonist spouse, Zac. It can be characterized as a lighthearted look at the current state of technology and what may be in store in the next few decades, or as a series of science -themed jokes and cartoons. Readers who are expecting a tedious, academic work will be disappointed. Many of the footnotes are jokes. I, however, found this style to my liking, and even occasionally skipped a few pages ahead to look for more cartoons. But then, my vision of the future was always more George Jetson than Carl Sagan.
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