FACT OR FICTION?FACT OR FICTION?How Popular Novelists affect How Popular Novelists affect the Scientific Literacy of our the Scientific Literacy of our

NationNation

By: Whitney BruceBy: Whitney Bruce

Michael CrichtonMichael Crichton

Father of the “techno-Father of the “techno-thriller”thriller”

Author of…Author of…

PREYPREY There is some real science in There is some real science in MichaelMichael Crichton'sCrichton's tale of a nanotech run amok-- tale of a nanotech run amok--along with pure fantasy. Here are a few along with pure fantasy. Here are a few plot points where fact and fantasy diverge: plot points where fact and fantasy diverge:

SELF-REPLICATING MICROMACHINES SELF-REPLICATING MICROMACHINES

MOBILE SWARMSMOBILE SWARMS EMERGENT BEHAVIOR EMERGENT BEHAVIOR

FICTIONFICTION In Prey, malevolent swarms of In Prey, malevolent swarms of

micro-robots replicate and move micro-robots replicate and move through the air, relying on built-through the air, relying on built-in solar cells with several hours in solar cells with several hours of storage. These predatory of storage. These predatory swarms exhibit intelligence far swarms exhibit intelligence far exceeding the scientists' efforts exceeding the scientists' efforts exterminate them. exterminate them.

FACTFACT Of all the diverse nanotech projects under Of all the diverse nanotech projects under

way, the ones that most closely evoke way, the ones that most closely evoke Crichton'sCrichton's drama are lab experiments on drama are lab experiments on ``smart dust.”``smart dust.”

Berkeley's Sensor & Actuator Center, is Berkeley's Sensor & Actuator Center, is working on devices, which are now about working on devices, which are now about the size of sand grains and contain the size of sand grains and contain sensors. sensors.

The ultimate goal is to create dust-size The ultimate goal is to create dust-size particles fitted with silicon intelligence, particles fitted with silicon intelligence, radios, sensors, and possibly wings. radios, sensors, and possibly wings.

Such grains could be scattered through Such grains could be scattered through buildings--or over a battlefield--to monitor buildings--or over a battlefield--to monitor the environment and human activity.the environment and human activity.

Dan BrownDan Brown Science has wonderful potential toScience has wonderful potential to control disease, create new fuel supplies, control disease, create new fuel supplies, and even allow us to migrate to new worlds. and even allow us to migrate to new worlds. The problem is that every technology is a double-edged The problem is that every technology is a double-edged

sword. The rocket engine that carries the space shuttle can sword. The rocket engine that carries the space shuttle can also carry warheads. The medical breakthroughs that can also carry warheads. The medical breakthroughs that can eradicate disease-if misused, can bring about eradicate disease-if misused, can bring about

the end of the human race. The question is the end of the human race. The question is not whether science will expand to not whether science will expand to

meet meet man's growing needs, but whether man man's growing needs, but whether man can mature fast enough to truly can mature fast enough to truly

comprehend comprehend our new our new power and the power and the responsibility that responsibility that comes with it. comes with it.

CERN LaboratoryCERN Laboratory

The CERN Facility is located in The CERN Facility is located in Geneva Switzerland. Geneva Switzerland. CERN--Conseil Européen pour la

Recherche Nucléaire--is the world's largest scientific research facility. It is located in Geneva Switzerland and employs over 3,000 of the world's top scientists. CERN houses an underground particle accelerator that is over fourteen miles long and stretches all the way into France. CERN's most incredible claim to fame, however, is that they were the first to manufacture something called antimatter...the most volatile substance known to man.

CERN LABROTORIES CROSS-SECTION X-33 SPACE PLANE

ANTIMATTERANTIMATTER Antimatter is the ultimate energy source. It Antimatter is the ultimate energy source. It

releases energy with 100% efficiency.releases energy with 100% efficiency. Antimatter is 100,000 times more powerful Antimatter is 100,000 times more powerful

than rocket fuel. A single gram contains the than rocket fuel. A single gram contains the energy of a 20 kiloton atomic bomb--the size of energy of a 20 kiloton atomic bomb--the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

In addition to being highly explosive, In addition to being highly explosive, antimatter is extremely unstable and ignites antimatter is extremely unstable and ignites when it comes in contact with anything...even when it comes in contact with anything...even air. air.

It can only be stored by suspending it in an It can only be stored by suspending it in an electromagnetic field inside a vacuum canister. electromagnetic field inside a vacuum canister.

If the field fails and the antimatter falls, the If the field fails and the antimatter falls, the result is a "perfect" matter/antimatter result is a "perfect" matter/antimatter conversion, which physicists aptly call conversion, which physicists aptly call "annihilation.""annihilation."

ANITMATTERANITMATTER CERN is now regularly producing small CERN is now regularly producing small

quantities of antimatter in their research for quantities of antimatter in their research for future energy sources. future energy sources.

Antimatter holds tremendous promise; it Antimatter holds tremendous promise; it creates no pollution or radiation, and a single creates no pollution or radiation, and a single droplet could power New York City for a full droplet could power New York City for a full day. day.

With fossils fuels dwindling, the promise of With fossils fuels dwindling, the promise of harnessing antimatter could be an enormous harnessing antimatter could be an enormous leap for the future of this planet. leap for the future of this planet.

Antimatter technology brings with it a chilling Antimatter technology brings with it a chilling dilemma. Will this powerful new technology dilemma. Will this powerful new technology save the world, or will it be used to create the save the world, or will it be used to create the most deadly weapon ever made?most deadly weapon ever made?

What They're Reading on What They're Reading on College CampusesCollege Campuses

Angels & Demons by Angels & Demons by DanDan BrownBrown weighed in weighed in at number at number 88 on the list complied by The on the list complied by The Chronicle's list of best-selling books in Chronicle's list of best-selling books in college campus stores including: college campus stores including:

Brown U., Carleton College, Colorado Brown U., Carleton College, Colorado College, Harvard U., Iowa State U., Montana College, Harvard U., Iowa State U., Montana State U. at Bozeman, New Mexico State U. at State U. at Bozeman, New Mexico State U. at Las Cruces, New York U. Pennsylvania State Las Cruces, New York U. Pennsylvania State U. at University Park, Princeton U. Reed U. at University Park, Princeton U. Reed College, Santa Clara U., Stanford U., U. of College, Santa Clara U., Stanford U., U. of Houston, U. of Idaho, U. of Illinois at Urbana-Houston, U. of Idaho, U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Champaign, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and U. of Washington at Seattle. Hill, and U. of Washington at Seattle.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION Some in the scientific community feel betrayed Some in the scientific community feel betrayed

by all the glamorization and “half-writing” of by all the glamorization and “half-writing” of difficult scientific concepts. Many feel that these difficult scientific concepts. Many feel that these important and highly intellectual scientific important and highly intellectual scientific discoveries are being compromised as popular discoveries are being compromised as popular novelists weave summarized bits of science into novelists weave summarized bits of science into their plot lines. Crichton addresses these critics their plot lines. Crichton addresses these critics in a speech given in 1999 in Anaheim, California in a speech given in 1999 in Anaheim, California saying, saying,

“…“…however it happens, if you do something to however it happens, if you do something to improve reading, Americans will have a clear improve reading, Americans will have a clear and direct appreciation of what science can do, and direct appreciation of what science can do, and what it has done for them. And then I think and what it has done for them. And then I think when scientists ask for a big supercollider, when scientists ask for a big supercollider, they’re more likely to get it.” they’re more likely to get it.”