Whew! It's been a long day. Spent all morning driving to Naperville for my appointment and back again! When I got back I posted off some more paperwork, so now I just need to wait and see how long it all takes to process.

Around dinner time I had a migraine, which is quite unusual for me. I suspect that came about through a combination of dehydration and the long drive. After a couple of Panadol, I'm as good as new (at least until they wear off!).

I finished reading Hacking Matter today, which was quite a good read. The author, Wil McCarthy, is better known as a science-fiction writer, and in this book he explores some of the possibilities of programmable matter. He has written short stories and a couple of novels incorporating the idea of programmable matter, which he calls 'Wellstone'.

McCarthy talks about several types of programmable matter in the book, but mainly discusses implementation in the form of Quantum dots. This book is fairly heavy on the physics, but thankfully this is accompanied by examples and explanations in layman's terms. He talks with scientists working in this bizarre and exciting area of research, sharing some of their startling findings and speculating on where this research may lead.

Imagine being able to create lead from gold, rearrange or switch off windows in your house, or drive a flying car : all of these things may be possible with programmable matter. Of course there are limitations and McCarthy doesn't shy away from discussing these in detail too.

In summary, Hacking Matter is a fascinating look at this new frontier of science which should appeal to anyone interested in science and technology.

What I'm Reading:
Intracities (anthology compiled by Michael Jasper)
Asimov's Science Fiction, June 2003
The Sandman : Volume One - Preludes & Nocturnes