Get up to speed on nanotechnology and the many biological, chemical, physical, environmental, and political aspects of this developing science.

Dr. Wade Adams (Houston, TX) is the Director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology at Rice University. The center is devoted to the development of new innovations on the nanometer scale by coordinating and supporting nanoscience and nanoengineering research. Some of the current thrusts in research include carbon nanotubes, molecular electronics and computing, and diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications of nanoshells. For the past 32 years Dr. Adams has conducted research in polymer physics, concentrating on structure-property relations in high-performance organic materials. He is internationally known for his research in high-performance rigid-rod polymer fibers, X-ray scattering studies of fibers and liquid crystalline films, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals, and theoretical studies of ultimate polymer properties. He has written more than 190 publications on these topics, including several review articles and two edited books. Linda Williams (Houston, TX) is a nonfiction writer with expertise and experience in the fields of science, medicine, and space. Her past research and writing work has ranged from life sciences and biochemical applications to genetics and human enzyme research. She has worked as a lead scientist and/or technical writer for NASA, McDonnell Douglas, Wyle Labs, and Rice University. She has also served as a science speaker for the Medical Sciences Division at NASA-Johnson Space Center. Currently, she works in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University, Houston, TX. Ms. Williams has been a freelance writer, writing on a variety of subjects, for the past 12 years, including the McGraw-Hill titles: Chemistry Demystified (2003), Earth Science Demystified (2004), and Environmental Science Demystified (2005).