'Nanotechnology for Dummies' Released

LITTLE FALLS, N.J, Sept. 6 -- Richard Booker, a doctoral student at Rice University working under Richard Smalley, discoverer of the "buckeyball" -- a collection of 60 carbon atoms in a spheroid shape, each bonded to three of its neighbors -- has written a book to simplify the complexities of nanotechnology for average people called "Nanotechnology for Dummies." His co-author, Earl Boysen, is an engineer with degrees in physics and chemistry.

The book explains nanotechnology applications relatable to everyday life, such as in scratch-proof glass, corrosion-resistant paints, stain-free clothing, glare-reducing eyeglass coatings, drug delivery systems, medical diagnostic tools, burn and wound dressings mini-portable power generators and even longer-lasting tennis balls. According to Wiley Publishing, which has released the paperback, investment in nanotechnology is exploding, with $3.7 billion in research and development spending authorized by the US government in 2003 and international investment reported at over $2 billion.

For more information, visit: www.wiley.com