Nova

Making Stuff Smaller

From carbon nanotubes to artificial skin, our world is poised at the frontier of a revolution in materials science as far-reaching as the biotech breakthroughs of the last two decades. This series explores how materials changed history and are shaping the future, ranging from cost-effective fuel cells and solar panels to quantum computers and ultra-light automobiles. The New York Times' technology correspondent and best-selling author David Pogue brings his trademark goofball humor and techie zeal to this exploration of the future of "stuff." Each episode explores the talent, luck and determination that can turn a wild idea into a cutting-edge material or high-tech breakthrough. Making Stuff Smaller - Here in the information age, smaller is better: transistors, microchips and the laptops and cell phone that they power are triumphs of tiny. Now, host David Pogue takes us to an even smaller world, as he profiles the latest in high-powered nano-circuits and micro-robots that may one day hold the key to saving lives and building materials from the ground up.