Activity

Building blocks, Lincoln Logs and LEGOs - three indispensable toys for any child. When a child learns to build things, she becomes a physicist, learning the laws of gravity and design. What's strong? What looks good?

In 1998, LEGO introduced Mindstorms, a kit of LEGOs with an on-board computer that can easily be programmed by any child. Using the toy, children can design and build a nearly infinite array of robots - from 700 basic parts. Kids can even go online and share their designs, or copy the designs of others. It's a robotic toy with networked intelligence.

LEGO's bricks have become the defining example of a new approach to the physical world - our growing ability to manipulate individual atoms as though they were like a set of LEGO bricks. This new science, known as nanotechnology, promises an incredibly extension of human capabilities - but it comes with a few dangers as well. The links here will give you a good background in the science of nanotechnology, and can serve as a beginning of your own exploration in this newest field of research.

On the left side of the page, you'll see links - paralleling the ideas as they're discussed in the text. When you click on a link, you'll see information about that link on this side of the page, along with a link to another website, which will open in its own window. All you need to do is click on the link, and you'll be looking at whatever article or document crossed my path as I wrote the book.

You can add your own comments. If you've found something of interest to the readers of THE PLAYFUL WORLD, you can add a note, and even include your own links. This way the website can continue to grow well beyond my own abilities to keep it up-to-date. So please feel free to share what you've learned with the rest of us.