The Next Big Thing

Experience the world's most promising technological innovations and the science behind them in this entertaining photo-rich book. For futurists and sci-tech enthusiasts, every moment reveals advances powering our future, with on-site interviews, deep explainers, and helpful visuals.

What will our future look like?

In The Next Big Thing, meteorologist and science reporter Rob Marciano invites listeners to take a journey through the innovations that will change our lives for the better in four key realms of science:

Energy—How will we power the planet? Marciano ventures inside a nuclear fusion reactor to learn about sustainable, near-infinite energy. Electricity—Marciano goes airborne in an electric one-person aircraft—could be tomorrow's Uber! Infrastructure—Can we build cleaner cities? Marciano visits Ascent, a timber skyscraper in Milwaukee. Information—Is AI friend or foe? Marciano meets android SOPHIA and asks her that question. Complementing Marciano's reporting, physicist James Trefil unpacks the science behind each innovation and highlights other promising developments: solid-state batteries, quantum computers, 3-D printed homes, and robots.

By the end of this book, you won't just hope for a better future. You'll believe in it—by understanding the bold science and technology making it happen.