Christopher J. Preston Knihy

Imagining a future in which humans fundamentally reshape the natural world using nanotechnology, synthetic biology, de-extinction, and climate engineering.

Wildlife populations are experiencing unexpected rebounds, challenging the notion that all wild animals are in decline. Species such as red deer, bison, and humpback whales have seen their numbers surge, returning from near extinction. This book explores these remarkable recoveries, examining the ecological transformations occurring in various environments, from forests to urban areas. It seeks to understand the implications of these changes and what they reveal about the relationship between humans and wildlife, provoking both excitement and concern among different communities.

We have all heard that there are no longer any places left on Earth untouched by humans. The significance of this goes beyond statistics documenting melting glaciers and shrinking species counts. It signals a new geological epoch. In The Synthetic Age, Christopher Preston argues that what is most startling about this coming epoch is not only how much impact humans have had but, more important, how much deliberate shaping they will start to do. Emerging technologies promise to give us the power to take over some of Nature's most basic operations. It is not just that we are exiting the Holocene and entering the Anthropocene; it is that we are leaving behind the time in which planetary change is just the unintended consequence of unbridled industrialism. A world designed by engineers and technicians means the birth of the planet's first Synthetic Age. What does it mean when humans shift from being caretakers of the Earth to being shapers of it? And in whom should we trust to decide the contours of our synthetic future? These questions are too important to be left to the engineers.

Focusing on the advancements in classical lattice statistical mechanics from 1967 to 1974, this book presents key results and techniques that shaped the field. It serves as an introductory guide, making complex concepts accessible to readers interested in the foundational aspects of statistical mechanics. By highlighting significant findings and methodologies, it aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject's evolution during this pivotal period.

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