The Power of Imperfections

It may be surprising to focus on and praise imperfection, but, in reality, perfection is a fiction. Every aspect of our technologies is based on understanding and exploiting imperfections in the materials we use. Imperfections are key to our use of metals, glass, electronics, computers, optical fibres, and building materials. Catalysis, as used throughout chemical industries, is dependent on imperfections, as are a wide range of modern advances in biology andmedicine. This book provides examples in each area that are readily understandable to non-scientists but also aim to offer a far deeper insight into how the technologies and disciplines advance and operate.However, once we change our focus from idealised perfection to reality, the implications can extend far beyond the realm of the sciences. The second part of the book examines the importance of our ability to recognise and adapt to imperfections in such wide-ranging areas as cookery, successful career development, love, life, and the survival of humanity.Using a broad range of accessible examples, this book aims to give readers the tools to recognizetechnological imperfections and apply those lessons to improving several key aspects of our lives, crucially enabling them to define a world that will survive current excesses and environmentaldestruction.

“Townsend authored one of the most eloquent and lovely statements in the science of crystals: "Crystals are like people and it is their imperfections that make them interesting". This book is beautifully written and the wide range of topics fit well together.”

Vasily V. Bulatov, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The range of topics is accessibly presented with confidence and there are interesting and often unexpected things to learn throughout. This is a book that is completely accessible to non-scientists, while not at all boring or tedious to more scientifically literate readers. Gary Atkinson, University of the West of England
The book is written in an enjoyable style. The author adequately mixes scientific explanations with personal experiences and matters of topical interest. Ginés Lifante Pedrola, Autonomous University of Madrid
Peter Townsend's book is highly readable, often provocative, and full of insights into technology, the nature of science, and even the broader nature of life. N. David Mermin, Cornell University
In The Power of Imperfections, Peter Townsend argues that we are conditioned to orient toward a fictional ideal of perfection that leads to a disregard of any form of imperfection. His book is an attempt to overcome this conditioning and show that praising imperfection is justifed in many cases. Bas de Boer, Metascience
The book attempts to make the general public sensitive to the beauty of imperfections in the context of technology, as well as show how the recognition of imperfections helps people to flourish in their social and professional lives. Bas de Boer, Metascience

Peter Townsend is an experimental scientist who has worked in academia, national laboratories and industry in 9 countries, gaining expertise on a diverse range of topics including solid state physics of imperfections, ion implantation, luminescence, glass, optoelectronics, photonics, archaeology, cancer detection, and photon detectors. He has published over 550 research articles and 8 books and holds honorary doctorates from the Universidad Autónoma deMadrid and The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

It may be surprising to focus on and praise imperfection, but, in reality, perfection is a fiction. Every aspect of our technologies is based on understanding and exploiting imperfections in the materials we use. Imperfections are key to our use of metals, glass, electronics, computers, optical fibres, and building materials. Catalysis, as used throughout chemical industries, is dependent on imperfections, as are a wide range of modern advances in biology andmedicine. This book provides examples in each area that are readily understandable to non-scientists but also aim to offer a far deeper insight into how the technologies and disciplines advance and operate. However, once we change our focus from idealised perfection to reality, the implications can extend far beyond the realm of the sciences. The second part of the book examines the importance of our ability to recognise and adapt to imperfections in such wide-ranging areas as cookery, successful career development, love, life, and the survival of humanity.Using a broad range of accessible examples, this book aims to give readers the tools to recognize technological imperfections and apply those lessons to improving several key aspects of our lives, crucially enabling them to define a world that will survive current excesses and environmental destruction.

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