We’ve seen unimaginable advances in technology in our lifetimes, especially in the last decade. Many of these new technologies will form the foundation of the coming era of the man-machine; a new “species” of hominid, if you will; a melding of technologies and humanity into a new being; and the next giant leap up the evolutionary ladder. As the new era of the man-machine nears, redefining the very essence of what it means to be human, many of the enabling technologies making this convergence possible will at the same time also redefine our relationship with nature herself. And that’s what this brief collection of essays is about: the nature-machine, and the role of technology in designing, building, managing, and maintaining this essential underpinning of our techno-environmental future.
