Like Dan Brown's other books that creatively use
scientific ideas within the storyline, in the end "The Lost
Symbol" is a work of fiction, and so is most of the science
it contains.
10/5/09 Dan Brown's latest book, "The Lost Symbol," is
woven with a maze of secretive plots, conspiracies, symbols
and codes. "Symbol" is another thriller by Brown that draws
inspiration from a mixture of science and mysticism.
One of the main characters is a researcher at the
Smithsonian Institution's vast support center, a location
that is off-limits to the public. The real science in
"Symbol" takes a turn toward fiction when Brown suggests
that noetics -- a metaphysical discipline that attempts to
examine the connection between human and supernatural
intelligence -- will revolutionize human knowledge. The
"research" is based on the work of institutions that were
formed in the late 1970s, during the height of New Age
mysticism.
The researcher becomes interested in noetics when her
brother mentions that many ancient texts contain ideas that
could be considered similar to the discoveries of modern
science. Modern ideas such as quantum entanglement, string
theory and multiple universes are presented as parallel to
content mentioned in the writings of early philosophers. The
book repeatedly tries to connect actual science with
mysticism, even weaving in Albert Einstein's thoughts on
cosmological religion.
The fictional Smithsonian lab that Brown creates is a sleek
and full of modern, cutting-edge technology. Hydrogen fuel
cells power the vast dark space of the archive, and data is
stored via holographic servers.
Most of these advances are at least plausible. Holographic
data storage is not yet financially feasible for
conventional computer markets, though it has been produced
commercially for limited applications. Hydrogen fuel cells
exist and can store power-making components longer than
chemical batteries can, but not for the hundreds of years
suggested by the book. "Symbol" cites a few real scientific
treasures housed by the Smithsonian, such as a Mars rock
meteorite, a 40 foot giant squid, and some of Charles
Darwin's original collections.
But like Brown's other books, while creative in their use of
science and scientific ideas, "Symbol" is, in the end, a
work of fiction, and so is most of the science it contains.
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