2012
Economic growth remains sluggish in many markets
Although the worst of the economic downturn has passed by
now, genuine growth and recovery remains sluggish - especially in countries
like the UK, where the fall in private sector debt ratios and rebuilding of
savings ratios lasts well into the second half of this decade. Grinding slow
growth - as low as 1-1.5% in Europe, the US and Japan - persists for several
years, which still feels like a recession to most of the public, and does
little to improve levels of employment. Vast interest payments for Government
debt force a reduction in social and defence spending and leads to higher
taxes, which also harms growth. As if this wasn't bad enough, the baby boomers
are now entering their retirement years. The younger generations are faced with
a huge burden of debt.
With America nearly bankrupt, a clear shift in the balance
of power is taking place from West to East. If the 19th century was Europe's
century, and the 20th century was America's, then the 21st century looks like
being Asia's - or at least, a combination of Asia's and America's.
London hosts the Olympic Games
London hosts the Olympic Games for the 3rd time in its
history - the only city to have done so this many times. The two week event
takes places amidst the largest security operation ever seen in peace-time
Europe.
Aside from a small number of arrests, it passes without
incident. Despite this, the media tries to hype the threat of a terrorist
attack as much as possible during this time.
London has been transformed in recent years by a number of
massive construction projects. In addition to the Olympic Games venues
themselves, there is Stratford City - a new business district that will
eventually rival the Square Mile and Canary Wharf. Then there is Crossrail - a
£16bn rail connection linking Heathrow Airport with the central and eastern
parts of the city. Various masterplans are helping to regenerate vast areas of
land all over the city - including Greenwich Peninsula, Elephant & Castle,
Croydon, Paddington, Battersea and elsewhere. These mixed-use developments
contain hundreds of thousands of new homes, shops, and offices.
Several new landmarks dominate the skyline including the
Shard of Glass at London Bridge, a 72-storey crystalline spire that redefines
the capital's image.
OLED screens are becoming widespread
Having reduced in cost, organic light-emitting diodes
(OLEDs) are appearing in a wide variety of devices now - including mid-range
smartphones, laptops and television displays. These use considerably less power
than traditional LEDs and LCDs whilst allowing brighter, sharper, thinner
displays.
They also eliminate the need for back lights. Sunlight that
would normally "wash out" a display has no effect - the screens
appear the same even in broad daylight, or when tilted at an angle.
Brain-computer interfaces allowing the paralysed to walk
again
By this date, a prototype full-body exoskeleton has been
devised which allows the paralysed to walk again - using their thoughts alone
to control it.*
This is achieved using a neuroprosthetic device with a
highly advanced brain-computer interface (BCI) at its core, driven by
neurochips implanted in the patient's skull. These monitor electrical brain
activity and adjust the movement of the limbs accordingly.
The project has been developed by an international team of
neurophysiologists, computer scientists, engineers, roboticists, neurologists
and neurosurgeons at laboratories around the world. Fresh hope is now being
offered to millions of people affected by paralysis.*
A cure for baldness
Until now, more than half of men and a third of women have
been affected by hair loss at some point in their lives. The $1bn hair loss
industry has only provided treatments to save what they have left, or cover
what they have lost - not to actually grow new hair.
Thanks to advances in stem cell research - along with a new
compound - treatments are now available that can actually regenerate hair
follicles.*
World's first 1-gigawatt offshore wind farm
Construction of the largest ever offshore wind farm is
underway off the southeastern coast of England. Known as the "London
Array", it will supply enough power for 750,000 homes - a quarter of all
those in London.*
With a total of 341 turbines, it will reduce carbon emissions
by nearly 2 million tonnes every year: a significant milestone in the
government's plan to cut emissions by 80% by 2050.
This project marks the beginning of a major expansion of
offshore wind power in Britain. Numerous other large-scale wind farms will be
constructed in the coming decades - greatly reducing the country's dependence
on foreign energy and creating thousands of new jobs in the green industry.
Mars Science Laboratory explores the Red Planet
This is by far the largest and most powerful rover ever sent
to Mars. Among its many instruments is the first ever video camera taken to
another planet, as well as the first 3D camera.
The mission has four goals:
? to determine if life ever arose on Mars
? to characterize the climate of Mars
? to characterize the geology of Mars
? to prepare for human exploration.
Barack Obama is re-elected
Obama now has a reduced majority, however. He is confronted
with further economic difficulties, precipitated by an emerging energy crisis -
the early effects of peak oil are being felt.
2013
Iran carries out its first nuclear test
After years of diplomatic stall tactics, Iran confirms its
place in the "nuclear club" of countries.
Technology covertly supplied by Russia has allowed it to
fulfill its nuclear ambitions. Faced with such a grave potential threat,
Israel's economy goes into freefall.
Although the Iranian government repeatedly states its
peaceful intentions, the region as a whole now enters a period of instability
the likes of which has never been seen before. This nuclear test is viewed in
the West as the most significant world event since 9/11.
Solar flares are disrupting the Earth's magnetosphere
The Sun reaches its solar maximum this year - the period of
greatest activity in its 11-year solar cycle. Because of the unusually low
level of activity in recent years, this has caused a sudden build up of energy,
with "solar storms" hitting the Earth's magnetosphere. These are
powerful enough to disrupt electronic systems on the ground.
Satellites, air travel, car navigations, the banking system,
hospital equipment, computers and many other machines are affected during these
storms. There are widespread blackouts.*
3D technologies are widespread
3D technology is now widespread across a range of
communication and entertainment platforms.* It has become a mainstream element
of cinema, TV, Internet, video games and even mobile. This technology provides
users with a whole new level of immersion, interaction and realism.
James Cameron's Avatar, released in 2009, was a major
breakthrough in terms of developing this format and raising awareness of its
potential.
In 2010, new 3D TV channels are introduced and these can
even be viewed without 3D glasses. This effect is achieved via multiple
projectors behind the screen, combined with a lens array that creates a
parallax effect from any direction. Among the many TV events during this time
is the first ever FIFA World Cup to be screened in 3D.
Compatibility is soon incorporated into a range of consumer
products including Blu-ray recorders, games consoles and personal computers.
By 2013, the technology has become widespread in homes in
developed countries.*
India launches its second lunar exploration mission
Chandrayaan-2 becomes the second lunar probe to be sent by
India's space agency. It includes an orbiter as well as two rovers: one
lander/rover built by Russia, and a second smaller rover built by India. The
wheeled rovers will move on the surface, picking up soil or rock samples for
on-site chemical analysis. The data will be sent to Earth through the
Chandrayaan-2 orbiter. The team is headed by Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, who was
behind the success of the previous mission (Chandrayaan-1).
2014
James Webb telescope is launched
The long-awaited successor to the Hubble Space Telescope is
launched. Its primary mirror has a collecting area six times larger than
Hubble. The telescope is situated in an L2 orbit approximately 1.5 million
kilometres from Earth.
Personalised DNA sequencing for less than $100
DNA sequencing technology is now so fast and cheap that an
entire human genome can be read in a matter of hours for less than $100, making
it accessible to everyone. This has been made possible by a revolutionary new
device called a nanofluidic chip.*
Medical treatments can now be delivered on a highly
personalised level, uniquely tailored to a patient's genetic code. For example,
a doctor can biopsy a cancer patient's tumor, sequence all of its DNA, and use
that information to determine a prognosis and prescribe treatment - all for less
than the cost of a chest X-ray. In the case of lung cancer, the doctor can
determine the exact genetic changes in the tumor cells and order the
chemotherapy best suited to that variant. Meanwhile, parents of newborns now
have the option of determining if their baby is susceptible to conditions like
diabetes, and then modifying the baby's diet and medication from day one to
reduce the chance of it ever manifesting.
Internet "lifecasting" enters the mainstream
Digital devices are continuing to shrink in size, becoming
ever more compact and miniaturised.* On-person webcams measuring less than a
centimetre across are now being embedded in clothing, hats, spectacle frames
and other discrete locations. This has led to the emergence of a new form of
Internet blogging known as "lifecasting".
Rather than text updates, every moment of a person's daily
experiences can now be captured on video, in real time. This is available on
social networking sites, so that communities of users can "subscribe"
to the lives of individuals they wish to follow. This includes a number of
famous celebrities.
16 nanometer chips are in mass production
The successor to 22nm, this latest generation of chips
continues the trend of Moore's Law. Each contains more than 7.5 billion
transistors. They will, in turn, be succeeded by 11nm chips.
Terabyte SD cards are available
SD cards and other memory devices continue to grow
exponentially this decade, with storage capacities doubling roughly every year.
A terabyte is equal to 1000 gigabytes.
Robotic pack mules are entering military service
Dynamically stable, quadruped robots are being deployed in
military support roles now. These are accompanying soldiers in terrain too
difficult for conventional vehicles. They use four legs for movement, allowing
them to move across surfaces that would defeat wheels or treads. They are
capable of running at 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h), while carrying loads up to
340 pounds (150 kg) and climbing slopes with 35 degree inclines.*
Locomotion, navigation and balance are controlled by an
onboard computer that receives input from the robot's many sensors, which
include a stereo vision system, laser gyroscopes, joint position and ground
contact monitors.
These machines greatly reduce the burden of equipment for
soldiers.
MAVEN probe arrives at Mars
NASA's MAVEN probe arrives at Mars, to study its atmosphere
and climate history.*
Most phone calls are made via the Internet now
The majority of homes and offices have now adopted Voice
over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, such as Skype.* These connections are
made over the Internet, rather than traditional phone lines.
Undoubtedly the biggest advantage of VoIP is the cost.
PC-to-PC phone calls can be made anywhere in the world, at any time, for free.
PC-to-phone connections usually charge a fee, but are generally much cheaper
than standard phone services with conventional handsets.
Another advantage is the portability. Phone calls can be
made and received from any PC - provided there is a broadband connection -
simply by signing into your personal VoIP account.
Phone-to-phone VoIP is also portable. When you sign up with
a VoIP servicer provider, the Internet phone or adaptor that is used with that
service is assigned a unique number. This 'phone number' remains valid even if
your VoIP service provider is located in England and you are connected to the
Internet in Australia. An Internet phone is small and light enough to take with
you anywhere. It can simply be plugged into any broadband connection, anywhere
in the world, and used to make and receive calls, just as though you were in
your own home or office.
There are several other features that make VoIP attractive.
Call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, caller ID and multiple-way calling
are included with Internet telephone at no extra charge. Digital data such as
pictures, documents and other files can also be transmitted at the same time
you are talking on the phone.
Brazil hosts the FIFA World Cup
This is the second time the country has hosted the
competition.
2015-2019
Virtual Reality makes a comeback
Enormous strides in computing power are making it possible
to create exceedingly lifelike graphics, animations and 3D environments. At the
same time, super-fast broadband is opening up new frontiers in cyberspace and
enabling the development of "Web 3.0".
Combined with developments in on-person hardware, this is
leading to the rebirth of virtual reality. Having been something of a gimmick
in the 1990s, it is now becoming a serious tool for business, leisure,
education and training. For the rich, options for this form of technology now
include pod-like structures which are fully enclosing.*
Much of the content in these simulations is user-generated.
There are many online communities for sharing and exchanging virtual objects,
buildings, avatars, etc. The most impressive creations are rated and promoted
in a manner similar to YouTube.
2015
Worldwide PC use reaches 2 billion
PC adoption in emerging markets has been growing at a
phenomenal pace. There were a billion PCs in use in 2008, and this number
doubles by 2015. In other words, it took nearly 30 years to reach the one
billion mark, but only seven to grow from 1 billion to 2 billion.
Nanotech water filters are spreading to many
developing countries
Third World countries are now benefitting from a
revolutionary portable device. First revealed in 2007, it has become widespread
by now.
The "Lifesaver Bottle" filters water-borne
pathogens, using holes just 15 nanometers across, to prevent even the smallest
viruses (25 nanometers across) getting through, and eliminating the need for
chemicals to treat the water. The Lifesaver Bottle is fitted with a 4000UF
replaceable purification cartridge that removes bacteria, viruses, cysts,
parasites, fungi, and all other microbiological water-borne pathogens.*
It also comes with an activated carbon filter, made of a
high specification activated carbon block. This reduces a broad spectrum of
chemical residues including: pesticides, endocrine disrupting compounds,
medical residues and heavy metals such as lead and copper. The carbon filter
also eliminates bad tastes and odors from contaminates such as chlorine and
sulphur. It is designed to last for approximately 250 litres.*
The first climate change refugees
As a direct result of sea level rises, the inhabitants of
the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea have been forced to abandon their
homelands.* Crops, trees and wells have been contaminated by seawater, while
most of the buildings on the islands have been destroyed. Attempts to build sea
wall defences were unsuccessful – these were simply washed away.*
The melting of polar ice sheets and glaciers, together with
thermal expansion, could raise the level of Earth's oceans nearly 2m by 2100 -
potentially displacing hundreds of millions of people.
3D printing enters the consumer market
Until recently, this technology was extremely expensive -
upwards of $15,000 per machine - and limited to use in industrial prototyping,
product design, medical modeling and architectural models.* However, plummeting
costs are now making it affordable to consumers.**
Rather than using ink on paper, these machines can actually
"print" 3D objects. This is achieved by melting nylon powder and then
shaping it based on computer instructions.
Countless different items can be produced – from jewellery
and decorative giftware, to children's toys, kitchenware, replacement plugs,
hooks, pipes, fittings, flooring and other household essentials.
Users can download new items and configurations from the
Web.* Artists and hobbyists can even create their own, using these printers in
combination with 3D scanners and modeling software.
In addition to falling costs, another reason that home 3D
printing has taken off rapidly is that there is very little manufacturing being
done in America and various other countries anymore. As a result, there is
little or no pressure by manufacturing special interests against it.
In the decades ahead, this technology will evolve into
nanofabricators, capable of reproducing items with atomic precision within
minutes. It will ultimately lead to matter replicators with near-instantaneous
production of virtually any object – including foodstuffs.
New Horizons probe arrives at Pluto
The probe was launched in 2006 and has travelled more than 4
billion kilometres through space. It returns the first close range, high
resolution pictures of the icy world - along with its three moons - before
passing through the Kuiper Belt. It will leave the solar system entirely in
2029.
Dawn probe arrives at Ceres
Dawn is a robotic spacecraft sent by NASA on a mission to
the asteroid belt. It reaches Vesta in 2011, before rendezvousing with the
dwarf planet, Ceres, in 2015.
Ceres and Vesta are the two most massive members of the
asteroid belt: 950 and 530 km in diameter, respectively. Dawn is the first
probe to study and photograph them at close range. Both bodies formed very
early in the history of the Solar System, thereby retaining a record of events
and processes from the time of the formation of the terrestrial planets.
Dawn is also innovative - it becomes the first spacecraft to
enter into orbit around a celestial body, study it, then re-embark under
powered flight to a second target. All previous multi-target missions (such as
the Voyager program) have involved rapid planetary flybys.*
Voyager I enters the heliopause
Voyager I remains the most distant human-made object,
traveling away from the Earth at a speed greater than any other space probe.
Launched in 1977, its original mission was to visit Jupiter
and Saturn. It became the first probe to provide detailed images of these
planets and their moons.
In 2003, it entered the "termination shock" - the
point where solar wind particles slow down to subsonic speeds due to
interactions with the local interstellar medium.
By 2015, it has travelled so far that it has begun entering
a region known as the "heliopause" - the point where the interstellar
medium and solar wind pressures balance. It remains operational during this
time, pursuing its extended mission to study the very boundaries of the Solar
System, including the Kuiper Belt and beyond.
The probe, along with its sister - Voyager II - will
continue operating as they head for the "Bow Shock", the true
beginnings of interstellar space. They will transmit signals back to Earth
until at least 2025 (half a century after they were launched) before their
power finally runs out.
2016
The US military withdraws from Afghanistan
The war had been going on since October 2001 - both as a
response to the 9/11 attacks, and as a result of ongoing issues from before the
attacks. The stated aim of the invasion was to find Osama bin Laden and other
high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and to put them on trial, destroy the whole
organisation of Al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime which supported them.
The Bush administration stated that, as policy, it would not
distinguish between terrorist organisations and nations or governments that
sheltered them. The United Nations did not authorise the US-led invasion of
Afghanistan.
The first phase was the aftermath of the terrorist attacks
of September 11, 2001, when the US launched Operation Enduring Freedom, to
annihilate the safe haven to Al-Qaeda and its use of the Afghan territory as a
base of operations for terrorist activities. In that first phase, US and
coalition forces, working with the Afghan opposition forces of the Northern
Alliance, quickly ousted the Taliban regime. During the following Karzai
administration, the character of the war shifted to an effort aimed at
smothering insurgency.
Over the following years, however, it became clear that
little progress was being made in the hunt for bin Laden - and planning to
ensure the long-term political, social and economic stability of the country
was lacking. America's presence in Afghanistan was inflaming tensions along
Pakistan's border. In the eyes of many people, the invasion was doing more to
destabilise the country than protect it. By 2009, more than 1,500 coalition
troops had been killed, while even the most conservative estimates put civilian
deaths in the tens of thousands. There were also multiple accounts of torture
and human rights violations by coalition forces.
In addition, the cost of the war was mounting and had now
reached almost $7bn per month, at a time when America was facing its worst financial
crisis in decades.
Public opinion - having initially been high - declined
substantially. When President Obama announced a further increase of 30,000 US
troops, cities across America saw protests. Although this troop surge met with
some success, it became clear that the war was simply unsustainable. Efforts by
the US to train the Afghan National Army and to transfer security
responsibility were plagued by inefficiency, widespread illiteracy and endemic
corruption.
A series of phased withdrawals began in 2011, with the last
remaining US troops pulling out in 2016 - fifteen years after the start of the
invasion.* This made it almost as long as the Vietnam War.
US vehicles are becoming more fuel-efficient
New standards enacted by the Obama administration have
boosted the fuel efficiency of light duty vehicles (cars, crossovers, SUVs,
vans and pickup trucks) to an average of 34 miles per gallon (MPG).*
This will reduce CO2 emissions by almost 1 billion metric
tons and conserve 1.8 billion barrels of oil. In addition, the average buyer is
saving around $3,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle - even after the higher
initial purchase costs are taken into account.
These efficiency gains have come from smaller, more
efficient engines with direct injection and/or turbochargers; more
sophisticated automatic and dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs); hybrid-electric
systems; clean diesel engines; tires with lower rolling resistance; more
aerodynamic vehicles and lighter-weight materials.
The US still lags behind the rest of the world, however. New
vehicles in Europe and Japan, for instance, are reaching 50 MPG on average.
Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD) replaces Blu-Ray
These ultra-high density discs are capable of holding 1Tb of
data - equivalent to over 200 DVDs. They work by analysing micro-holograms in
3D, rather than just markings on the surface. This allows data to be far more
densely packed than conventional optical technology.
The price of storage per gigabyte is plummeting - from
around $1 per gigabyte in 2006, to less than 10 cents now. This is an example
of the trend of exponential progress (rather than linear) seen in forms of
information technology.
HVD itself is in danger of becoming obsolete, before it has
even been properly established, as solid state flash drives are increasingly
being used for digital transfer, some with even higher capacities, along with
read and write speeds faster than any optical disc. The new SDXC card format
specification for example has already reached the 2TB mark.
Bio-cameras matching human eye resolution
Advances in biotech and sensor technology have enabled the
development of tiny "bio-cameras".* These devices can be implanted
like contact lenses, and are capable of taking photos with hundreds of millions
of pixels' worth of information: equal to the resolution of the human eye
itself.*
For now, they are a luxury item used only by the rich - or
in specialist roles such as covert spying operations. However, within a few
years they will begin entering mainstream use. Future versions will enable the
capture of moving video and audio, in addition to static photos.
Rio de Janeiro hosts the Olympic Games
Rio becomes the first ever South American city to host the
event.
2017
Total solar eclipse in the USA
On August 21st of this year, a total eclipse occurs in the
United States - the first visible from the US since 1991 (just from part of
Hawaii), and the first visible from the contiguous US since 1979.
Totality occurs along a path curving from Oregon to South
Carolina, and lasts for roughly 2 minutes and 40 seconds. The location and time
of "greatest eclipse" is on the western edge of Christian County,
Kentucky at 36.97 degrees North and 87.65 degrees West, occurring at 18:25 UTC.
Crossrail opens in London
One of Europe’s largest ever transport projects, Crossrail
expands London’s tube network capacity by over 10% and brings enormous
regenerative benefits to the city. Costing over £16bn, the line is 120km in
length (including 42km of tunnels). It runs from Berkshire in the west to Essex
in the east, linking together all of the main economic hubs in the capital -
Heathrow Airport, the West End, the City of London and Canary Wharf.
Ten-coach trains, roughly 200 metres long, run at
frequencies of up to 24 trains per hour in each direction during the peak
periods.
Electronic paper is widespread
This technology has been in development for over a decade*
and is now in widespread use.
Organic thin film transistors (TFT) are combined with
organic, electroluminescent displays. This produces flexible, paper-thin
devices less than 0.3mm in thickness and capable of running high-quality video.
The applications are endless. They include true "e-books" and
"e-papers" (which can also be read in the dark), clothes and other
textiles with electronic displays, video posters, video leaflets, video cards,
road signs that are self-illuminating, video instructions on food packaging and
other boxed items.
Further development leads to much greater contrast ratio -
resembling printed paper more than a screen (the latter is often hard to see in
direct sunlight and other conditions).
This technology also marks a step towards the first
paperless offices, which in turn helps to reduce deforestation.
Portable medical lasers that seal wounds
Star Trek-style devices shaped like pens are now available
which can seal wounds, using specially controlled lasers in combination with a
blood protein called albumin. Heated at just the right temperature, this forms
a natural "glue" after the skin has cooled down. Using this method allows
a wound to be stronger, water-tight, and less likely to scar than traditional
stitches.
Following several years of development and refinement, they
are used in many hospitals now.* These devices will be cheap and safe enough
for the consumer market within a few years.
Teleportation of simple molecules
For a number of years, scientists had been teleporting
individual atoms and particles of light. By this date, the first molecules such
as water and carbon dioxide are being teleported.* This will be followed in the
late 2030s by complex organic molecules such as DNA and proteins.*
2018
The ITER experimental fusion reactor is switched on
Human-engineered fusion has already been demonstrated on a
small scale. The problem has been finding ways of scaling it up to commercial
levels in an efficient, economical, and environmentally benign way.
ITER - previously known as the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor - aims to be the first project to achieve this. Built in
southern France at a cost of €20 billion, it has taken over a decade to
construct and is one of the largest scientific projects ever undertaken, second
only to the International Space Station. This joint research experiment is
funded by the US, EU, Japan, Russia, China, India and South Korea.
To demonstrate net fusion power on a large scale, the
reactor must simulate the conditions at the heart of the Sun. For this, it uses
a magnetic confinement device called a tokamak. This doughnut-shaped vacuum
chamber generates a powerful magnetic field that prevents heat from touching
the reactor's walls. Tiny quantities of fuel are injected into and trapped
within the chamber. Here they are heated to 100 million degrees, forming a
plasma. At such high temperatures, the light atomic nuclei of hydrogen become
fused together, creating heavier forms of hydrogen such as deuterium and
tritium. This releases neutrons and a huge amount of energy.
Following its operational activation in 2018, it is hoped
that ITER will eventually produce more than 500 megawatts of power, in bursts
of 400 seconds or more. This compares with 16 MW for the Joint European Torus
(JET) in 1997, the previous world record peak fusion power, which lasted only a
few seconds.
ITER will require another few decades before its reactor has
been sufficiently perfected. To generate the sort of continuous levels of power
required for commercial operation, it will need a way of holding the plasma in
place at the critical densities and temperatures. This will need refinements in
the design of the chamber, such as better superconducting magnets and advances
in vacuum systems.
However, it could ultimately lead to a revolution in energy.
If this project were to succeed, humanity would gain a virtually unlimited
supply of clean, green electricity.*
The European Extremely Large Telescope is operational
This revolutionary new ground-based telescope has the aim of
observing the Universe in greater detail than even the Hubble Space Telescope.
A mirror of approximately 42 metres (138 ft) will allow the study of the
atmospheres of extrasolar planets. It will also perform "stellar
archaeology" - measuring the properties of the first stars and galaxies,
as well as probing the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
Ubiquitous internet nodes connect appliances, vehicles, etc.
In developed nations, many of the day-to-day routines in the
home are becoming automated. Fridges, for instance, can be programmed to order
new food before they become empty.* RFID microchips - smaller than grains of
sand - are printed on packaging labels. These connect wirelessly to the
refrigerator, which sends an order via the Internet. New food is then delivered
to the customer's door at a pre-arranged time.
Meanwhile, boilers and other appliances can notify an
engineer when they break down, while heat and lighting systems can be activated
in real time as a person is on their way home from work (rather than being
programmed for a fixed time).
Devices are also being synchronised in various ways. They
can even sense where you are in the home. A person can be listening to a
football commentary in their bedroom, for example, then walk to the lounge and
have the television activate itself, then walk to their car outside and have
the signal "follow" them by turning on the appropriate radio channel.
In addition to being linked with their user's home network, the majority of
cars and other vehicles now have Internet access.
Robot insect spies are in military use
These "micro aerial vehicles" - no larger than a
common house fly - have been in development for over a decade.* One of the
major hurdles was creating sufficient battery power in such a small object, as
well as keeping them light enough to remain airborne. Advances in
nanotechnology solved this problem. Together with improvements in computing
power, this allowed circuitry and components to be packed more closely.
The robots are being used primarily in spying missions,
where they quite literally serve as a "fly on the wall" - recording
and transmitting audio-visual information. An individual robot is equipped with
miniature cameras, microphones, modem and GPS. Many terrorist cells are being
infiltrated thanks to this.
More sophisticated versions are being developed for assassin
roles. These have capsules in the abdomen of the insect, filled with cyanide or
another lethal toxin. This is delivered to the target via a small needle
capable of piercing human skin.
Some robots work in groups, forming networks that combine
their abilities. Over the next few decades, further advances in nanotech will
lead to enormous swarms of these machines being deployed on the battlefield.*
However, concerns are being raised as to how this technology
will affect the privacy and safety of citizens.
Consumer devices with 100 Gbit/s transfer speeds
A new form of data transfer is now available for the
consumer market. This is known as "Light Peak" and is replacing the
Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections which have been the standard for many
years.
The USB 3.0 specification allowed transfer speeds of 4.8
Gbit/s. An early version of Light Peak achieved 10 Gbit/s. This latest version,
however, can achieve nearly 100 Gbit/s - enough to transfer a full-length
Blu-Ray movie in around two seconds.
The optical technology of Light Peak also allows for smaller
connectors with longer, thinner and more flexible cables. In addition, it can
run multiple protocols simultaneously over a single cable, enabling the
technology to connect devices such as peripherals, workstations, displays, disk
drives, docking stations and more.*
Anti-fat drug is available
A drug that lets you eat whatever you want without gaining
weight is now available.* There is enormous demand for this product, which
leads to a major drop in obesity levels throughout the developed world -
especially in countries like the USA, which until now had been experiencing a
crisis in this regard. Average life expectancy is increased as a result, since
there are less people dying of heart-related illnesses.
The new World Trade Center is complete
A full 17 years after the destruction of the World Trade
Center, its replacement - 1 World Trade Center - is finally complete. Formerly
known as the Freedom Tower, the project was delayed due to acrimonious disputes
over money, security and design.*
The new tower features a spire, reaching a total height of
1,776 ft (a reference to the year that America declared its independence). The
roof height is identical to that of the previous twin towers on the site.* The
project also features a memorial to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
2019
Computers break the exaflop barrier
An exaflop is 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (a million trillion,
or a quintillion) calculations per second. The world's top supercomputers are
now achieving this speed. This represents a thousandfold improvement over
machines of a decade earlier.*
This exponential growth will continue, so that by 2029,
computers will surpass the zettaflop barrier - a thousand times faster than an
exaflop computer of 2019, and a million times faster than a petaflop computer
of 2009. One of the many resulting applications will be the accurate simulation
of an entire human brain and its neurons in real time.
Personal computers in 2019 are becoming ever smaller,
lighter and more compact - with laptops, netbooks and other mobile devices far
outnumbering desktops.* Physical hard drives are becoming almost redundant,
with most storage now done online using "virtual drives" housed in
remote servers, aided by the tremendous growth in broadband speeds and 5G
wireless communications.
Web applications have reached startling levels of power and
sophistication, especially where search engines are concerned. These not only
find keywords in a search, but also interpret the context of the request - and
most use voice recognition software. Users can ask their computer a highly
specific question (such as "I'd like to see a comedy at the cinema after
9pm, then have an Italian meal for less than $20") and receive detailed
answers and recommendations, often customised to their exact personal tastes
and interests.
This emerging form of AI - which effectively acts like a
personal assistant - means the web now offers a far more productive and intuitive
experience.*
Bionic eyes are commercially available
Following trials, the world's first bionic eyes are now
available for persons with degenerative vision loss.
These devices use miniature cameras, mounted on a pair of
glasses. The cameras beam visual information into an electrode array which is
connected to neurons in the retina. Electrical impulses are then transmitted
through the optic nerve to the vision centres of the brain.
The first prototype of this technology was somewhat crude
and pixelated, with only 100 dots of resolution. However, this new version
provides 1000 dots, allowing the patient to recognise faces and read large
print.*
Bionic eyes continue to gain in sophistication over the
following decades, making exponential progress in resolution and visual
quality. Fully artificial eyes eventually become available that can actually
provide better vision than normal eyes - leading even healthy people to
"upgrade" their sight.
Automated freight transport
Autonomous rapid transit systems have already been in place
at certain airports, and on the metro systems of cities. By this date,
significant numbers of driverless trucks have begun appearing on the roads.*
They are capable of travelling hundreds of miles by themselves, negotiating
traffic and other obstacles, and utilising advanced GPS technologies. They have
a number of advantages over human drivers - such as being able to run 24 hours
a day without getting tired, never being absent, and not requiring a salary or
training. The trucks can also detect mechanical or software faults.*
These automated vehicles will eventually include cars, taxis
and other types of road vehicles, becoming widespread by the 2030s.
The Aral Sea disappears from the map
As recently as the 1970s, the Aral Sea was the world's
fourth largest lake, with an area of 68,000 km2.
However, Soviet irrigation projects diverted the Amu Darya
and Syr Darya rivers which fed into it. By 2004, the sea had shrunk to 25% of
its original surface area, and a nearly fivefold increase in salinity had
killed most of its natural flora and fauna. By 2007, it had declined to 10% of
its original size, splitting into three separate lakes, two of which were too
salty to support fish. The once prosperous fishing industry had been virtually
destroyed, and former fishing towns along the original shores became ship
graveyards.
The Aral Sea was also heavily polluted, largely as a result
of weapons testing, industrial projects, pesticides and fertilizer runoff.
Wind-blown salt from the dried seabed damaged crops and polluted drinking
water, while salt- and dust-laden air causd major public health problems in the
Aral Sea region. The retreat of the sea also caused localised climate change,
with summers becoming hotter and drier, and winters colder and longer.
Although a dam project in 2005 saved what little remained of
the northern part of the sea (the Small Aral), the much larger southern part of
the sea (the Large Aral) continued to shrink, and by 2019 had evaporated
entirely.*
Global oil demand exceeds 100m barrels per day
Meanwhile, new discoveries are continuing to show an
alarming decline. As the decade draws to a close, it becomes painfully obvious
to all that "peak oil" has been reached. And with 60% of all
recoverable oil in the Middle East, conflict looms for much of the region.
2020-2035
World energy crisis
Throughout this period the world is thrown into turmoil as
demand for oil begins to greatly exceed supply - crippling many economies and
triggering widespread social unrest.*
There are major conflicts throughout the Middle East and
Central Asia. The most significant of these resource wars actually involves the
one-off use of a tactical nuclear weapon.
The crisis plays out for nearly two decades, gradually being
resolved by a switch to renewable energy and alternative fuel technologies -
but the transition is by no means a smooth one. By the mid-2030's, the
geopolitical map of the Middle East is almost unrecognisable compared with 20
years previously.
peak oil 2020 energy crisis future
2020
Internet use reaches 5 billion worldwide
The number of Internet users has now reached almost 5
billion - equal to the entire world's population circa 1987. This compares with
1.7 billion users in 2010 and only 360 million in 2000.*
Vast numbers of people in developing countries now have
access to the web, thanks to a combination of plummeting costs and exponential
improvements in technology. This includes laptops that can be bought for only a
few tens of dollars, together with explosive growth in the use of mobile broadband.
Even the most remote populations on Earth can take advantage of the Internet,
thanks to the infrastructure now in place.*
2020 internet users graph data chart global worldwide
population future trend
Texting by thinking
In 2020, mobile phones are becoming available with the
option of texting by thought power alone.*
A sensor-mounted headset is worn by the user. This contains
brain-machine interface technology, which analyses brain waves and converts
them into digital signals.*
Some of the higher end models feature glasses or visors,
with displays built into the lenses. This allows completely hands-free texting,
effectively creating a form of electronic telepathy. The process is rather slow
at this stage - requiring a high degree of concentration - but advances in the
coming decades will revolutionise communication.
future mobile phones 2020 texting
Complete organ replacements grown from stem cells
In the previous decade, it was already possible to grow
individual tissues, tendons and cartilages from stem cells. By 2020, scientists
have fully characterised how every part of the heart works - enabling them to
grow complete replacements for use in transplants.*
The need for external donors is eliminated, and since the
organ is genetically matched to the patient, there is no chance of rejection.
Natural, living tissue is also far more flexible, sophisticated and efficient
than artificially built components - so this new treatment offers radical hope
to millions of people affected by cardiovascular disease. Until now, around 15m
people have died each year from heart-related conditions.
The economic benefits are huge. A significant fraction of
healthcare costs have been attributable to organ failure, the recurring
treatments for chronic diseases and their subsequent complications. This new
regenerative medicine effectively provides a cure, rather than ongoing
treatment. Until now, direct healthcare costs of organ replacement and
associated care have been $350 billion globally (about 8 percent of global healthcare
spending).
As well as the heart, various other organs are developed
over the subsequent decade: lungs, livers, kidneys, spleens, stomachs and
sexual organs all become available by 2030. Internal organ failure is gradually
becoming a thing of the past; for those who can afford the treatments, at
least.
Combined with new vitrification techniques* (which allow
organ banking without damage from ice crystal formation), this is a major
breakthrough in longevity extension.
Holographic TV is mainstream
Breakthroughs in rewritable and erasable systems have made
it possible to mass-market the first truly holographic TV displays.*
This form of technology had been in development for nearly
three decades. One of the main problems encountered was that the displays required
a lengthy delay between each "rewrite" - making it impractical for
televisual displays. However, recent advances in power transfer have overcome
this problem, with displays now capable of running at 24 frames per second.
Typical holographic screens of this period are relatively
small. They are also very expensive, and still viewed as a luxury item for now.
However, further refinement of this technology leads to bigger, more powerful
displays; while competition between the major vendors later succeeds in
bringing down costs, making them affordable to the majority of people.
The screens can either be fixed to a wall (with all the
image writing lasers behind the wall), or placed horizontally on a table (with
all the components underneath).
Initially popular in Japan and the Far East, the displays
rapidly find their way to the rest of the world and make traditional CRT and
LCD screens obsolete.
Over the next few decades perfection of this technology will
see entire rooms turned into holographic environments.
Sweden becomes the first oil-free country
This has been achieved through large-scale investments in
renewable energy, massive tax incentives and grants for scientific research,
and a detailed programme of energy conservation. The country is powered entirely
by zero-carbon technologies, and has rid itself completely of gasoline cars and
oil-heated homes.* From this decade onwards, Sweden experiences massive
prosperity and growth.
Wholly lifelike CGI
Computer-generated people used in the latest video games now
achieve a wholly lifelike appearance. Advances in modelling techniques have
allowed programmers to recreate the subtlest of movements, facial expressions,
lighting and other physical effects. Complex animated scenes featuring entirely
computer-rendered people are becoming indistinguishable from reality.*
2021
"Thoughtcrime" is becoming a reality
Twenty years on from 9/11, mind readers are now a common
feature of airport security, as well as sports stadiums and other high profile
events. This technology faced problems to begin with, as there were false
positives recorded by the machines – but recent advances in neuroscience and
computer analysing software have greatly improved their accuracy.*
The system uses "non-invasive" sensors and
imagers. These observe a person's emotional state, facial expression, body
language, body temperature, heart rate, breathing pattern and other cues.
Analysed together, these factors can determine whether they are planning to
commit a crime.
Specific words, phrases and imagery within the person's
brain are still years away from being fully decipherable. However, it is now
possible to establish their basic, overall intentions beyond any reasonable
doubt.*This technology is also replacing the lie detectors used in courtroom settings.malintent
future airport security fast department of homeland security 2020 2020s 2025
Fully reusable, single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft
Until now, all orbital spacecraft have used multiple stages.
This has required jettisoning parts of a launch vehicle during the flight, in
order to reduce weight. In the early 2020s, however, a new prototype
"space plane" is developed with funding from the EU. This can operate
without the need for booster rockets, fuel tanks, engines or other external components,
instead utilising a hybrid jet/rocket system.*
The vehicle takes off from a specially strengthened runway.
It uses a precooled jet engine (rather than scramjet) to reach speeds of Mach
5.5 (1700 m/s), then closes the air inlet and operates as a highly efficient
rocket to complete the journey to orbit.
Although its payload is only 12 tons (about one-third the
capacity of the space shuttle), the craft is substantially cheaper (about
1/10th) and far more efficient (about 400-fold) than earlier spacecraft.* After
completing a mission, it reenters the atmosphere with its skin protected by a
strong ceramic, landing back on the runway like a normal aeroplane. It then
undergoes any necessary maintenance and is capable of flying again in just two
days (compared to two months for the space shuttle).
These planes are initially unmanned. However, later versions
will be used for space tourism – capable of transporting up to 20 passengers in
a purpose-built module and costing around $500,000 per person.*
Telecommuting is a standard flexible work option
In an effort to cut real estate costs, become more
eco-friendly and attract the growing number of people seeking work-life
balance, most companies by now have adopted a "work wherever you want,
whenever you want" policy.
An increasingly global talent pool is emerging, with
companies aggressively pursuing the best available workers, regardless of where
they reside. Combined with superfast broadband in the home, telecommuting has
grown tremendously as a result.
In addition, soaring fuel costs have led to many
office-based employees working a four-day week, usually consisting of four
10-hour days.
In today's corporate workplaces, multi-touch surface
computing is becoming ubiquitous - along with seamless integration of wireless
devices and applications. Near-paperless offices are becoming a reality.
This combination of advanced technologies and flexible work
options is leading to greatly improved speed, productivity and efficiency in
companies around the world.
Traditional microchips are reaching the limits of
miniaturisation
Semiconductor companies are reaching the limits of
miniaturisation for computer chips. The smallest transistors are now being
built with 11-nanometre manufacturing processes. This is close to the size of
individual atoms. Silicon is impossible to scale below this size, due to the
effects of quantum tunnelling.
Moore's Law - the trend which has seen computer power
doubling every two years - enters a new paradigm shift, with traditional
microchips abandoned in favour of "stacked" 3-dimensional circuits
made from carbon nanotubes.*
Water crisis in southwest USA
Southwestern parts of the USA – including Nevada, Arizona
and southern California – are faced with crippling water shortages, on a scale
normally only seen in Third World countries.
Lake Mead, a key source of water for more than 25 million
people (or about 8% of the US population), has run dry as a result of climate
change.* Increased population growth and associated demand for water resources
have also played a part.
Once the largest reservoir in the country, it has declined
to almost nothing due to the Colorado River’s net deficit of nearly 1 million
acre-feet of water per year. This crisis has occurred despite mitigation
measures implemented early in the previous decade.
As well as providing fresh water, Lake Mead has been a major
source of hydroelectric power, via the Hoover Dam. Blackouts are now occurring
across much of the area. Las Vegas and its famous lights are particularly hard
hit. Authorities have been attempting to stabilise the situation by
constructing solar power facilities both in and around the city, as well as
laying groundwater pipelines from elsewhere in Nevada.* Improved methods of
water conservation and new agricultural techniques are also being introduced.
However, even these measures are proving to be insufficient, and major societal
and economic disruption is unavoidable in the short term. A virtual exodus of
people from the affected regions is underway during this time.
2022
Nanotech clothing enters the mass market
A variety of nanotechnology-based clothing is becoming
mainstream now. This includes truly waterproof garments. These are made from
polyester fibres coated with millions of tiny silicone filaments, structured in
such a way that water simply falls off.*
Other textiles utilising nanotechnology include
self-cleaning carpets. Millions of tiny fingers, embedded in the fabric, can be
made to gently sway and lean towards the edge of the room, shifting dust and
other garbage in a matter of minutes. Collectors fixed into the skirting board
can then gather and dispose of any detritus as necessary. This has already been
used in hotels, luxury apartments and high-grade office buildings - but is now
entering the consumer market thanks to falling costs.
Nanotech is also being used extensively by the military, as
well as police forces. Ultra-lightweight but extraordinarily impact-resistant
jackets and body armour are becoming available. Fireproof suits can also be
made safer using these new materials.
Tooth regeneration is transforming dental care
Having been demonstrated in mice, bioengineered tooth
regeneration is becoming available to humans. Using a combination of stem
cells, scaffold material and signaling molecules, a fully functional and living
tooth can be regrown in around two months - complete with roots, inner pulp and
outer enamel.
Until now, dental implant therapies have required
pre-existing high quality bone structures for supporting the artificial
implants. Full reconstruction of natural, healthy teeth in patients without
adequate bone support is therefore now possible. Fillings and dentures are
becoming obsolete as a result, improving the health and well-being of many
millions of people.*
Piezoelectric
nanowires are appearing in high-end products
The piezoelectric effect, in which crystalline materials
under mechanical stress produce an electric current, is now being utilised at
the nanoscale level to power a variety of devices.*
Tiny vibrations - such as those created by wind, sound
waves, friction, and even the turbulence of blood flow - can be captured and
harnassed by a nanowire mesh. The bending of this mesh in response to these
subtle forces can generate over 200 millivolts.
This form of self-powering technology is so sensitive, it
can even be embedded in clothing. For instance, the subtle movements of a belt,
shirt or trouser pocket can produce enough power to charge the batteries of a
cell phone.
Implantable medical devices benefit particularly well from
this. Hearing aids, for example, no longer require batteries since they can be
powered by sound waves hitting them. Meanwhile, bone-loss monitors and other
sensors can be activated by stresses to the body - then beam an alert signal to
a computer.
Piezoelectric nanowires have a range of other applications.
They can be used in engineering, for example, to detect microscopic fractures
in an aeroplane or spacecraft. They can also be used in identity verification:
a grid of piezoelectric wires underneath a signature pad (or other touchscreen
device) can be used to record the pattern of pressure applied, which is then
checked against a database
Deafness is curable
Recent advances in stem cell research have provided a method
of regenerating sensory cells within the inner ear. Humans are born with 30,000
cochlear and vestibular hair cells per ear. Unlike many animal species, they
are unable to regenerate these when they are damaged. However, experiments with
mice showed that it was possible to induce stem cells - as well as reprogrammed
fibroblasts - into creating enough replacement hair cells to fully restore
hearing. This process was then replicated in people.*
Using the patient's own skin as a source of stem cells means
that the replacements are a perfect genetic match for their body, avoiding
issues of immune rejection. This form of therapy also enables a variety of
other ailments to be treated, such as balance disorders and tinnitus.
2023
Laser-driven fusion energy makes progress
Magnetic confinement - as seen in the ITER - has thus far
been the preferred approach to studying fusion energy. However, the potential
of lasers is now being explored in greater depth. Following years of
engineering and construction, a major new research facility is operational in
Europe.* This aims to demonstrate the feasibility of commercial-level fusion.
The High Power laser Energy Research facility (HiPER) uses a
laser-driven inertial confinement reactor. Lasers are fired into a central
core, where they collide with a single fuel pellet, compressing it to high
density. A second laser is then fired, in a more intense pulse with nanosecond
precision. This ignites the fuel, raising the core temperature to over a
hundred million degrees celsius - hotter than the centre of the Sun - allowing
fusion reactions to occur. Helium is formed, releasing energetic neutrons in
the process. These neutrons are captured, generating electricity.
HiPER's "fast ignition" approach uses much smaller
lasers than previous designs, yet generates power of the same magnitude. This
offers a total "fusion gain" that is much higher than earlier
devices, with a ten-fold reduction in construction costs.
HiPER is only a prototype - but when fully developed, fusion
will become a revolutionary form of energy production. It will be a giant leap forward
in addressing climate change, pollution, energy security and the ever
increasing demand for consumption.
Borneo’s rainforests have been wiped from the map
The world’s 3rd largest island, Borneo was once home to a
staggering range of biodiversity, covering hundreds of thousands of square
kilometres. Its lush rainforests have now almost completely disappeared as a
result of deforestation.* Many rare species are declared extinct around this
time including the Orangutan – one of the most intelligent of the great apes.*
Gorillas are extinct in Central Africa
Rampant and uncontrolled poaching, together with large-scale
deforestation, agriculture, mining, pollution, disease and militia operations
have led to the terminal decline of gorilla populations.* Only those in
captivity now remain.
Turkey becomes self-sufficient in energy production
While many countries are struggling with the effects of peak
oil, a lucky few have benefited from recent new discoveries. Turkey, for
example, has become entirely self-sufficient in energy production - with 10
billion barrels of oil reserves and over 1.5 trillion cubic meters of natural
gas uncovered in the Black Sea.*
These huge reserves have enabled the country to completely
end its dependence on foreign imports and meet its energy needs for at least
the next 30 years. Turkey's standing in the world is increased significantly as
a result, boosted further by its recent entry into the EU. Celebrations are
also taking place this year to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of
the republic.
New oil discoveries have also been made in Iran,
Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and China. More controversially, the frozen polar
wastes of the Arctic and Antarctic are now being plundered for their fossil
fuel reserves.
2024
The biggest refugee crisis in world history
Torrential flooding in southeast Asia - brought on by a
combination of rising sea levels, melting glaciers and extreme weather events -
is creating the biggest refugee crisis in world history. Bangladesh and other
parts of the region are seeing literally tens of millions of men, women and
children displaced from their homes.*
This unfolding horror is the first major crisis of the 21st
century which can be attributed directly to global warming.
Although a number of different countries are affected, the
disaster is centred on Bangladesh with its high population (over 150 million)
and high density, situated in the low-lying Ganges River delta. With most of
the country just a few metres above sea level - and with a flat topography -
storm surges are flooding vast areas of land with virtually no hope of
recovery. As well as the physical damage to infrastructure, salt in the ground
means that fields up to 40km from the new coastline are rendered useless for
growing crops.*
Millions are drowned, while many others die in the
subsequent looting and chaos that sweeps the nation, and a whole series of
conflicts begins to erupt along the border with India.* The sheer scale of this
catastrophe makes it difficult to coordinate relief efforts. Relatively
speaking, only token assistance can be offered by the UN.
Ironically, Bangladesh has contributed very little in the
way of pollution blamed for accelerating climate change.
African elephants are
on the brink of extinction
Despite efforts to curtail the ivory trade, huge numbers of
elephants continued to be poached throughout Africa. Their population - which
stood at 600,000 in 2009 - declined by nearly 40,000 each year.*
Only a handful remain in Africa today. Zoos and safari parks
around the globe are now working to maintain a viable population for future
rewilding.
Petabyte storage devices are available
Data storage devices are continuing to grow exponentially,
with capacities doubling every year. Nanotechnology is enabling truly vast
quantities of information to be stored. A petabyte is 1000 terabytes, or one
million gigabytes. Secure digital and microSD cards have disappeared by now,
replaced by an even smaller form-factor.
2025
Human brain simulations are possible
The exponential growth in computing power - combined with
the use of nanobots - is making it possible to form accurate models of every
part of the human brain.Between 2005 and 2025, there is a millionfold increase
in computational power, along with vastly improved scanning resolution and
bandwidth. Until recently, only separate regions of the brain had been modelled
- but scientists are now able to combine them into one giant, complete
simulation.
Much like the Human Genome Project of the 1990s, there were
many in the scientific community who doubted the brain could be indexed and
catalogued so quickly. However - like their predecessors - they failed to
account for the Law of Accelerating Returns and its rapid snowball effect on
the gathering of knowledge.*
Medical nanobots are becoming available
Microscopic robots - measuring just a few nanometres across
- are available for a variety of uses now. They are most commonly seen in
medical applications, where their size enables them to reach places in the
human body that were simply inaccessible before or too delicate for
conventional instruments to operate on.
A number of the most important breakthroughs have been in
the treatment of cancer, which can be detected earlier than ever before and
targeted with far more precision. By the 2030s, more than 90% of cancers can be
cured as a result of this. Even patients who would previously have been
diagnosed as "terminally ill" can now be routinely saved. Monitoring
of heart conditions, neurological disorders and countless other illnesses is
also vastly improved. This, combined with enormous strides in stem cell
research, is creating a new generation of medical treatments that is reaching a
whole new level of sophistication and efficiency.
The nanobots themselves are built on a molecule-by-molecule basis,
via positionally-controlled diamond mechanosynthesis and diamondoid
nanofactories. Each robot is capable of propelling itself using tiny
"motors" and is equipped with microscopic sensing, guidance and
communication devices.
China's economy continues to boom
Much of China is now highly urbanised and densified. Its
booming economy has led to the construction of literally tens of thousands of
new skyscrapers all over the country. There are now over 200 cities with more
than a million inhabitants, compared with just 35 in the whole of Europe circa
2010.* Even many remote and isolated places are beginning to see development on
an unprecedented scale. Large-scale infrastructure such as maglev trains,
airports, bridges and tunnels is forming an extensive network to all corners of
the nation, leaving few areas untouched. China is well on its way to becoming a
developed country.
Some of the largest metropolitan areas - such as Hong Kong
and Shenzhen - actually begin to overlap and form "hyper cities",
rivalling Tokyo in terms of population and land area. Many of the world's
tallest buildings can now be found in China, including a number of
kilometre-high "supertalls".
All of this has a considerable impact on the price of steel
and other materials, which leads to cutbacks of many large-scale development
projects in Europe, America and elsewhere. The rise of neighbouring India is
adding to this. The West is now having a greatly reduced influence on setting
the price of metals. Meanwhile, vast profits are being made by construction and
mining firms, which leads to many high profile takeovers and acquisitions. At
the same time, record numbers of accidents during this time - as a result of so
much construction activity - lead to tighter regulations and improved safety in
the industry. Better pay and working conditions for employees are subsequently
introduced.
As China booms, its power requirements are soaring. The
country has been preparing for this, however, by strengthening relations with
Central Asian countries and importing more oil and gas from them, especially
Turkmenistan which has made significant new discoveries. China’s entry into
Central Asia was also partly motivated by the need to reduce its dependency on
(a) the Middle East, and (b) the Malacca Strait for shipping oil from the
Persian Gulf and Africa; a stretch of water that was becoming increasingly
vulnerable to pirate attacks, and was the subject of ongoing political tensions
regarding its control.
As well as strengthening its oil imports, substantial gains
have been made from energy efficiency and conservation programmes, along with
greatly increased use of nuclear power. By 2025 its nuclear power generating
capacity is nearly 150 billion kilowatthours (khwh), passing that of Canada and
Russia.* In the coming years, this will increase still further, as 4th
generation nuclear power plants become available. Demands for environmental
protection also lead to increased solar, wind and hydro-electric power.
Vertical farms are appearing in many cities
In an effort to deal with potential food and water
shortages, many cities are now building vertical farms.* There are tremendous
cost advantages of sourcing food locally, and the farms often use genetic
modification processes, allowing them to harvest crops faster.
High-speed rail networks are being expanded in many
countries
Many countries have now conducted a radical overhaul of
their rail transport infrastructure.
In Spain, more than 10,000km of high-speed track has been
laid, making it the most extensive network in the world. 90 percent of the
country's population now live within 50km of a bullet train station.*
In the UK, a major high-speed rail line is nearing
completion. This will travel up the central spine of the country - connecting
London with Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Trains will be capable of reaching 200mph, slashing previous journey times by
almost half.*
In Japan, Tokyo is now connected with Nagoya and Osaka -
along with several smaller cities - via superfast magnetic levitation trains.
Tests conducted in previous decades showed that it was possible to build a
railway tunnel in a straight route through the Southern Japanese Alps. The
first generation of these trains already held the world speed record, at 581 km/h
(or 361mph); but recent advances in carriage design have pushed this still
further, to over 600 km/hour (or 373mph). This is fast enough to compete with
some commercial airliners.*
Many other countries are investing in high-speed rail during
this time, due to its sheer speed and convenience, together with soaring fuel
costs and environmental factors which have made car and air travel less
attractive.
Even the US - which for decades had neglected its rail
network - is making huge progress in this area.
Africa and the Middle East are linked by a transcontinental
bridge
A 15-year megaproject - costing over $200 billion - has seen
the construction of two entire new cities, located at either ends of a 29
kilometre (18 mile) bridge. Dubbed the "Bridge of the Horns", this
spans the southern mouth of the Red Sea and connects Yemen (Middle East) to
Djibouti (Africa). With support for freight trains, light rail and cars, this
greatly facilitates the movement of people, trade and resources between the two
continents.*
Each of the hi-tech cities at either end of the bridge is
powered almost entirely by renewable energy. They feature many other green
technologies and sustainable development practices. As their population swells,
they become major commercial, educational and tourist hubs of the region.* A
highway is also built, linking them to Dubai.
Progress with longevity extension
The potential for radical life extension is beginning to
enter the public consciousness. Experiments at a university have yielded the
first 10 year old mice. Since mice and humans share similar DNA, this
"robust rejuvenation" is a major stepping stone towards halting the
ageing process in people.*
For those under the age of 50, there is now real and genuine
hope of being able to live indefinitely. Though a permanent cure for humans is
still many years away, a number of therapies are now in development which can
substantially reduce the cell damage, mitochondrial mutations and other adverse
effects of ageing. Combined with dietary and lifestyle changes, these temporary
measures can be used to buy time for the more dramatic advances in the years
ahead - creating a "bridge" to the next era of scientific discovery.
This period marks the beginning of a major increase in
public interest and awareness of the subject. At the same time, however, there
is a great deal of opposition from religious institutions and conservative
groups.
Stress and anxiety is reaching crisis levels
By now, a multitude of external factors - intruding into
almost every aspect of peoples' day-to-day lives - has led to soaring levels of
stress, anxiety and depression. In the early 2000s, around one in four citizens
could expect to develop a form of mental illness. By the late 2020s, this has
risen to almost one in three.
This is especially true of those living in high density
urban centres. Rapid advances in technology and the Internet, rampant
consumerism and advertising; the ever increasing work-related stresses, debts,
living costs, bad diets, overcrowding and pollution - coupled with loneliness,
alienation, and loss of national identity - not to mention the constant
scaremongering by media and government; the intensifying problems of climate
change, peak oil, and terrorism (plus a host of related security and
surveillance measures), along with various health scares originating from
overseas... the list goes on and on.
Due to the ongoing energy crisis, frequent blackouts are
occurring in many countries during this time, while fuel shortages are
commonplace at petrol stations. Meanwhile, record heatwaves and dangerous
levels of air pollution are making summers unbearable in some urban areas. In
Europe, right-wing nationalist governments are on the rise due to the massive
amount of immigration occurring from Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere.
The combined impact of these many factors is having a
serious impact on the mental health of citizens.*
Contact with the Voyager probes is lost
Voyager I is now almost 23 billion kilometers from our Sun -
or 150 times the distance between the Sun and Earth.
Both probes have remained operational for nearly half a
century, continuing to transmit science data back to NASA. They have left the
heliosphere entirely and are now headed towards the bow shock - the boundary
between the stellar wind and the interstellar medium.
However, by this date, onboard power finally starts to wane.
Various instruments begin shutting down, one by one, until eventually all
contact is lost.
Each probe carries a gold-plated audio-visual disc, in the
event that either spacecraft is ever found by intelligent alien life. The discs
carry images of Earth and its lifeforms, a range of scientific information,
along with a medley, "Sounds of Earth", that includes the sounds of
whales, a baby crying, waves breaking on a shore, a variety of music from
different cultures and eras, plus greetings in 60 different languages.*
2026
Rising sea levels are wreaking havoc on the Maldives
At an average of just 1.5m above sea level, the Maldives is
the lowest lying country on the planet. Rising sea levels are now beginning to
devastate its economy, one-third of which relies on tourism.
The mere talk of a possible submersion, in previous years,
had been damaging investor confidence. By this date, however, the tangible
reality of global warming is leading to the wholesale abandonment of many
islands.*
The United States of Africa is established
Following years of diplomatic negotiations, the first truly
pan-African government has been formed.* This federation has a combined
population of more than a billion. It consists of the 53 sovereign states on
the African continent, and extends as far west as the Caribbean to include
Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
The union is faced with major challenges - including health
issues such as the AIDS epidemic and malaria; political issues such as
corruption and civil wars; economic issues such as improving the standard of
living of millions of impoverished, uneducated Africans; and environmental
issues such as famine and desertification. However, this continental unity
marks a turning point for Africa. As trade links improve, wealth and stability
increases, and its constituent nations find themselves better able to market
their labour, products and resources. Access to education and healthcare is
being boosted by a number of technological innovations
This transformation is a slow, gradual process - but finally
there is hope for a peaceful, prosperous Africa. This situation is being
mirrored in a number of other Third World countries which are beginning to extend
their spheres of influence. With many First World nations facing their own
economic and political crises, a more even spread of power is emerging across
the globe.
2027
BRICs overtake the G7
By this date, the major emerging markets - Brazil, Russia,
India and China, a.k.a. the BRICs - have overtaken the combined GDP of the G7
nations.*
Carbon sequestration is underway in many nations
Following years of research and development, a number of
geoengineering techniques are now being utilised for trapping and removing CO2.
This is offering fresh hope for mitigating the effects of climate change.
The most significant technology is "clean coal",
being fitted to power plants. This is seeing widespread adoption, since it now
costs less than unsequestered coal-based power generation.* The carbon dioxide
is stored in geological formations deep underground (including some empty oil
wells). Great care and precision must be taken in choosing these sites,
however, as dumping the gas in an unstable location may cause it to leak back
up to the surface or contaminate aquifers used for drinking supplies.
Another method of carbon sequestration which is showing
great potential is the deployment of "artificial trees". These are
shaped like giant fly swatters around 10m high, and are becoming an
increasingly common sight along roads, freeways and other polluted areas.* The
trees capture CO2 through a filter - thousands of times more efficiently than
real trees - which is then removed and stored.
Another geoengineering project involves strips of algae,
fitted to the sides of buildings, which naturally absorb CO2 through
photosynthesis. They are most common in high-density urban centres, where tall
buildings offer a much greater surface area. These "photobioreactors"
(as they are called) not only sequest carbon, but can also produce biofuel and
biochar as beneficial side effects. The biofuel can be used to generate energy
whilst keeping net carbon emissions to zero, while the biochar can be used as a
very good fertiliser.*
Yet another project is the addition of highly reflective
panels on rooftops. These reflect sunlight back into space, reducing the amount
of solar radiation being absorbed by the Earth.
Although efficient, the geoengineering techniques described
above (along with various others) do not represent the ultimate solution to
global warming. They are only a temporary measure. The only effective,
long-term process for stabilising the earth's climate remains the large-scale
adoption of solar, wind, hydro, nuclear and other renewable energy sources.
2028
Printed electronics are ubiquitous
The printed electronics market has seen exponential growth.
By now, it has ballooned to over $300 billion globally - even overtaking the
silicon integrated circuit industry.*
This technology began with a small number of niche, high-end
products. It expanded rapidly in the 2010s, thanks to plummeting costs and
improved production methods. By the 2020s it had exploded into the mainstream –
creating a whole new generation of ultra-thin electronics.
Today, these have such low fabrication costs that they are
ubiquitous, being present in countless everyday business and consumer
applications. Many previously bulky and heavy devices can now be folded, stored
or carried as easily as sheets of paper. This includes flexible TV displays
that can be rolled or hung like posters, wearable mobile phones, electronic
newspapers with moving pictures, disposable netbooks, "smart"
packaging and labels with animated text, signage in retail outlets that can be
updated shop-wide at the touch of a button.*
Multimedia players with expandable, fold-out touchscreens
are especially popular. Even low-end models are now the size and weight of
credit cards and can easily fit inside a wallet. With petabytes of storage,
gigapixels of screen resolution and superfast transfer speeds, they are
millions of times more powerful than iPods of previous decades. They are also
completely wireless - no cables or physical connections of any kind are
required, and music can be enjoyed using wireless earphones.
UK population reaches 70 million
Britain will soon become the most populous country in
Europe, overtaking both Germany and France. This is mainly due to vast numbers
of immigrants. Combined with a shrinking labour force, this is putting an
enormous strain on public services - especially in London, which has born the
brunt of this increase.
The East End has been transformed in recent years, becoming
almost a whole new city within London, and beginning to rival the West End.
Vast areas of land have been redeveloped with hundreds of new residential
developments, office towers, retail masterplans, green spaces and public areas
- all built to the highest environmental standards.
Manned fighter planes are being phased out and replaced with
UAVs
By this date, the A-10 Thunderbolt II has been replaced
completely by the F-35 Lightning II - which itself becomes one of the last
remaining manned fighter planes in the US military. The F-35 will remain in
operation until the 2040s, eventually being replaced by a new generation of
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) controlled by advanced AI.
x-47a x47 x47a uav unmanned aerial vehicle ai
Amputees can regrow lost limbs
Drugs are now available that can stimulate human cells to
regrow entire limbs.* By switching off a particular gene known as P21, adult
mammalian cells can be induced to behave like regenerative embryonic stem
cells.*
The treatments are applied transiently during the healing
process and only locally at the wound site, which also minimises any side
effects.Further into the future, spinal cords and even damaged brains will be
capable of being regenerated.*
2029
Human-like AI is becoming a reality
A major milestone is reached in the field of AI research
this year, as a computer passes the Turing Test for the very first time.** In a
virtual reality setting, a human judge is made to engage in a natural language
conversation with one human and one machine, each of which tries to appear
human. The participants are placed in isolated locations.
Graphics and voice effects have already progressed to the
point that CGI characters are visually indistinguishable from real people.
However, computer intelligence and interaction has also grown exponentially,
such that the judge is now literally unable to tell the machine from the real
human.*
Answers to certain "obscure" questions posed by
the judge may appear slightly childlike from the AI - but they are humanlike
nonetheless.*
Automation of supermarkets and retail environments
In developed nations, the majority of retail environments
are now cashless. Automated systems have made it possible for customers to shop
with little or no physical interaction with a checkout.
Items are simply "scanned" as they pass through
the door. The customer is identified either by a chip in their card, or with a
prepayment transponder obtained from a vending machine outside the store.
Transactions are then generated instantly and wirelessly over the Internet.
This system greatly saves time, improves security and
reduces costs for the retailer by eliminating the need for checkout staff.
Intelligent advertising
Personalised adverts, similar in style to those seen in the
film Minority Report, are becoming widespread by the end of this decade.*
Microsensors embedded in posters and other outdoor media can identify people by
the chips in their mobile phone, credit card and other personal effects. These
adverts are then customised depending on the personal habits, interests and
lifestyle of the person in question.
Pairs of ultrasonic beams - targeted to intersect at
specific points - deliver a localised sound message that only a single person
can hear. This means that even in crowded situations, the adverts can be made
personal and unique.
Civil liberties campaigners decry the use of such technology,
given the rise in anxiety, paranoia and other mental illness resulting from
such marketing tactics; but the demands of business win through.
Titan Saturn System Mission (TSSM)
This is a joint NASA/ESA mission involving the exploration
of Saturn and its moons. The craft is launched in 2020, and goes through a
total of four gravity assists (Earth-Venus-Earth-Earth), before finally
reaching Saturn in 2029.*
Detailed, close-range imaging is conducted of both Titan and
Enceladus - including a flyby into Titan's lower atmosphere with a hot air
balloon, just a few miles above the surface. This takes place over the equator
and lasts for six months, returning a vast amount of data. Equipped with
ultra-high resolution cameras, the probe reveals in stunning detail the
landscapes of this strange alien world.
On its second Titan flyby, a surface lander is released by
the orbiter. This is targeted over Kraken Mare, a northern polar sea of icy
hydrocarbons. The probe descends by parachute, like the Huygens probe of 2005.
A few hours later, it hits the liquid surface - becoming the first ever
floating exploration of an extraterrestrial sea.
The battery-operated craft's principal function is to sample
and analyze organics on the surface for a period of nine hours, including six
hours of atmospheric descent and three or more hours on the surface. Both
probes' data are relayed to the Titan orbiter.
Lake Chad disappears from the map
In the 19th century, Lake Chad was among the largest lakes
in the world. It supported a vast ecosystem of fish, waterfowl, crocodiles,
shore birds and other animals.
Due to the combined effects of drought, irrigation and human
activity, it has disappeared entirely by now.* This is having a devastating
impact on Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon - with over 30 million people
depending on the lake for agriculture, drinking water, livestock, fishing and
other purposes.
Vast numbers of refugees are now moving to elsewhere on the
continent.
2030
Global population is reaching crisis point
Explosive population growth - along with continued
industrialisation of emerging economies - is having a catastrophic impact on
food, water and energy supplies.*
In the early 2000s, there were six billion people on Earth.
By 2030, there are an additional two billion, most of them from poor countries.
Humanity's ecological footprint is such that it now requires the equivalent of
two whole Earths to sustain itself. Farmland, fresh water and natural resources
are becoming scarcer by the day.
The extra one-third of human beings on the planet means that
energy requirements have soared, at a time when fossil fuel supplies are
declining. A whole series of conflicts is now unfolding in the Middle East,
Asia and Africa, at times threatening to spill over into Europe. With America involved
too, the world is teetering on the brink of a major global war.
There is the added issue of climate change, with CO2 levels
now reaching 450 parts per million. There are signs that a tipping point has
been reached, which is manifesting itself in the form of runaway environmental
degradation. Nature's ecosystems are beginning to collapse on a scale rarely
witnessed in Earth's history.
The accelerating magnitude of these problems is leading to a
rapid migration from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy. Advances in
nanotechnology have resulted in vastly improved solar power. This is enabling
photovoltaic materials to be added to almost every new building. Maglev wind
power is beginning to replace traditional wind turbines, allowing for much greater
capacity in a smaller footprint. Energy supplies in general are becoming more
localised and self-sufficient, while standards of power conservation have risen
across the board. Clean coal is a further option now available. Meanwhile, 4th
generation nuclear is close to being perfected and fusion power is only a
decade or two away.
Although humanity is weening itself off fossil fuels, they
remain the principal energy source in 2030 - accounting for nearly half of all
power production.
Another issue which governments have to contend with during
this time is the ageing population, which has seen a doubling of retired
persons since the year 2000. People are living longer, healthier lives. Huge
budget increases have been made for state pensions, but the funding is spread
over such a large number of people that the overall effect is a decreased
income for the average senior citizen. Retirement ages are increasing: in
America, Asia and most European countries, many employees are forced to work
into their 70s.
AI is widespread
Technology is accelerating exponentially. By 2030, the pace
of change is so great that it will seem as if an entire century of progress has
already occurred in the first three decades of the 21st century.* Scientific
breakthroughs appear to be happening with startling frequency now - especially
in the fields of computing, nanotechnology, medicine and neuroscience.*
Workplaces are becoming highly automated, with tremendous
improvements in speed, productivity and efficiency. Ever-increasing use of
portable, wireless devices has led to the evolution of near-paperless offices.
Meanwhile, the need for hyperfast exchange of information has created enormous
demand for video conferencing - a trend reinforced by significant reductions in
air travel.
Many companies are downsizing their administrative
departments and replacing them with AI. This is particularly true of call
centres, and other service-based roles, where customers often deal face-to-face
with "virtual employees" based on automated software. Crude versions
of these systems had been utilised as far back as the 1990s - activated by
simple voice commands over the telephone - but now they are presented onscreen
as fully conversant digital entities.
Though lacking much in the way of personality, these
sentient programs talk with "perfect" voices and are very pleasant on
the ears.* They have a multitude of menu options and can usually deal with
almost any query - however specific or unusual - thanks to their advanced voice
and facial recognition software.
As competition increases, these virtual employees become a
powerful marketing tool in the bid to provide the best possible customer
service. In addition to mainstream companies, the adult entertainment industry
gains a huge advantage from them, with enormous demand for their services.
Research and development into artificial intelligence (and related
hardware/software) increases greatly during this period. An added benefit of
interacting with these virtual people is the complete elimination of caller queuing,
since there is no need for physical staff anymore.
With AI beginning to play a stronger role in society,
concerns arise of a "technological singularity", as forecast by Ray
Kurzweil and others. These fears prove to be exaggerated for now, in a manner
similar to the Millenium Bug.
USA is declining as a world power
A ballooning budget deficit, record levels of personal debt,
and a declining manufacturing base, combined with excessive military spending
and related activities (such as increased homeland security and surveillance)
greatly damaged the US economy over the previous few decades. This caused long
term damage to the country's standing.
The continued industrialisation of China and India has led
to phenomenal growth in these and other Asian countries, with many millions
being lifted out of poverty. Shanghai has eclipsed Wall Street as the leading
financial centre.
Despite these changes, the US still retains its super power
status - but every leading economist now acknowledges that it won't be the only
country holding such influence for much longer. China, India and the EU are
becoming major players on the world stage. What this means for geopolitical
stability is the subject of much debate around this time, but many agree that a
group of superpowers rather than a single hyperpower will mean increased
conflict.
AIDS, cancer and a plethora of other degenerative diseases
are curable
The combination of stem cell research, synthetic genomics,
nanotechnology and other breakthroughs has led to cures for a wide range of
illnesses by now - including AIDS/HIV, the majority of cancers, motor neurone
disease, arthritis and diabetes. Although Parkinson's and Alzheimer's have yet
to be fully understood, dramatic progress is now being made thanks to
reverse-engineering of the human brain.*
The growth of information technology in medicine has played
an enormous role here. Ongoing, exponential gains in the scale, capacity and
price performance of computer hardware (doubling annually) have transformed the
ability to scan, analyse and decode the human body.
The tools to reprogram the information processes underlying
biology are gaining a further boost from the development of strong AI. This is
being used to greatly accelerate research efforts. Automated software programs now
combine the subtlety of humans with the speed, memory and knowledge sharing of
non-biological intelligence.*
India becomes the most populous country in the world
Around this time, India overtakes China to become the most
populous country in the world. By the middle of this decade it will be home to
over 1.5 billion people. The gap between these two countries will continue to
widen, with China's population actually declining from this point onwards.
As part of a climate change deal, foreign investment within
India has enabled the country to build more than a hundred gigawatts of solar
power facilities: enough to supply 200 million people with clean energy.*
Together with its growth as a major IT centre, this has further improved its
social and economic standing. At the same time, however, the effects of climate
change are beginning to take hold. Droughts are posing serious challenges to
food and water production.
Full weather modeling is perfected
Zettaflop-scale computers are now available for scientific
establishments. These systems are a thousand times more powerful than those of
2020 and a million times more powerful than those of 2010.
One field seeing particular benefit during this time is
meteorology. Weather forecasts can be generated with 99% accuracy over a two
week period.* Satellites can map wind and rain patterns in real time at
extraordinary resolution - from square kilometres in previous decades, down to
less than 10 square metres now.
Long-term global warming and climate modeling can also be
achieved in far greater detail than ever before.
Emerging job titles of today
Some of the new job titles becoming widespread in 2030
include the following.*
·
Alternative Vehicle Developer
·
Avatar Manager / Devotee
·
Body Part Maker
·
Climate Change Reversal Specialist
·
Memory Augmentation Surgeon
·
Nano Medic
·
Narrowcaster
·
'New Science' Ethicist
·
Old Age Wellness Manager / Consultant Specialist
·
Quarantine Enforcer
·
Social 'Networking' Officer
·
Space Pilot / Orbital Tour Guide
·
Vertical Farmer
·
Virtual Clutter Organizer
·
Virtual Lawyer
·
Virtual Teacher
·
Waste Data Handler
2031
Web 4.0 is transforming the Internet landscape
Further convergence of the online and physical world has led
to the emergence of "Web 4.0" - the next generation of internet.
Semantic analyzing programs, having evolved into forms of AI, now perform a
huge range of automated tasks for business, government and consumers. Running
on massively parallel networks, these applications hunt for textual and visual
data - combining the most subtle capabilities of humans (such as pattern
recognition) with ways in which machines are already vastly superior (such as
speed and memory).*
In addition to serving as highly advanced search engines,
they are playing a major function in the real world - gathering information from
the array of sensors, cameras and other tracking devices now present in the
environment, on vehicles, and even on people themselves.
Although privacy and civil liberties issues are being
raised, this new generation of IT promises to bring enormous benefits to
society. Crimes are faster and easier to solve thanks to these intelligent
virtual agents; transport and logistics are smoother and more efficient;
resources can be managed and distributed more accurately.
In addition, practically every physical document in
existence has now been digitally encoded, backed up and archived online. This
includes full copies of all books, journals, manuscripts and other literature
ever published – forming a complete repository of human knowledge going back
thousands of years. These documents can be retrieved and analysed using
real-time speech commands, translated from any of the world's 6,000 languages
and accessed via 3D holographic imaging.
Web 4.0 is also democratising the Internet more than ever
before. News agencies are finding themselves increasingly outmoded by bloggers
and other social media when it comes to speed and accuracy of information.
Married couples are a minority
By now, marriage in the West has been reduced to the status
of a lifestyle choice enjoyed by a minority, rather than an essential
institution of society. This trend, which began in the 1980s, has seen the
married population shrink from almost 50% of adults in 2009, to just 41% now.*
Increasing pressures of work and money, together with the
general stresses of the outside world (including the ongoing energy crisis),
are putting an ever-greater strain on couples. The decline of religious
institutions has also played a part here. Unmarried partnerships no longer
carry the stigma they once had.
In addition, increasing numbers of people either working at
home alone, or living with their parents, are making it difficult for some to
meet potential partners.
Another contributory factor is an explosion in the use of
virtual reality - and other such technologies - which has led to increased
individual isolation. People of all ages spend increasingly large amounts of
their time engaged in highly immersive online experiences, requiring little or
no interaction with the outside world.
Of those who are married, the number of children per couple
has declined considerably in Western societies. Combined with increasing
numbers of Muslim immigrants (who have much higher numbers of children), this
is beginning to radically alter the demographics in some countries.
2032
Manned mission to Mars
Perhaps the most long-overdue space mission in history is
finally undertaken during this time. A full six decades after the Apollo
landings, technology is now vastly improved - particularly with regards to IT
and telecommunications.
The costs involved are still enormous, however. Rather than
going it alone, NASA is forced to share the burden with other nations.
4th generation nuclear power
By this date, 4th generation nuclear power plants are
commercially available.* They utilise a system of tiny ball bearings, rather
than large fuel rods. They are a major improvement over previous generations,
for the following reasons:
* It is physically
impossible for them to have a runaway chain reaction, as happened with
Chernobyl. No error, human or otherwise, will ever produce a meltdown.
* The uranium fuel
is only 9% enriched. This makes it impossible to be used in terrorist nuclear
weapons.
* The nuclear
waste is much easier to dispose of.
* They are highly
economical. Electricity can be generated more cheaply than oil or gas power,
even when the decommissioning costs of the stations are taken into account.
For these reasons, nuclear power becomes a lucrative
industry from the 2030s onwards. China and India, in particular, take advantage
of this enhanced power source.
Solar and wind power has greater long term potential,
however, due to the finite supply of uranium.
Terabit internet speeds are commonplace
In addition to the benefits resulting from Web 4.0
(described earlier), connection speeds have also vastly improved. Bandwidth has
been growing by roughly 50% each year. Many households in the developed world
now have a terabit connection.*
A significant number of these connections are now appearing
on people themselves, in the form of wearable or implantable devices.
2033
Hypersonic airliners are entering service
Following decades of research and development, a new
generation of aeroplanes are entering commercial service.*
These aircraft have a cruising speed of Mach 5 - or about 3,800
mph - enabling them to fly from Europe to Australia in less than four hours.
With a range of more than 20,000km (12,000 miles) they can perform this journey
without refuelling and have excellent subsonic and supersonic fuel efficiency,
thus avoiding the problems inherent in earlier supersonic aircraft.
Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, they are environmentally friendly.
Being powered by liquid hydrogen, their only waste products are water vapor and
small amounts of nitrous oxide.
Another advantage is that, while the 150 metre-long designs
are much bigger than previous jets, they are actually lighter than Boeing 747s
and can utilise conventional airport runways. They have moderate take-off
noise, too.
In many ways, they are the spiritual successor of Concorde.
However, they do not have windows. The heat generated by
traveling so fast makes it difficult to install windows that are not too heavy.
One solution to this problem has been the installation of flat screen displays,
showing images of the scene outside.*
Holographic wall screens
Conference halls, office headquarters, modern art galleries
and other such environments now have access to holographic wall screens. These
are substantially larger versions of the TV projectors which have been in use
since the 2020s. These upscale models are becoming so large that they can fill
entire rooms. At this stage, they remain far too expensive for mainstream use
in the home (except for luxury apartments owned by the rich and famous).
However, they are a relatively common sight in workplaces, where video
conferencing is playing an increasing role in business; and in entertainment
venues such as movie theatres, nightclubs and stadiums.
Times Square in New York, Piccadilly Circus in London, and
Shibuya in Tokyo now feature spectacular advertisement displays, with graphics
appearing to literally "jump out" of the screen.
IT's share of the US economy reaches 15%
The trend in IT growth is shown below. This has been
consistent since at least the 1970s and there are no signs of it slowing down.
Major industries fueling this growth now include biotechnology, nanotechnology,
leisure and entertainment (especially VR) and the development of AI.
By the end of the century, over a quarter of America's GDP
may be based on IT, as the demand for physical goods and services decreases,
being replaced with virtual and digital goods and services online.
Lung disease in China has killed over 80 million by now
This has resulted from the combined long term effects of (a)
pollution; 20 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in China, (b)
huge numbers of smokers; around 50% of adults, and (c) the widespread practice
of burning wood or coal at home for cooking and heating; over 65% of the
population.*
China has begun switching to cleaner fuels by this time,
however - and is implementing a new programme of taxation, better health
education and tobacco advertising bans. This begins to reduce the proportion of
deaths from lung disease from around this time onwards.
2034
Exabyte storage devices are available
Data storage devices are now available with capacities of
more than one exabyte (a million terabytes). This might seem excessive to
observers from earlier decades. It has become necessary in today's world,
however, due to the exponential growth of information technology. The
day-to-day experiences of the average person now involve a stupendous amount of
data collection - especially for those using neural interfaces or biotechnology
implants.
2035
Ice-free summers in the Arctic
Due to global warming, the Arctic is now completely free of
ice during summer months. A dramatic decline in sea ice coverage was observed
during 2007. This trend continued over the subsequent decades, the process
accelerated by the increasing surface area of water - being darker, the sea
absorbed more of the Sun's heat compared to reflective white ice.
Self-driving vehicles are widespread
In many developed countries - especially in the EU - a new
generation of self-driving vehicles is being rolled out. These use a
combination of advanced GPS, AI and lane-changing technology to carry
passengers to their destination automatically. As well as improving road
safety, these cars are fitted with the latest hydrogen-based technology to make
them energy efficient and reduce their impact on the environment.
Holographic recreations of dead people
Throughout this time many dead celebrities, presidents and
historical figures from the past are "resurrected" online, via the
immense AI and supercomputing powers now available. This phenomenon is aided by
the recent human brain simulations that have been made possible. Data mining of
every single word ever spoken, written, or otherwise recorded by the person is
undertaken, then analysed to recreate their character traits and emotions. This
allows the construction of a highly accurate "shell" personality,
surrounding a generic "core" program, run as an entirely independent
AI simulation.
The project sparks much controversy when first announced
(especially among the religious community) but soon gains momentum, as a whole
host of actors, musicians, artists, scientists, politicians and other
individuals from the past are made available.* Advanced holographic techniques
- combined with real-time audio-visual interaction - make them appear as
lifelike as any other person alive in the world today.
This form of computerised resurrection is soon extended and
made possible for ordinary citizens wishing to preserve a loved one in digital
form; though once again, it is more popular among the non-religious (and the
process is generally less accurate, since the average person tends to leave
behind less data, written words, video recordings and other information for use
in constructing the programs). The technology involved is also expensive. It is
used only by the rich for now - or in certain public locations such as museums,
galleries and other venues.
Robots are dominating the battlefield*
A variety of mobile, autonomous fighting machines are
appearing on the battlefield now. Guided by advanced AI, they can aim with
inhuman precision and come equipped with powerful sensors, GPS and thermal
vision. They can be deployed for weeks or months at a time if necessary,
without need for rest or maintenance. They have other advantages too - such as
a complete lack of remorse or fear; no need for training, or retirement
payments, or other such costs. These machines are being used in a wide variety
of conflicts (especially food/energy/resource-related) where they spread terror
and confusion through the ranks of their enemies.
In fact, only the poorest or most desperate enemies are
fielding human troops against this new and deadly force. This is giving the US
an advantage in battlefield situations, allowing the country to regain some of
the power and influence it has lost in previous decades - at least with regards
to armed conflicts.
The most advanced robot models come with self-repairing
nanobot systems and immunity to EMP attacks. Some can even turn themselves
invisible through the use of metamaterials.
Artificially-grown meat is available to consumers
A solution to the ongoing food crisis becomes available near
the end of this decade. Advances in tissue engineering have made it possible to
actually "grow" meat, using just single animal cells.* Having been in
development for over 30 years, it has now reached the stage where it can be
safely mass-produced and made available for public consumption.*
The meat itself has a number of benefits. It is unusually
pure, clean and healthy - whilst retaining the original flavour, texture and
appearance of traditional meat. It can also be produced without harm or cruelty
to animals, being just a lump of cultivated cells. Perhaps most importantly, it
has far less impact on the environment.
It is also much cheaper than ordinary meat, which is
especially beneficial to developing countries, many of which have seen their
agricultural systems ravaged by climate change.
Like GM crops and other such radical advances, a number of
political and psychological hurdles stood in the way of its development. This
meant its introduction to the mainstream was delayed by several years. However,
the aforementioned crisis in farming - along with endorsements from animal
welfare groups - gave added impetus and eventually pushed it through.
2036
Bionic eyes that surpass human vision
Although yet to become mainstream, a bionic eye is now
available that not only restores sight, but actually exceeds normal human
vision. This breakthrough has been made possible due to exponential advances in
sensor technology and computer power.
The first generation of these implants began appearing in
the late 2010s.* They were somewhat crude initially - providing only a very
pixelated view of the world and requiring the use of glasses frames for
mounting the cameras.
This latest generation, however, is such high resolution
that it now exceeds the sensitivity of natural human eyes. Gigapixels of
resolution can be captured and transmitted to the optic nerve into the visual
centres of the brain. Externally mounted cameras are no longer necessary -
these have been miniaturised by a factor of thousands and incorporated within
the eye itself.
Bionic eyes will soon begin to offer more than just ordinary
sight. They will be capable of providing infrared vision, for instance, for
improved health and safety in night-time situations. They will include video
recording capabilities, serving as the ultimate in portable webcams. The
convergence of Web 4.0 and augmented reality will enable users to receive
detailed information on their surroundings, just by looking around them.*
The cost of these implants is also dropping substantially,
thanks to exponential improvements in price performance. Having been tens of
thousands of dollars in earlier decades, they will soon be available for less
than $100.
2037
Quantum computers are becoming available
Certain government agencies, universities and research
institutes now have access to this revolutionary form of technology, which
offers spectacular computing speed and power on a completely different scale to
anything used before. These machines work by making direct use of quantum
mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform
operations on data. In addition to being trillions of times faster than earlier
computers, they can be made absolutely secure, too. The machines' encryption
techniques are virtually unbreakable, due to the almost unimaginable number of
instructions being executed simultaneously.
2038
Teleportation of complex organic molecules
In the early 2000s, scientists were able to transfer
particles of light (with zero mass) over short distances.
Further experiments in quantum entanglement led to
successful teleportation of the first complete atom. This was followed by the
first molecules, consisting of multiple atoms.
By the late 2030s, complex organic molecules such as DNA and
proteins can be teleported.*
2039
Full immersion virtual reality
Towards the end of this decade, personal computers are
becoming sophisticated enough to bring full immersion virtual reality to the
mainstream.*
In other words, users now have the option of actually
"being" in a video game and experiencing its graphics, audio and
other effects (e.g. tactile feedback) in a manner that is practically
indistinguishable from the real world.
This stunning breakthrough has been achieved through
exponential trends in computing over the previous decades - including a
billionfold improvement in processing power and price performance, combined
with a 100,000-fold shrinkage of components and circuitry.*
For the first time, human brains are actually being merged
with computer intelligence. Rather than viewing games on a screen, users now
experience the game from within their own nervous systems, as though it were an
extension of their mind. Players undergo a simple, minimally invasive procedure
to insert nanobots (blood cell-sized devices) into their bodies. These
microscopic machines are self-guided towards the neurons in their brain
responsible for visual, auditory and other senses. Here, they remain in a dormant
state, but in close proximity to the brain cells.
When the user wishes to experience a simulated reality, the
nanobots immediately move into place, suppressing all of the inputs coming from
the real senses, and replacing them with signals corresponding to the virtual
environment. If the user decides to move their limbs and muscles as they
normally would, the nanobots again intercept these neurochemical signals -
suppressing the "real world" limbs from moving, and instead causing
their "virtual" limbs to move within the game. This means a user can
be sitting in a fixed position, while experiencing a high degree of activity
and movement.
Although most people are initially wary of these devices,
they have been around in some form since at least 2025 (eg. for medical
purposes) and years of testing, security and safety measures have gone into
this latest generation. Detailed regulations are now in place which cover any
possible eventuality. For example, a power cut means the nanobots simply detach
from the neurons - automatically returning a user to the real world - while
checks are constantly performed to ensure there is no danger of being
"trapped" in a virtual environment.
Furthermore, the machines are not permanent and can be
removed from the body altogether if desired. In any case, it is practically
impossible for them to damage nerve cells or cause any lasting damage, due to
their small size and limited functionality. Over the next few years, many
people come to accept them as a natural part of their bodies – just as bacteria
and other small objects are part of their stomach, digestion and other internal
processes.
Full immersion VR isn't just limited to games. With such
huge creative scope, it is being used for a whole range of applications now:
from business to education, training, healthcare, engineering, design, media
and entertainment.
Tourism is being revolutionised, since people no longer have
to travel great distances or spend large amounts of money to explore the sights
and sounds of another location – they can simply go online. For this reason, a
number of travel firms are going bust around this time, or else drastically
changing their business models to account for this new medium.
Of course, that’s not to say these online holidays are
intrinsically better than the real thing. Although on a different scale of
technical wizardry compared to graphics of previous decades, they are still
somewhat limited in their accuracy of towns and cities. At this stage, many of
them lack sufficient AI, are often sparsely populated, and miss out vital
details or subtle characteristics of foreign culture... things which make
real-life travel such an enriching, worthwhile experience. Decades of
refinement will be needed before VR is entirely convincing.
Nevertheless, this new phenomenon is so profound in its
depth of interactivity – as well as sheer convenience, accessibility and ease
of use – that it presents a serious threat to old-line travel agencies.
One way that the industry adapts to this is by offering more
detailed, advanced and sophisticated holiday environments, for a fee. However,
this becomes only a temporary solution, as certain users find a way to pirate
these programs, which are then duplicated and shared online. The problem is
exacerbated by groups collaborating to form their own free/open source
programs, which combine the best elements from these and others, and are easy
to customise by the casual user. In some cases, "hybrid" versions of
holiday destinations are being created which offer wholly new, surreal and
bizarrely dreamlike experiences. One such example might be a recreation of New
York with a tropical coastline, populated by characters from Star Wars.
Just as the internet led to a decline in the music industry,
the same is now happening to the travel industry. From the 2040s onwards there
is a massive decline in air travel and overseas holiday bookings. The effects
of climate change and worsening environmental crises are also playing a part
here. A growing number of citizens are choosing to stay at home, with most
communication and interaction being done online. The same is true of businesses
– especially with regard to meetings and conferences, which are increasingly
being held in virtual settings.
One area of commerce with no such troubles is the adult
entertainment industry. Full immersion VR allows users to meet and interact
with people in astonishingly lifelike ways. This includes virtual recreations
of glamorous celebrities and film stars…
Universal translators are widespread
On-person devices capable of instantly translating speech,
text or handwriting from any of the world’s 6,000 languages are widespread by
this time.* Every website, virtual environment and electronic publication now
has this facility too. This is having the effect of speeding up many
bureaucratic/administrative procedures in business and government – as well as
improving trust and cooperation at both a national and individual level.
Nanotech fabrics are ubiquitous
Nanotech fabrics are everywhere now. They are available for
a huge range of clothing, footwear and accessories, some of which are
remarkable in their design. For instance, many clothes can be programmed to
change their molecular structure to alter their colour, texture or style.
Others have self-cleaning abilities, with micro-thin layers of disinfectant to
regulate germs and dirt.
Others have more exotic properties. One such example is a
material that can replicate the texture of geckos' feet. This allows people to
stick to vertical surfaces, giving them Spiderman-like agility.* In addition to
outdoor adventurers and climbers, a number of radical activists are making use
of this. Eco-protesters for example are often seen on the news, scaling
prominent buildings to unveil banners and placards. A number of government offices
and corporate headquarters are being targetted in this way – raising fears of
more serious incidents involving terrorists. Many companies are forced to improve
their security measures
More advanced "chameleon"-style fabric is being
utilised by special forces. This comes in the form of fully-enclosing suits
which change colour to match the wearer’s environment, providing a near-perfect
means of camouflage.*
Australia's national symbol, the koala bear, faces
extinction
By this date, the koala population in Australia has dwindled
to almost nothing, due to the combined effects of drought, disease, climate
change and loss of natural habitat.*
US population reaches 400 million*
This compares with 309 million for the year 2010. Most of
the population growth has occured in urban areas - especially in the northern
states, which are more stable in terms of food and water production.
2040
Clean energy is widespread
Widespread use of nanotech fuel cells, maglev wind power,
hyper-efficient solar and 4th generation nuclear is gradually relegating fossil
fuels to obsolescence. The latter are, in any case, dwindling in availability -
and have been for some time. Fusion power is also close to being perfected now.
2040 energy future
Fusion power is nearing commercial availability
A prototype commercial fusion reactor is entering its final
phase of operation.* DEMO (DEMOnstration Power Plant) is the successor to ITER
and has built on the success of that project, achieving a number of major
breakthroughs. Among the earlier problems which have now been solved are:
containing the plasma at high enough temperatures, maintaining a great enough
density of reacting ions, and capturing high-energy neutrons from the reaction
without melting the walls of the interior.
Constructed from 2024 to 2033, DEMO is now close to being
perfected - having undergone several years of testing, expansion and upgrades.
Later this decade, it will be capable of producing a sustained output of 2
gigawatts (GW), making fusion commercially available for the first time.*
Thought transfer is dominating personal communications
worldwide
The first generation of brain-computer interfaces reached
the consumer market in around 2010. This technology was crude and limited to
begin with: more of a novelty than a serious application. Devices could perform
only the simplest of operations, such as directional commands.**
Some university experiments were successful in creating text
messages, using thought power alone,* but were slow and required bulky
equipment to do so.
Advances by 2020 enabled the sending of messages via
wireless headsets and visors* - but the process remained sluggish and
unreliable, often demanding a high degree of concentration.*
By 2030, however, exponential progress had been made in
mapping and understanding the brain and its neuroelectrical signals.* This was
filtering down rapidly to the consumer market. Detailed, real-time messages
were becoming possible, using non-invasive methods. The graphical interfaces
used in composing messages had also been much improved, with more intuitive
navigation and features.
By 2040, the technology is largely perfected for everyday
use. It works well and is cheap enough to have spread to even developing
countries. Privacy and security issues have been resolved, with personal
firewalls able to restrict any unwanted intrusion or hacking attempts. The
headsets, visors and earphones necessary for users have been miniaturised and
made more comfortable. Whether for business or personal use, people everywhere
are now enjoying a faster, more sophisticated, more private way of
communicating.
This form of "synthetic telepathy" - along with
the convergence of other network-based technologies - is radically reshaping
society and culture during this time. A speculative bubble is formed on the
stock markets, with investors everywhere forecasting a revolution in telecoms.
This temporarily overheats the economy, resulting in a crash similar to that of
the dotcom collapse of early 2000.
Claytronics are revolutionising the consumer market
Claytronics - also known as "programmable matter"
- is now embedded in countless everyday items. This technology involves
billions of tiny devices known as catoms (claytronic atoms), joined
electrostatically. These work in concert to produce dramatic changes at the
macroscale.
Objects featuring these catoms can be radically altered in
form and function within seconds. Furniture can morph into new types, for
instance. A bed could suddenly become a sofa, or a large table. Chairs can be
instantly moulded to precisely suit the individual. Walls, carpets, ceilings,
doors and other surfaces can modify their colour or texture on demand.
Electronic devices are featuring this exotic material. They
can be adaptable to their environments, for instance - altering their structure
to cope with dust and heat in a desert, then later shifting to resist humidity
and moisture in a jungle, or even becoming completely waterproof. They can be
personalised too: devices worn on the head or ears can mould themselves to fit
the individual.
Many vehicles are now making use of claytronics. Car
surfaces can change their colour. Or they can self-heal, fixing bumps,
scratches and other damage. Tyres can be instantly adapted for different
terrain or weather conditions.
Claytronics are especially popular in children's toys, with
figures taking on astonishingly lifelike forms.
Various other everyday objects are now highly configurable
and morphable.
Further into the future, claytronics will enable the
creation of entire simulated humans.*
Breakthroughs in carbon nanotube production
New processes have been developed for the synthesis of
carbon nanotubes, which promise to revolutionise the fields of engineering,
architecture and materials science.
Having been limited to a few centimetres, these structures
can now reach potentially thousands of miles in length.* Combined with
purification techniques ensuring maximum tensile strength (hundreds of times
greater than steel), this means the technology for a space elevator is now
available. Political and financial will are the only remaining obstacles for
such a project.*
World population reaches 8.5 billion
Water crisis in Europe
Due to global warming, the Alps are becoming largely devoid
of snow for the first time in millions of years.*
Having served a vital role as the "water towers of
Europe", this is having a catastrophic effect on water supplies. Major
rivers such as the Rhine, Rhone and Danube have until now relied on snow and
glacial melt from the Alps. Switzerland is being especially hard hit, with much
of its electricity based on hydroelectric power.
In addition, record heatwaves are causing gigantic
wildfires, the likes of which have never been seen before. At the foot of the
mountains, rockfalls triggered by melting permafrost have caused widespread
destruction to villages and towns.* Meanwhile, the tourist industry has been
decimated, with skiing impossible in most areas.
2042
Nanotech robot swarms are the latest in military hi-tech
In addition to larger machines, a new class of miniature
robots is now appearing on the battlefield.* These are so small that they are
barely visible to the naked eye, measuring less than a millimetre across.
Viewed through a microscope, they would appear like tiny insects equipped with
metallic wings and armed with diamond-sharp claws and teeth.
Individually, they are relatively harmless. However, the
strength of these robots lies in their terrifying numbers, and their ability to
work in autonomous networks guided by remote computers. Released from capsules
dropped by UAVs, these machines are deployed in colossal swarms – often
consisting of many trillions of individuals. At full spread, they can sometimes
cover an area the size of a small town.
Collectively, they would appear like a diffuse, greyish
cloud. For a potential enemy, the first warning sign of their approach might be
a glittering of reflected sunlight in the distance. This would be followed by a
high-pitched buzzing or humming sound, at the edge of the human auditory range.
The next indicator would be the crumbling of trees, buildings and other nearby
objects. Then the robots would attack... engulfing their victims like a swarm
of locusts, eating through flesh within seconds and reducing organic material
to dust.
Even those hidden within bunkers or underground shelters are
vulnerable – the swarms dissolve all but the most heavily reinforced armour and
can easily penetrate cracks, air vents, keyholes and the like.
In addition to their offensive capabilities, nanotech robot
swarms can serve in a defensive role. By floating at low altitude in the sky,
they can provide cover to advancing ground forces, acting as a shield or
“buffer” against incoming projectiles.
This form of technology is so deadly that it has been placed
in the same category as nuclear, chemical and biological weapons by the UN. A
number of international treaties are signed over the following years, limiting
its use. Safety mechanisms are also introduced, minimising its potential for
adaption. Self-replicating variants, for example, are flat-out banned, as these
could potentially consume the entire biosphere in a worst-case scenario. Fears
are growing of a potential terrorist incident (or "nanocaust").
Manned missions to Phobos and Deimos
A decade after the Mars landings, follow-up missions to its
satellites are being undertaken. Due to the low gravity and lack of atmosphere,
these missions are actually easier (and cheaper) than going to Mars itself.
These tiny moons are found to contain pockets of water ice,
along with carbon and silicates - greatly increasing their potential for
colonisation.*
On Phobos, a series of habitation modules are subsequently
built, together with small experimental mining facilities and a solar parabolic
reflector. This allows the basics of carbon nanotube (CNT) production, as well
as conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel. Over the next
few decades, the base is expanded further, eventually becoming self-sufficient.
Both moons are colonised, but Phobos in particular will play
a key role in the development of Mars, being much closer to its parent planet
than Deimos. As well as supplying raw materials, it will act as a stepping
stone for astronauts arriving from Earth.
Floating hotels in the sky are heralding a new era in luxury
transport*
Giant, vertical airships powered by a combination of
hydrogen and solar energy are now a common method of holiday travel for the
rich and famous. These ships are nearly 900ft tall when docked. They are
capable of lifting 400 tons of payload, in addition to ferrying over 100
passengers and 20 crew to their destination.
Cruising at a maximum altitude of 12,000ft, the ships drift
at a leisurely 60-90mph, depending on wind conditions. Popular routes include
London to New York (37 hours) and Los Angeles to Shanghai (four days).
Huge internal spaces offer plentiful room for living, dining
and relaxing. The lower deck contains a glass bottom floor, enabling passengers
to view the land and sea beneath.
Safety is ensured thanks to self-sealing lifting bags. These
are made from nanotechnology materials that minimise any potential for skin
rupture.
2044
The last veterans of WW2 are passing away
During this decade, the last surviving veterans of World War
II are passing away. A small number of them reach their 120th year, allowing
them to attend the 100th anniversary commemorations of D-Day, on 6th June 2044.
On this date, a time capsule is opened at the American
Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, close to the site of the Normandy landings
which claimed so many lives. This contains press articles from the time -
including a message from President Eisenhower to future generations.*
2045
Humans are becoming intimately merged with machines
In some fields, the pace of technology has become so fast
that humans can no longer comprehend it - unless they augment their own
intelligence. This is particularly true of computing, nanotechnology, medicine
and neuroscience, all of which have seen exponential progress.*
The typical home PC of today has an integrated AI system
equivalent to over a billion human brains.* This machine can think for itself,
communicate with its owner and suggest new ideas in ways that surpass even the
greatest minds on Earth. Due to the flood of data being exchanged on the
Internet and elsewhere, these computers receive literally millions of emails,
status updates, news reports and other alerts each day.*
The only way for a user to interpret this avalanche of
information is to merge their consciousness with the machine. A growing segment
of society is now turning to on-person hardware to achieve this. The most
advanced method involves the use of microscopic, wireless, implantable devices
linking neural activity directly to electronic circuitry. These
"nanobots" have already been used in full immersion VR and certain
medical procedures. The latest versions are capable of marrying AI with human
intelligence in ways that combine the best aspects of both.
No monitor or projector of any kind is required for the
latest generation of computers. The nanobots instead produce a virtual image of
the screen which is augmented in the user's field of vision.
This operating system is controlled by their thoughts - and
those of the AI - running at speeds vastly greater than a real time physical
version would allow. Thousands of individual actions can be initiated within a
microsecond, thanks to the robust wireless connections between the nanobots and
neurons.
If necessary, the user's entire sensory experience can be
instantly shifted to a full immersion virtual reality. This is a popular choice
for gaming and entertainment, but also has many practical applications in the
world of business. Meetings and conferences can be hastily scheduled between
vast numbers of participants from around the globe - sometimes with barely a
few second's notice - and lasting only a few seconds in duration. Communicating
at this speed is no longer possible using conventional means, which is creating
an enormous divide between those who have the technology and those who don't.
For many people, nanobot implants are becoming permanent and
essential - rather than temporary and optional - due to the bewildering speed
and level of information now being encountered in day-to-day situations
together with the explosive growth of AI. Military personnel, scientists and
medical staff were among the first to take advantage of them, but mainstream
society is now following.
People are merging with machines in various other ways, too.
Nanobots can boost immune systems, for example - helping to exterminate
pathogens. They can also regulate blood pressure, or repair some of the damage
caused by the ageing process, or accelerate the healing of wounds. Cybernetic
organs are now available that almost never fail and can filter deadly poisons.
Brain-computer interfaces are increasingly used in middle class homes to open
doors, control lighting and operate everyday appliances.
The most extreme cases of enhancement involve people opting
for "decentralised" circulatory systems - along with a form of
synthetic blood - reducing physical vulnerability still further. This
particular option is only available to the rich, as it involves a highly
complicated procedure that radically alters their internal anatomy. The end
result is that a person can survive multiple gunshot wounds or other damage
relatively easily. Certain politicians are taking advantage of this -
especially those in unstable regions - along with gangland bosses and career
criminals.
The line between man and machine is starting to blur. Later
this century, there will no longer be a clear distinction.
Global food and water shortages
The demand for food and fresh water is far outstripping the
supply. Climate change is devastating entire regions, turning vast areas of
farmland and forest into arid desert, creating literally tens of millions of
refugees. There is a great deal of conflict across the Middle East, Africa,
Asia, the southern states of America, South America, and parts of southern
Europe during this time.
Gulf Coast cities are being abandoned due to "super
hurricanes"
The growing concentration of atmospheric CO2 has led to
rising sea levels, a warming of coastal waters and a more volatile weather system.
In the Gulf of Mexico, a new category of "super hurricane" has
emerged. This is becoming a regular occurrence by now.
These extreme weather events are nightmarish in scale and
intensity. At their peak, winds of nearly 200mph bring untold devastation. Even
some of the most heavily reinforced buildings are destroyed. Trees are uprooted
and hurled around like matchsticks, while skyscrapers visibly sway. Storm
surges and flash floods travel up rivers with almost surreal speed,
overwhelming defences and bringing waves thirty feet high.
Damage from these various disasters has run into hundreds of
billions of dollars. A number of Gulf cities are being permanently abandoned
during this time - including Houston and New Orleans.**
2045-2049
China transitions towards a democracy
Faced with growing social unrest, China transitions towards
a Russian-style democracy. The ongoing internet/IT revolution and the resulting
decentralisation of communication has brought down many of its former barriers.
Major extinctions of animal and plant life
By the end of this decade, many well-known animal species
are going extinct, or else have declined in such huge numbers that only those
in captivity now exist.
Off the eastern coast of Australia one of the world's most
beautiful natural wonders - the Great Barrier Reef - has been virtually
destroyed by climate change, with less than 2% of coral remaining.* Rising
levels of greenhouse gases have made the water too acidic for calcium-based
organisms to grow.* Most of the colourful fish for which the reef is famous
have also disappeared. On land, more than 50% of the continent's 400 butterfly
species have died out, as well as numerous reptiles including Boyd's forest
dragon, a rare and colourful lizard.
In Europe, an astonishing 50% of amphibians have disappeared
due to pollution, disease and loss of habitat caused by climate change. This
includes many previously common species of frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and
caecilians.* On the same continent, more than 20% of bird species have been
lost, and around 15% of plants.
In South Africa's Kruger national park, a major conservation
area, nearly 60% of the species under its protection have been lost. In the
same region, 35% of proteaceae flowering plants have disappeared - including
the national flower, the King Protea.*
In South America, nearly half of the Amazon rainforest has
been destroyed, with more than 2,000 native tree species becoming extinct.
In Mexico, nearly 30% of animal species are either extinct,
or critically endangered.
In Southeast Asia, the Indian elephant is on the brink of
extinction. Once a common sight in this part of the world, it has declined in
huge numbers due to poaching for the ivory of its tusks, loss of habitat, and
human conflict.
In the Arctic, nearly 70% of polar bears have disappeared
due to the shrinking of summer ice caused by global warming. By 2080 they will
disappear from Greenland entirely, and from the northern Canadian coast,
leaving only dwindling numbers in the interior Arctic archipelago.
Many other well-known species of fish, bird and mammal
become critically endangered around this time.
This period is often referred to as the Holocene extinction
event. As a direct result of human influences, the rate of species extinctions
this century is between 100 and 1000 times the natural "background"
or average extinction rates in the evolutionary time scale of Earth.
2048
The near-Earth asteroid 2007 VK184 makes a close pass
This object - measuring 130m in diameter - has a 1 in 3,000
chance of hitting the Earth on this date. It was discovered by the Catalina Sky
Survey in 2007. Ignoring the acceleration of the asteroid due to the Earth's
gravity, its velocity relative to the Earth at the intersection of their orbits
would be 15.63 km/s.
If such an impact were to occur, it would likely break into
several pieces in the atmosphere. However, these individual chunks of rock may
still be large enough to cause widespread devastation, if landing in populated
areas. For comparison, the Tunguska event of 1908 was thought to have been
caused by an object measuring 30-50m. This was large enough to produce an
airburst equivalent to thousands of Hiroshima bombs.
2049
Robots are a common feature of homes and workplaces
Robots are now appearing in mainstream society in a wide
variety of forms and functions.* Mobile androids are especially popular amongst
the elderly, widowed and those who are disabled or incapacitated - in which
role they serve as companions, guides and carers. They are also popular amongst
the lonely and socially anxious, who can develop relationships without the fear
or hang-ups normally associated with human company.* Those seeking
"alternative" lifestyles are also making use of androids.*
Sports enthusiasts are making use of robots - as running
partners, for example, on squash and tennis courts, and in certain
fighting/fencing games where they can simulate world-class players. Countries
such as Japan and Korea have even started broadcasting their own "Robot
Olympics", attracting millions of viewers.*
The cheapest android models are available for less than
$1,000 now, and are stocked by many high street retailers - including hardware
stores, department stores and electronics shops.
The robots are customised in the factory beforehand -
decorated with skin, clothes, hair and other desired features (pictured above
is a bare generic model before this process has occurred). All of the personal
information required to cater for their "owner" is pre-programmed
into the android's brain.
Government legislation regarding these machines is
complicated - and requires years to be fully implemented - but in every
country, without exception, the machines adhere to three basic laws. These were
postulated almost a century earlier by the science fiction writer, Isaac
Asimov:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through
inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings
except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such
protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law
In urban locations, robots are usually powered by wireless
energy transfer. In more remote outdoor environments they can utilise internal
super-batteries and photovoltaic polymers coated on their bodies. Piezoelectric
meshes in their skins - which generate small amounts of electricity through
movement - provide a tertiary source of power.
Practically every warehouse and factory in the developed
world now has operations run entirely by robots - which can navigate their way
through aisles and shelves, identify products and load them onto delivery vans
with little or no human intervention (and at speeds and efficiencies which far
outpace the latter). Even most delivery trucks are now automated, thanks to
advanced AI and road traffic systems, with robots unloading goods when the
vehicle has reached its destination.
One particular fad at the moment is for robot cats, dogs and
other domestic pets with highly realistic movements and behaviour, often indistinguishable
from the real thing. These have a number of advantages - such as never getting
sick or dying, never requiring food or water, never scratching or biting their
owners, and never leaving a mess around the home. Certain species of tropical fish
are also popular in robot form, especially those which have recently become
extinct. In museums and outdoor exhibitions, breathtaking recreations of
dinosaurs and other prehistoric life are now on display.
Almost every large office and corporation features robots
now - from wheeled models which distribute post, to those in reception-based
roles which meet and greet visitors and assist with queries, to more advanced
models capable of handling security and maintaining facilities.
In hospitals, delicate procedures involving nanotechnology
devices are given over exclusively to robot machinery, capable of far greater
precision than human hands.
Agriculture and food production is heavily reliant on
robots. With much of the world's arable land turning to desert, hydroponic
"vertical farms" are a common feature of urban centres. These
carefully controlled environments are tended by robots and automated systems,
and often require the analytical skills of machines rather than humans.
The physical side of military operations is handled
extensively by robots now - on land, in the air, and at sea. Formidable
humanoid machines equipped with a plethora of devastating firepower can be sent
deep into enemy territory, left to operate autonomously for months at a time if
necessary, and serving in a wide variety of roles; from solitary patrol and
scouting missions, to offensive strikes involving thousands of machines working
in unison. Human enemies stand little to no chance against this kind of
onslaught, which is giving developed nations an overwhelming advantage over
terrorist renegades.
In space, robots have probed and explored hundreds of moons
in the outer solar system, and are playing a key role in the Mars colony.
2050 - The World in 2050 | 45% of the Amazon rainforest has
been destroyed | Wildfires have tripled in some regions; air quality and
visibility is declining | Smaller, faster, hi-tech automobiles | Continent-wide
"supergrids" provide much of the world's energy needs | One in five
Europeans is a Muslim
2052 - Hyper-fast crime scene analysis
2053 - Moore's Law reaches stunning new levels | Genetically engineered
"designer babies" for the rich
2055 - Traditional media have fragmented and diversified | Global population
plateaus at 9 billion
2056 - Fully synthetic humans are becoming technically feasible
2057 - Computers reach another milestone | Handheld MRI scanners
2058 - Construction of a radio telescope on the Moon
2059 - Mars population reaches 100
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