How the World will look like in the next 50 years
How can we know what the future will look like?
To be able to understand the future, you must know the past. What has taken us to where we are today and what has changed along the way. The world has changed a lot in the last 150 years, but we humans are driven by the same basic needs as we were 150 years ago, food, sleep, sex, the feeling of being appreciated and loved. Will this change in the next 150 years? No.
What inventions have really made a difference in the last 150 years?
If you take away all gadgets that people in some part of the world are using for entertainment, the inventions that have affected most people around the world for everyday living are the telephone, electricity, radio, television, computer, the car and the ability to communicate through Internet. Then we of course have a lot of inventions that have made life easier, like new medicine, faster transports etc.
In general the inventions for the last 150 years have been a human strive for freedom and communication, to be able to get in control of the time and world. Since there is still much to do in this area, this will be the focus at least for the next 150 years.
But why do we need to predict the future?
Predicting the future is important for two reasons; first we need to start to think about what kind of future we would like for ourselves and to pass on to the next generation, and then we need to know what decisions we need to make today that will give the best result in the future.
Will we ever get those flying cars in the future I saw in pictures as a kid?
Flying cars is an example of a scenario that has been pictured for the future for a long time. It is a great and exciting concept, but is it realistic? To start with we must find out if there’s a basic need for it, what are the pros and cons. Then we have to think about the system we have today, cars going on the ground, and the transition to a new system. To make it work in this example we need two parallel systems, with a road network for the flying cars simultaneousely as the common road network. Even if the flying cars are improved to be suitable for city traffic, the investments would be huge for a city to implement this, as well as for households to get that extra vehicle. So even if all the pros are there the practical steps for such a new route is too hard to overcome, so I’m sorry, there will be no road network for flying cars in the next 50 years.
How about the virtual worlds, do I need to go on vacation in the future or just have all the cells in my body experience an artificial vacation?
It might be possible in the future to experience the sand between your toes, feel the salt from the ocean on your lips, hear the waves and smell the seaweed, just lying in your bed at home. But we will not be able to fool the mind in the way that no matter how real the experience will feel, you will always know that it haven’t happen for real. That will make all the difference. You can tell people today that you have seen the pyramids in Egypt because you have seen a picture of them, but you will never get the feeling of being there. So, even if a great invention is there for an affordable price, it will never replace the common experience if it is not genuine.
Please tell me we will get in contact with some aliens in the near future...
It is most likely that there are other life in the Universe considered there are billion solar systems. In the aspect that our solar system is about 4.6 billion years, other civilisations could be 10 million or even 1 billion years ahead of us. With these numbers in mind there is no greater chance that they will make contact with us within the next 50 years than in 100,000 years, and with the size of the Universe we will not likely be able to make any contact with them during this time.
So what will the future look like then?
What we will see in the next 50 years is the transition from an oil-dependent society, new medicine, the first steps in the development of artificial intelligence, continued exploration of space, more people to die from AIDS, hopefully a better state for the poor people in the world, challenges in the climate change, and new inventions that make life a little easier and entertaining for some.
How should I do then to make the future great?
Well, as you know the winner in life is not the one with the most money when he dies, the winner is the person who sleeps best at night. To feel good about yourself and the people around you, listen to them and show them the love and respect they deserve as fellow human beings and help those in need. That is what will matter when you go to bed at night in 50 years from now, and hopefully will give you a good night’s sleep.
By Pontus Edenberg
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Comments:
Where will robots be.
Posted by: Jerrakye Sanders
gay robots
Posted by: chase
What about our global 'War on Terror'? It is unlikely that it will be forgotten overnight
Posted by: Matt
School will be a helmate with everything in it.
Posted by: Chris
We will have characteristics similar to the Chinese people.
Posted by: Tiger
We should have floating skateboards
Posted by: Skitzo
Better chance to get teenagers world wide and help to start a band **$@#
Posted by: Skitzo
Will people live on the moon?
Posted by: Michael
Who is going to have Govermental or world power in the future?
Posted by: ed
What about architecture? Will skyscrapers reach higher altitudes?
Posted by: Manny
i really want floating houses....
Posted by: sammi
i really think you should add phasers. whats a future without phasers? also please add matrix-style vr games. you know thats gonna happen.
Posted by: teddy
I don't think there will be any aliens,besides I'm a Christain.God created human,not alien.
Posted by: Tina
i want there to be bubbles to take you places....awesome!!
Posted by: Dylan
alien strippers
Posted by: omgwtfbbq
So, no PAV's, holograms, robots, or any of the other cool futuristic stuff?
I have to admit- that future really sucks- but I guess we have to face reality; since peak oil is somewhat iminent- a technological regression would have to occur within the next century.
That really does suck though.
Posted by: Carlos Bonilla
I want to see computers used to build cities by special programs, imagine if they invited matter that connected computers with real society man you could have cartoon characters in real life form
Posted by: Dyl
where will be pakistanin the world map in future???
Posted by: Anonymous
It would be cool if buildings were somehow built in a matter of seconds, not in months or years. And yeah, bubble transport would be awesome, too! Dyl, your idea about cartoon characters in real life form is stellar!! I hope we eventually make contact with extraterrestrial intelligence elsewhere in the universe, cuz that would be so COOL!!!! B-)
Posted by: Emily
I want to just look at a screen and have everything in my mind. NO SCHOOL!!!
Posted by: Maddie
They should not make robots because it will make us lazy!!
Posted by: John
I think in the future there will be this HUGE stroid commig to earth at almost the speed of light. The speed of light is
300,000km per second and it will SMASH the earth!! THEN the earth will no longer exist.
Posted by: john
May be sometime in the future there might be floating cars and the cars float by magnets. The cars might transform into a submarie to go underwater or a small plane to fly!! They might go at MACH 5
Posted by: john
To tina... I have heard that alien's are mentioned in the bible. Is that true? Well I am embarrassed to not know that for sure to cite the reference and say that my NIV bible is in the garage... i think. Sorry God. Please forgive me Lord God and Jesus Christ I love you. I have my new testament in my room though.
Posted by: Rob
Super football players
Posted by: john
A genetically enhanced Brett Favre
Posted by: Madden
will there ever be #$*@
Posted by: Anonymous
@#$***$#@@#*$#@#$****$#@
Posted by: Anonymous
will there be jetpacks that are used for @#$*ing
Posted by: Bob
will there be fling anything
Posted by: Bobjr
will there be fling dells.
Posted by: Bobji
will there be fling Bob,s
Posted by: Bobji
a blackhole.......
Posted by: Ryley
I agree with most of your points. However, you have failed to account for the possibility of a technological singularity. What is this, you ask? Well, if I drew a graph of paradigm shifts in human history (HOW LONG IT TOOK for the discovery of fire, farming, invention of the wheel, renaissance, industrial revolution, information revolution, etc.), it would exhibit an exponential character on a logarithmic time scale. If you performed a best fit curve to this, it could be gleaned from this chart that at some point in the near future, we will have technology that is capable of self-improvement (aka Artificial Intelligence).
After this point, all bets are off the table, because this means that machines (or more correctly, networks) will become more capable of performing design and improvement of other machines than their human counterparts. This is not a Matrix or Terminator-style bleak outlook, because we simply cannot predict what will happen when we reach this point. Some say all hell will break loose and machines will go nuts. Some say that we will begin to colonize space and become more mature as a species and learn to live better with our planet and its resources and other inhabitants. Others see the comforts brought by such technology quickly turning us toward sloth and gluttony. Some liken it to a spiritual awakening.
The problem with guessing is that everyone always 'said so' once they know they are right. Nobody dares to speak once they are proved wrong through history.
In the 18th century, man was certain that human flight was a dream but Da Vinci was dreaming up an airscrew in the 1500's. People were utterly convinced that bloodletting was the only cure to several diseases until the 19th century , but we have records of plastic surgery in 600BC India.
So what we have is selective memory. As individuals, we remember only certain events and as a society, we tend to forget much more quickly. Technology has caused a change in that (ie. the Information Revolution) in that more information is freely accessible to individuals now that ever before in our recorded history. The next wave will probably come through Nano Technology and miniaturization as stated in your article. Some fear that we are not ready for Nano Technology. My guess is that we will make great strides in Integrated technologies (Nano + Bio + Space + Smart materials.. etc). This will result in
(as a very poor example) a toaster that has Aerospace technologies and grown using Bio technology that has the computing power of a current personal computer and is almost affordable for the geeky. The next step, of course is mass-production and integration into society (How many of you remember the old cellphones?). History has taught us this. We need to stop forgetting so soon.
Sorry my thoughts are not very coherent, but I hope some of my ideas came through in this garbled mess of a reply!
Posted by: Amith
ROBOS WILL DOMINATE ME!!
Posted by: Yo
You will die and i will live forever!
Posted by: HAY GURL HAY!!
Your dumb!
Posted by: Yup
Everyone will be gay
Posted by: Freakaleak
did you know that is possible to live a virtual life without technological help? using the own mind?
who interest yourself, my msn is : victor.smt@hotmail.com
Posted by: victor
im a christen but i do belive god also made aliens he dident entend for us to know everything also im 11
Posted by: jeremiah
Lets try to be reasonable here, will there ever be life on mars? i mean if we continue polluting the o-zone what will protect the rays of the sun from earth.
Posted by: Sense
wait i forgot im 14 :P but i do think its a serious matter.
Posted by: Sense
Ok although everything seems to be off of Futurama or Tripping the rift.... I think the biggest question here is: How will life change if we create a better A.I. throughout this time? cuz let's face it A.I. is good but will screw us over in the long run..
Posted by: Abaddon Gaki
HOPE IT DOESN'T END UP LIKE MAD MAX BEYOND THE THUNDER DOME, WATER WORLD OR THE CALIFORNIA LOVE MUSIC VIDEO.
I PERSONALLY HAVE OPTIMISTIC VIEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE.
IT WILL PROBABLY BE AWESOME.
ESPECIALLY IF WE GET TO MAKE IT THERE.
Posted by: DAVID FROM SAN FRANCISCO
dude what about all the war stuff???it is very unlikely that the world will remain peaceful for so long...someone or some country will want absulute power like hitler.and the world with all the new nuclear weapons we will just destroy the world itself!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: tb