2040-2049 Contents

2040 - Clean energy is becoming ubiquitous | Fusion power is nearing commercial availability | Claytronics are revolutionising the consumer market | Breakthroughs in carbon nanotube production | World population reaches 8.5 bn | Water crisis in Europe

2042 - Nanotech robot swarms are the latest in military hi-tech | Manned missions to Phobos and Deimos | Floating hotels in the sky are heralding a new era in luxury transport

2044 - Personal storage devices reach the zettabyte scale | The last veterans of WW2 are passing away

2045 - Humans are becoming intimately merged with machines | Global food and water shortages

2045-2049 - China transitions towards a democracy | Major extinctions of animal and plant life

2048 - The near-Earth asteroid 2007 VK184 makes a close pass

2049 - Robots are a common feature of homes and workplaces

2000-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2020-2029 | 2030-2039 | 2040-2049 | 2050-2059 | 2060-2069 | 2070-2079 | 2080-2089 | 2090-2099 >

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2040

Clean energy is becoming ubiquitous

The combination of nanotech fuel cells, maglev wind power, hyper-efficient solar and 4th generation nuclear is relegating the traditional 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.

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.*

Credit: Chepe Nicoli

Claytronics are revolutionising the consumer market

Claytronics - also known as "programmable matter" - is enabling a host of new products to be developed. This revolutionary technology involves billions of tiny devices known as catoms (claytronic atoms). Joined electrostatically, these work in concert to produce dramatic changes on the macroscale.

Objects made of these catoms can be radically altered in form and function within a matter of seconds. Furniture can be morphed 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.

Electronics are featuring this exotic material. They can be more 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. Screens can be physically enlarged for better viewing, or shrunk for greater portability. Devices worn on the head or ears can mould themselves to fit the individual. A keyboard or other interface can suddenly materialise on what was previously a blank surface.

Certain vehicles are making use of claytronics. Car interiors can be reconfigured for a particular journey, depending on the passengers or luggage. Tyres can be instantly adapted for different terrain or weather conditions.

Claytronics are especially popular in children's toys.

Various other everyday objects are now highly configurable and morphable.

Further into the future, programmable matter 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.*

Credit: TED-43

World population reaches 8.5 billion

The graph below is based on United Nations population estimates.*

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.

Above: The Matterhorn (left) and the Dent d'Hérens (right), part of the Alps, pictured here in 2008.

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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.

Above: Phobos (click to enlarge)

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.*

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2044

Personal storage devices reach the zettabyte scale

Personal storage devices are now available with capacities of more than a zettabyte (1 billion terabytes). This is greater than the entire contents of the Internet in 2010. The data can be stored in a form factor measuring a few millimetres in size and costing under $100.

This capacity might seem excessive to observers from previous 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 staggering amount of data collating, analysis and dissemination - especially for those using biotechnology implants, Augmented Reality or neural interfaces.

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.*

© Lenor | Dreamstime.com

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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 desktop PC of today has an integrated AI system equivalent to over a billion human brains. This machine can think for itself, improve itself and generate information in ways that surpass even the greatest minds on Earth. Due to the flood of incoming data from the Internet and elsewhere, such 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 popular method involves the use of microscopic, wireless, implantable devices linking neural activity directly to electronic circuitry. Such "nanobots" have already been used in full immersion VR and certain medical procedures. These 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 today's computers. The nanobots instead generate 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 the space of a second, all 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.

© Billyfoto | Dreamstime.com

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.

Credit: Shizhao

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.

Credit: Elisei Shafer

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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.

Source: JPL Small-Body Database Browser

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2049

Robots are a common feature of homes and workplaces

Though human-level sentience has yet to be fully realised, robots are now appearing in mainstream society in a wide variety of forms and functions.*

Mobile, humanoid androids are popular amongst the elderly, widowed, and those who are disabled or incapacitated in some way - in which role they serve as excellent 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 found with human company.* Those seeking "alternative" lifestyles are also making use of androids.*

© Ralf Kraft | Dreamstime.com

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.

© Fesus Robert | Dreamstime.com

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.

References

1 NEXT WORLD - Intel Claytronics (Programmable Matter), YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJEMfAg5l2w
Accessed 23rd February 2010.

2 Physics of the Impossible, by Michio Kaku:
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-Impossible-Scientific-Exploration-Teleportation/dp/0307278824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250029787&sr=1-1
Accessed 26th November 2009.

3 Space elevator, Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator
Accessed 26th November 2009.

4 The World at Six Billion, The United Nations:
http://www0.un.org/esa/population/publications/sixbillion/sixbilpart1.pdf.
Accessed 22nd Dec 2008.

5 "If the melting goes on at this pace, glaciers will be gone by 2030 to 2050 — except some high-altitude sites in the French, Swiss and Italian Alps."
See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/01/070123-alps-glaciers.html
Accessed 3rd August 2009.

6 Six Degrees, by Mark Lynas. Amazon.co.uk:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Six-Degrees-Future-Hotter-Planet/dp/0007209053/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221170576&sr=1-1.
Accessed 3rd August 2009.

7 Swarm Robotics: Beware The Swarm (videos), SingularityHub.com:
http://singularityhub.com/2009/06/05/swarm-robotics-beware-the-swarm
Accessed 8th June 2009.

8 Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets, by John S Lewis (1997).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mining-Sky-Untold-Asteroids-Planets/dp/0201328194
Accessed 20th June 2009.

9 The date given on the project website is 2015, which seems ridiculously optimistic. 30 years from now would be more realistic.

10 Seymourpowell introduces the Aircruise - a clipper in the clouds, seymourpowell:
http://www.seymourpowell.com/aircruise/aircruise-press-release.html
Accessed 25th March 2010.

11 See Data storage.

12 Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial
Accessed 18th December 2009.

13 Singularity is Near - SIN graph - Exponential Growth of Computing, Singularity.com
http://singularity.com/charts/page70.html
Accessed 27th December 2009.

14 The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil (2005)
http://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261913594&sr=1-1
Accessed 27th December 2009.

15 Acidic seas may kill 98% of world's reefs by 2050, Guardian.co.uk:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/dec/14/carbonemissions.climatechange
Accessed 13th April 2009.

16 Acidic oceans threaten sea life, BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8022194.stm
Accessed 28th April 2009.

17 Half of Europe's amphibians could be extinct by 2050, Telegraph.co.uk:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3352396/Half-of-Europes-amphibians-could-be-extinct-by-2050.html
Accessed 13th April 2009.

18 Climate threat: What species are at risk? BBC.co.uk:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3377185.stm
Accessed 13th April 2009.

19 Robots, Boston.com:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/robots.html
Accessed 10th May 2009.

20 Forecast: Sex and Marriage With Robots by 2050, Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301717,00.html
Accessed 4th October 2009.

21 Humans to have robot lovers by 2050, TimesOnline.co.uk
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article3645114.ece
Accessed 9th May 2009.

22 Robotics, YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAxi38FE8xo
Accessed 30th December 2009.

2030-2039

2030-2039 Contents

2030 - Global population is reaching crisis point | AI is widespread | USA is declining as a world power | AIDS, cancer and a plethora of other degenerative diseases are curable | India becomes the most populous country in the world | Full weather modeling is perfected | Emerging job titles of today

2031 – Web 4.0 is transforming the Internet landscape | Married couples are a minority

2032 - Manned mission to Mars | 4th generation nuclear power

2033 - Hypersonic airliners are entering service | Holographic wall screens | IT's share of the US economy reaches 15% | Lung disease in China has killed over 80 million by now

2035 - Ice-free summers in the Arctic | Self-driving vehicles are widespread | Holographic recreations of dead people | Robots are dominating the battlefield | Artificially-grown meat is available to consumers

2036 - Bionic eyes that surpass human vision

2037 - Quantum computers are becoming available

2038 - Teleportation of complex organic molecules

2039 - Full immersion virtual reality | Universal translators are widespread | Nanotech fabrics are ubiquitous | Australia's national symbol, the Koala bear, faces extinction | US population reaches 400m

2000-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2020-2029 | 2030-2039 | 2040-2049 | 2050-2059 | 2060-2069 | 2070-2079 | 2080-2089 | 2090-2099 >

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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.

© Kevin Giszewski | Dreamstime.com

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.

© Andrejs Pidjass | Dreamstime.com

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.

© Colin Nixon | Dreamstime.com

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.*

© Sebastian Czapnik | Dreamstime.com

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.

© Snaprender | Dreamstime.com

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
  
  
  

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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". Semantic analyzing programs have evolved into new forms of AI, performing a huge range of automated tasks for business, government and personal use. 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, a new generation of IT is emerging which 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.

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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.

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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.

© Robert Mizerek | Dreamstime.com

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.

Credit: Suicup

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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.

Source: NASA

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.

Credit: Florian K

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.

Credit: Qinetiq

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.

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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.

© Dmitriy Kiryushchenkov | Dreamstime.com

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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.

GNU Free Documentation License 1.2 / Credit: Murder of Spleens

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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.*

Credit: Greg L

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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.

© Bram Janssens | Dreamstime.com

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.

© Nikolai Sorokin | Dreamstime.com

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.*

Credit: Erik Veland

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.

> 2040-2049

References

1 Averting a perfect storm of shortages, BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8213884.stm
Accessed 22nd November 2009.

2 The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil:
http://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250947600&sr=1-1 .
Accessed 22nd August 2009.

3 Various exponential trends can be seen here, clearly showing the phenomenal rate of technological progress taking place. These charts are taken from The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil:
http://singularity.com/charts/page17.html.
Accessed 22nd August 2009.

4 Formula 'secret of perfect voice', BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7426923.stm
Accessed 16th December 2009.

5 See 2025.

6 The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil (2005)
http://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Near-Humans-Transcend-Biology/dp/0143037889/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254172463&sr=1-1
Accessed 23rd May 2010.

7 India urged on climate change, BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8232958.stm.
Accessed 2nd September 2009.

8 IDF Shanghai 2008: The Era of Visual Computing Draws Nigh, Patently Apple:
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2008/04/idf-shanghai-2008-the-era-of-visual-computing-draws-nigh.html
Accessed 17th March 2010.

9 Source: The Foresight Network
From an online survey conducted in August 2009.

10 Web 4.0,Trip Down the Rabbit Hole or Brave New World?, zmogo.com:
http://www.zmogo.com/web/web-40trip-down-the-rabbit-hole-or-brave-new-world.
Accessed 7th June 2009.

11 Married couples to be minority within 20 years, Daily Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5086491/Married-couples-to-be-minority-within-20-years.html
Accessed 4th April 2009.

12 Generation IV reactor, Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_IV_reactor.
Accessed 9th Sept 2008.

13 Reaction Engines A2, Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaction_Engines_A2
Accessed 10th October 2009.

14 China lung disease 'to kill 83m', BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7652140.stm
Accessed 11th August 2009.

15 This has already begun, though in a somewhat crude form, without the use of AI. See Lennon stars in TV laptop advert, BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7801938.stm
Accessed 30th Dec 2008.

16 Coming to the Battlefield: Stone-Cold Robot Killers, Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/02/AR2009010202191_pf.html
Accessed 9th Jan 2009.

17 Scientists aim for lab-grown meat, BBC.co.uk:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4148164.stm
Accessed 28th April 2009.

18 Wired (UK launch issue - May 2009):
http://www.wired.co.uk/wired-magazine/archive/2009/05/features/what%27s-next-the-future,-from-2009-to-249.aspx?page=2
Accessed 28th April 2009.

19 See 2019.

20 Augmented reality contact lens could create bionic eyes, theregoesdave.com:
http://theregoesdave.com/2009/09/02/augmented-reality-contact-lens-could-create-bionic-eyes/
Accessed 18th April 2010.

21 Such a feat may be possible "within a few decades", according to Michio Kaku (specialist in string field theory).
See Physics of the Impossible:
http://www.amazon.com/Physics-Impossible-Scientific-Exploration-Teleportation/dp/0307278824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250029787&sr=1-1
Accessed 11th August 2009.

22 Foreword to Virtual Humans, Kurzweilai.net:
http://www.kurzweilai.net/articles/art0600.html?printable=1
Accessed 20th May 2009.

23 Virtuality and reality 'to merge', BBC.co.uk:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7258105.stm
Accessed 20th May 2009.

24 Inventions that could become part of everyday life by 2039, lawdit.co.uk:
http://www.lawdit.co.uk/reading_room/room/view_article.asp?name=../articles/2209-IA-Inventions-that-could-become-part-of-everyday-life-in-2039.htm
Accessed 10th June 2009.

25 The "Octocamo" seen in the video game Metal Gear Solid 4 shows how this technology might work.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJIGxXg0zRo
Accessed 11th October 2009.

26 Koalas 'extinct within 30 years' after chlamydia outbreak , The Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/6537179/Koalas-extinct-within-30-years-after-chlamydia-outbreak.html
Accessed 12th November 2009.

27 U.S. Population Projected to Hit 400 Million in 2039, prb.org:
http://www.prb.org/Articles/2008/us400million.aspx
Accessed 10th June 2009.