The 21st Century: a Brief Glance at the Next 9 Decades

What can we expect over the next ninety years? If we track expected progress in today’s science and technologies, we can create a plausible scenario of how our twenty-first century could unfold.

This article is sorta coincidental because the September-October issue of The Futurist magazine had and article about what life could be like form now to the year 2100.  They even included a rough timeline generated from TechCast.org which bases it predictions from income data about different scientific/economic fields.  IMO, this timeline is a little more realistic but it does some of the things from your timeline.  Here it is so you can compare it.

2015: Next Economic Cycle
Our timeline begins around the year 2015, when the following technological advancements are expected to start the next 35 year cycle
* E-Commerce. Internet use explodes worldwide, producing trillions of dollars in revenue.
* Global Access. About 50% of the world population will have internet access
* Globalization. At today’s rate, we’ll halve poverty by 2015.
* Green Business. 30% of corporations are likely to practice environmental management, leading to a $10 trillion-$20 trillions of dollars in revenue.
* Telemedicine. Online records, video conferences with your doctor, and other electronic practices will improve medical care and reduce escalating coasts.
* Telework. Globally, 1 billion people in 2010 were mobile workers, That number should increase to 1.3 billion.
* Spacetourism/Commercialism.  Spacetrips for tourists and visits to low-Earth orbit are likely to produce a boom commercial space.
2015-2020: Global Mega-crisis
From 2015 through 2020, a doubling of global GDP will cause the Global Mega-crisis to become intolerable, with the planet teetering on environmental collapse (see The Futurist, May-June 2011).  Here are TechCast’s four Scenarios:
* Decline to Disaster (25% probability): World fails to react, resulting in catastrophic natural and economic calamities.  Possible loss of civilization.
* Muddling Down (35% probability): World reacts only partially, so ecological damage, increased poverty, and conflict create major declines in life.
* Muddling up (25% probability): World reacts in time out of need and high-tech capabilities; widespread disaster averted, although many problems remain.
* Rise to Maturity (15% probability): World transitions to a possible global order.
2020: High-Tech Era
Assuming the world survives reasonably well (Muddling up), major breakthroughs are likely to introduce a high-tech Era:
Smart & Green transportation : e.g. intelligent cars, high speed trains.
* Climate Control, Alternative Energy
* Mastery of life. e.g. personal medication, organ replacement cancer cure.
* Second-Generation Information Technology, e.g, “good” artificial intelligence, automated routine knowledge, robots, infinite computing power.
2030-2050: Mature World Order
A mature world order evolves beyond knowledge to an age of global consciousness:
* Space: exploration & colonization of the Moon and Mars
* Advanced Energy: Fusion energy becomes viable.
* Life extension: Average life span reaches 100 years
* Expanded consciousness: e.g., generation AI, thought power, neurotechnology, Humans become almost godlike
2070-2100: Beyond Earth
* Deep Space: Contact is made: star travel becomes possible.
*Unified World Systems: Humanity achieves type I Civilization (mastery over most forms of planetary energy).

Another thing that should interest you is that scientist are now saying that warp drive may be more feasible than previously thought (http://news.discovery.com/space/warp-drive-possible-nasa-tests-100yss-120917.html).

Interesting comments, Christian.

I think that anytime projections range more than five years out, it’s kind of iffy.

However, it’s a lot of fun to fantasize how the far future may unfold.

True that .

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