NationStates Jolt Archive

Recently a study has been published by New Scientist in wich more than 40 scientists give their predictions for the next 50 years. Here are some of the most interesting findings:

WHAT THE SCIENTISTS PREDICT

Robot helpers: although two-year-old humans can identify and classify objects, robots cannot do so with any reliability. There is also a need to find a way of letting computers evolve, freeing them from adherence to defined inputs and outputs, so that they can react to the outside world

They’re out there: several scientists predicted the discovery of alien life — “in the ancient Martian permafrost, on the surface of Europa, or spewing out of the geysers on Enceladus”. One said that establishing a human colony on Mars would provide an insurance policy against catastrophes on Earth — “will we be smart enough to do this?”

Running repairs: in the next 50 years it is anticipated that we will have drugs that cause severed spinal cords to heal, organs to regenrate and lost loimbs to grow back. Universal donor cells will be injected into the body and will migrate to the site of injury, where tissue repqir can occur without rejection. We will be able to grow unlimited supplies of spare human organs

We will also...

Find evidence for dark energy, a phenomenon inexplicable within today’s physics although it is thought to be related to the origin of the universe

Prevent ageing by understanding the ways in which cells from long-lived animals — people, whales, bats — are resistant to many forms of injury. This will help us to create anti-ageing drugs that will extend our lives by up to 40 per cent

Communicate with animals by detecting and transmitting the “thoughts” of animals in a form analogous to human thoughts and emotions, first in primates and then other vertebrates

Understand the Big Bang, create a unified theory of everything, survive a major disaster and let natural evolution start all over again, find an inexhaustable form of green energy

article (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2455236,00.html)

link to the New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/science-forecasts)

The next 50 years would pretty much be the rest of my useful lifetime. It's cool and yet sad to read these highlights.

I was really hoping to see the beginnings of deep space exploration before I died.

Everything after "we will also..." smells suspiciously of bullshit.

Meh. It would really be interesting if they predicted the end of humanity.

Recently a study has been published by New Scientist in wich more than 40 scientists give their predictions for the next 50 years.

What's the point of living well past 100 if I don't have my goddamn flying car?!!

That's certainly interesting... but some of it smells like wishful thinking to me.

That's certainly interesting... but some of it smells like wishful thinking to me.

this is the second time they have done this (the other one 50 years ago), and some of their earlier predictions became reality. they also predicted that it would be impossible to send a man to the moon.

so you'll never know what to expect, it will sure be fun for the people in 2056 to read i tough.

I think the replacement organs and medicine for severed spines sounds the best, but an increased life-span wouldn't be bad.

How does one "predict" this.

Trends and interests in the world today of course. Those articles were really interestin.

I wonder if NSG will still be going? (in circles)

That's Old News if you have a subscription. :D

Referring to the communication/reading of emotions of animals.
“This would first work with primates, then mammals in general, then the other vertebrates including fish. This would cause, obviously, a global revulsion at eating flesh of all kinds, and we would all become vegetarians.”

I do not think that the realization that a fish doesn't want to be covered in breadcrumbs and fried up would stop me from eating fish. I think we already know that animals do not like to be killed.
:rolleyes:

How does one "predict" this.

Ouija Boards. :)