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  1. #61
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    Originally Posted by socrates07 View Post
    full immersion... I was on a big time over dose of a psychedelic a while back and had what i believed were visions of the future.

    One of those visions was that the future was going to be like one huge video game where the world is involved. Like people basically play games for a living "inside" the game.
    inb4 everyone gets so caught up in vr world we attach ourselves to IV's, forget about the real world and never wake up


    sounds familiar...
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  2. #62
    Message Board King socrates07's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by BradyBConner View Post
    inb4 everyone gets so caught up in vr world we attach ourselves to IV's, forget about the real world and never wake up


    sounds familiar...
    meh it's trippy to say the least, a sober brain isn't the best thing to try wrap your mind around all this
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  3. #63
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    Originally Posted by socrates07 View Post
    meh it's trippy to say the least, a sober brain isn't the best thing to try wrap your mind around all this
    yea its pretty wild stuff. Full immersion VR will be achieved by nano-bots intercepting neurochemical signals in the brain and making your virtual body move/feel instead of your real one.

    Nanobots are already being researched, heavily. Some already exist.
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  4. #64
    Registered User baroni01's Avatar
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    so when do the robots become our overlords
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  5. #65
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    Originally Posted by BradyBConner View Post
    2039 AD

    Full immersion virtual reality
    DAMN I want to "live" some full immerson porn...
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  6. #66
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    Originally Posted by Zunehmer View Post
    DAMN I want to "live" some full immerson porn...
    so much this

    VR has ENDLESS possibilities. I get a wet angus just thinking about it
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  7. #67
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    Originally Posted by DTO View Post
    Don't know about you but some of this **** scares me
    ****ing this. **** makes me depressed.
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  8. #68
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    2057 AD

    Computers reach another milestone


    Desktop PCs now have raw processing power equivalent to all of the human brains which ever existed on Earth.* This is a result of Moore's Law - the trend in computer processing power which has been increasing exponentially for over a century.

    Computers are becoming so powerful that many high-level tasks in business and government are being handed over directly to them. For years, software had lagged behind hardware in development, which impeded the spread of AI, but this is no longer the case. Ever more sophisticated programs have begun to create a chain reaction of self improvement cycles. This has led to an "intelligence explosion", with some of the biggest political decisions on the world stage now being influenced by sentient machines.

    Of course, there are controls and regulations in place to guide these actions (to prevent the use of nuclear missiles for example). Nevertheless, it is becoming obvious to everyone by now that machines are quite literally taking over the world.



    Handheld MRI scanners

    The ability to scan, analyse and diagnose the body has taken a huge leap forward by now. Hi-res, 3D imaging of internal structures and brain activity is now possible using real-time video rather than static photos. This can be accomplished with devices no bigger than a camera.

    In the early 2000s, these machines were so bulky that they filled whole rooms. Scans typically required half an hour or longer to create. They were also highly expensive: upwards of a million dollars for a state-of-the-art model, with each individual scan costing hundreds of dollars.

    A new generation of machines began to evolve, based on supersensitive atomic magnetometers, able to detect the tiniest magnetic fields. These replaced the huge doughnut-shaped magnets that had been used in the past. By the late 2050s, MRI scans had become as quick and easy as taking a photograph, with a hundredfold decrease in cost. Healthcare programs in developing countries would benefit particularly from this.



    2058 AD

    Construction of a radio telescope on the Moon


    The telescope is 100m wide and located on the Moon's far side, giving it a stable platform with slow rotation rate (0.5 arcsec/sec), beyond the interference of Earth's atmosphere and cluttered radio background.* This provides astronomical images with a clarity unmatched by any observatory on Earth or in space. Individual stars, billions of light years away, can be seen assembling into the first galaxies.

    The telescope is situated within an impact crater. Both it and the surrounding infrastructure are built using a mixture of epoxy, self-assembling carbon nanotubes and material from the Moon itself - drastically reducing costs.



    2059 AD

    The end of the oil age


    For most of the 20th century, prospectors discovered far more oil than industrial societies could consume. This was an era of cheap and plentiful energy, which saw huge growth in the world's economy and population. By the 1970s, however, a dramatic slowdown in discoveries was being observed. This continued into the 21st century - contributing to a financial crisis that persisted for decades, resulted in the almost total collapse of the US dollar, and drove nations to the brink of another World War.

    It was only through the adoption of renewable energy, major lifestyle changes and heavy government intervention (at times bordering on dictatorial) that a major catastrophe was averted. By 2040, widespread use of algal biofuel and other technologies had stabilised the world's economy and society. By the late 2050s, the end of the 200-year oil age is approaching, with the last dregs being extracted from isolated pockets in the Middle East.



    Mars has a permanent human presence by now

    By the end of this decade, a permanent team of scientists is present on Mars.* They number around a dozen and comprise a highly international mix of people.

    The first civilian tourist has also arrived. Travel to Mars was made cheaper and faster thanks to the development of nuclear pulse propulsion. This cut journey times from six months to just a few weeks.*

    The base will soon be expanded with new facilities including a larger power plant, mining equipment, nanofabricators and greenhouses.* Vehicles are also being supplied to improve the astronauts' mobility, allowing them to roam hundreds of miles. Additional bases are already being planned to accomodate larger teams of scientists, as well as corporate interests.

    The habitat modules are constructed partially underground, giving protection from the ultraviolet glare of the Sun. Meanwhile, radiation-absorbing materials based on advanced nanotechnology are used in spacesuits, as well as on the exterior of the vehicles. These same materials have special filters to block even the tiniest particles of dust, providing long term protection against the environment outside.

    All of the above is providing the critical mass needed for self-sufficiency. Operations will soon be conducted entirely independent of Earth. In the coming years, the first children will be born on Mars.



    2062 AD

    Nanofabricators enter the consumer market


    These all-purpose, desktop machines can reproduce a seemingly infinite variety of items. In effect, they are like miniature factories. They have been around for a while in certain military/corporate/medical environments, but are now filtering down to mainstream use.

    In appearance, they have a combined washing machine/microwave oven form-factor. Raw materials are purchased separately, and can be loaded in solid, liquid or powder form. An interior compartment is accessed via a small hatch, where the objects are constructed atom-by-atom. The process takes a matter of minutes and the assembled items can be used immediately.

    Electronic paper and circuitry, tools and equipment, replacement window panes, sheets of fabric, entire laptops... these are just some of the countless items available for nanofabrication. New schematics can be accessed from the web and programmed into the machine.

    Nanotech Assembler


    Part VII will follow
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  9. #69
    Das it, Mane Comboking's Avatar
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    moar *******
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  10. #70
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    2065 AD

    Longevity treatments that can halt aging


    By the middle of this decade, treatments are becoming available which can effectively halt the aging process altogether. This landmark in the field of gerontology has been achieved through a worldwide collaborative effort between thousands of universities, research institutes and scientific bodies.

    Rather than being a single process, aging was found to be caused by seven key types of damage.*

    1. Junk - inside cells
    2. Junk - outside cells
    3. Cells - too few being produced
    4. Cells - too many being produced
    5. Mutations - chromosomes
    6. Mutations - mitochondria
    7. Protein crosslinks

    Various combinations of drugs were developed in order to combat these types of damage. In 2010, it was possible to slow aging by only two months per year. Over the subsequent decades, however, exponential progress was made thanks to the growth of information technology in medicine, combined with advances in nanotechnology which led to ever smaller and more sophisticated treatments. The use of nanobots - able to repair and restructure cells on a molecular level - meant the required "escape velocity" of twelve months per year was eventually reached.

    Much debate rages over the morality of this treatment and its consequences for the world's population (especially from conservatives and religious groups), but there is generally strong support from the public. Following clinical trials and government approval, it is now available to the mass market.

    Initially expensive, it is regarded as a luxury - in the same way that plastic surgery, laser eye surgery and other cosmetic procedures were viewed in earlier decades. However, the massive amount of public interest leads to intense competition between the pharmaceutical firms, which soon drives down costs. Further refinement makes it possible to treat aging with just a single operation, rather than multiple ongoing treatments. Even further refinement makes it possible not only to halt the aging process, but to actually reverse it. By the early 22nd century, even people over 100 begin to appear physically indistinguishable from those in their 30s.



    2065 AD

    Self-assembling buildings made entirely from nanotech

    Nano SkyScapers


    Nanotechnology - the control of matter on an atom-by-atom basis - has swept the world, transforming society in myriad ways.* At the same time, new methods of automation are displacing the need for human labour on ever increasing scales. A growing number of industries have seen their workforce shrink dramatically, with robots and AI handling the bulk of operations. Unemployment is soaring around the world during this time.

    Now, even construction companies are being affected. By the middle of this decade, it's becoming possible to build entire homes and offices using nanotechnology alone. For a typical square or rectangular plot of land, this takes the form of self-assembling machinery, based around a scaffold system that initially resembles a giant, four poster bed. Vertical columns, one in each corner of the site, support a platform that gradually rises from the ground, adding successive layers of material beneath it. The columns rise in tandem with the platform, whilst also relaying material, until the building is finally topped out.

    In effect, these machines are like substantially bigger versions of 3D printers and nanofabricators. For some of the more "unique" building designs or features, traditional methods of construction and engineering are still incorporated. Even these will eventually be replaced by self-assemblers as the technology advances further.

    Atom by atom, these intelligent machines lay the foundations, core, framework, flooring, electrics, doors and other components - while robots inspect the interior, perform safety checks and make adjustments where necessary.

    By the 2070s, even skyscrapers and other tall structures can be erected using this method. The process is so rapid, it takes a matter of weeks from groundwork to final completion - or days, in some cases. Humans are rarely if ever needed on site.






    Part VIII will follow...
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  11. #71
    3rd World Brah gazadan's Avatar
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    extreme broscience
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  12. #72
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    Originally Posted by gazadan View Post
    extreme broscience
    Exactly what part of this was broscience?
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  13. #73
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    bum
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  14. #74
    Dem Cankles HNNGG CanklesBrah's Avatar
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    Most of us are going to be dead by the time this anti-aging process is released so I'm kinda bummed out but nonetheless, interesting stuff op. Makes me scared ****less but good stuff op
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  15. #75
    Dem Cankles HNNGG CanklesBrah's Avatar
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    bump for op
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  16. #76
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    Damn sounds like that one woll smoth film
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    Originally Posted by CanklesBrah View Post
    Most of us are going to be dead by the time this anti-aging process is released so I'm kinda bummed out but nonetheless, interesting stuff op. Makes me scared ****less but good stuff op
    Maybe, maybe not.

    See the thing is anti-aging technology is going to improve over time.
    Lets say by 2020 life expectancy is 80
    2030 life expectancy is 85
    2040 life expectancy is 100 (exponential growth)

    So on and so forth, until the technology is perfected with nanotech and eventually, we can REVERSE (rather than slow down) the process.

    You could always die in an accident though... stay safe



    more content coming soon
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  18. #78
    ...what a douche... Antagonist388's Avatar
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    so when do we populate the entire solar system?
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    nump
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    2070 AD

    Fully automated homes


    Buildings in developed nations are becoming highly automated and self-sufficient. In addition to robots, a typical new build home now includes the following:

    A localised power supply. Energy can be generated by the building itself, via a combination of photovoltaics and piezoelectric materials. Walls, roofs and windows can absorb almost all wavelengths of light from the Sun with organic solar technology, turning it into heat and electricity. Friction generated by the occupant's footsteps - and various other kinetic processes - can also produce energy. This is converted and stored in any number of ways, from hydrogen to batteries. In countries where sunlight is less frequent, microturbines may be used in place of solar.

    On-site water production and waste management. Rain is captured by external guttering, then stored and converted into drinking water using nanofiltration systems. This is especially useful in regions prone to drought (which includes a substantial portion of the world by this time). If local water is in short supply, houses can serve as miniature reservoirs and filtration systems. Meanwhile, plastics and other kitchen waste can be placed in recycling machines, ground into extremely fine powder, then later re-used in nanofabricators.

    A multi-layered building envelope which provides a variety of dynamic effects. Windows can self-adjust their size and position - as well as their opacity - to optimise the level of natural light. In some of the more upmarket properties, the entire façade can morph its texture and appearance through the use of claytronics. Depending on the tastes of the occupant, this could transform into an art deco style, a classic Victorian building, or something entirely different. This form of "programmable matter" can even be designed by the occupant themselves and changed on demand.

    Air purification systems. Air within the home is kept fresh, purified and completely free of dust and microbes.

    Interactive surfaces. Holographic generators cover the whole interior of the property – including walls, doors, worktop surfaces, mirrors and shower cubicles. These intelligent surfaces can track the position of the occupant and display information whenever and wherever necessary. A person can read emails, see news reports and access the online world using virtually any surface in the house as a touch screen or mind control interface.* Detailed, real-time information on their health, personal lifestyle and daily schedules can also be displayed. This system has a variety of other functions, e.g. it can be used to locate personal items which may have been misplaced.

    Intelligent/self-maintaining appliances. Appliances that don't repair or maintain themselves in some way have become largely obsolete by now. It is very rare for a human engineer to be called to the house.

    A modest size. The world is becoming an ever more crowded place, with available land continuing to shrink due to overpopulation and environmental decline. In city centres, apartments tend to be highly minimalist and compact, with small footprints utilising every inch of space. Full immersion virtual reality is one method of adapting to this. Another is flexible room layouts that reconfigure themselves on demand. In earlier decades, this was achieved in some homes by using a sliding wall system.* Today, it can be done with morphable claytronics.



    Expansion of Moon bases

    Building on the success of the Helium-3 extraction programmes, additional new bases are appearing on the Moon. Other resources are now being mined including precious metals and minerals which are increasingly rare on Earth.

    Perhaps more importantly, this is being combined with on-site processing and production, to build new structures and facilities around the original bases. Solar panels, tools and other equipment, for example, can be manufactured without needing to be delivered from Earth, whilst entire new buildings can be created with the help of robots. Paths can be carved out from the lunar regolith, with solar roadways built on them using materials extracted locally.

    Small hydroponic farms are providing a continuous supply of food and water to the astronauts.

    All of this is producing the critical mass needed for a thriving, self-sustaining presence on the Moon. A few decades from now, it will be open for civilian settlement.


    2072 AD

    Picotechnology is becoming practical


    Technology on the scale of trillionths of a metre (10-12) is becoming practical now.* This is orders of magnitude smaller than the nanotech of earlier decades.* The structure and properties of individual atoms can be altered via the manipulation of energy states within electrons, to produce metastable states with highly unusual properties, creating new forms of exotic atoms.
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    2079 AD

    Practical flying cars are entering the consumer market


    Anti-gravity propulsion has been under development for almost a century now.* Initially seen in military applications, it eventually found its way to the consumer market. Here, it began showing up in various luxury items and devices, such as hoverboards and floating recliners.

    Further refinement of this technology - together with advances in AI, microjets and collision avoidance systems - has led to the dawn of a new era in personal transportation. In the late 2070s, it is not uncommon to see what citizens of earlier decades might describe as "flying cars" moving through cities.

    In fact, these are light-duty vehicles based on earlier military VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) craft, but with slimmed down functionality and costs. They come in a variety of models and sizes, but are typically around 4 metres wide, and limited to a maximum of one or two passengers. By the end of this decade, they are becoming cheap, safe and numerous enough to be regarded as a mainstream form of transport.

    The craft have a number of advantages over established forms of mobility. Since they float above the ground, they can access terrain and environments that would easily defeat traditional automobiles. This makes them popular with adventurers and explorers. They are also substantially faster than normal cars, able to reach several hundred kilometres per hour if necessary. They are more versatile and manoeuvrable than aeroplanes and can utilise a much greater volume of airspace. Since the traffic they generate is decentralised and there is so much available airspace, this makes them safer than both cars and aeroplanes, too. Collisions are almost unheard of, in any case, due to the onboard software and AI.

    In addition, they use considerably less fuel than earlier forms of transport and require less maintenance.

    Some of the more expensive models are capable of reaching low Earth orbit for short periods. Others feature striking designs, often personalised by their owner - such as holographic decals and other accessories. These craft are being used by many businesses too (especially for rapid delivery of goods), as well as police and ambulance crews.

    Further developments in anti-gravity will lead to bigger, more sophisticated versions - including recreational vehicles serving as truly mobile homes. Many previously inaccessible parts of Earth will become inhabited thanks to this, such as mountains and remote islands.




    2080 AD

    Some humans are becoming more non-biological than biological


    Today, the average citizen has access to a wide array of biotechnology implants and personal medical devices. These include fully artificial organs that never fail, bionic eyes and ears providing Superman-like senses, nanoscale brain interfaces which greatly augment the wearer's intelligence, synthetic blood and bodily fluids which can filter deadly toxins and provide hours' worth of oxygen in a single breath.

    Some of the more adventurous citizens are undergoing voluntary amputations to gain prosthetic arms and legs which boost strength and agility by orders of magnitude. There is even a form of artificial skin based on nanotechnology (which can be used to give the appearance of natural skin when applied to metallic limbs).

    These various upgrades have become available in a series of gradual, incremental steps over preceding decades - such that today, they are pretty much taken for granted.

    They are now being utilised by a wide sector of society, with even those in developing countries having access to at least some of the available upgrades due to exponential trends in price performance.

    If a fully upgraded person of the 2080s were to travel back in time a century earlier and be integrated into the population, they would be superior in practically every way imaginable. They could run faster than the greatest athletes of the time; they could leap and bound tremendous distances; they could survive multiple gunshot wounds; they could cope with some of the most hostile environments on Earth without too much trouble. Intellectually, they would put the likes of Albert Einstein and William Shakespeare to shame – thanks to the hyperfast AI merged directly with their brain.




    Construction of a transatlantic tunnel

    Built from advanced automation and robots - and controlled largely by AI - this is among the largest, most ambitious engineering projects ever undertaken. With hyperfast Maglev up to 4,000mph, passengers using the tunnel can be delivered from Europe to America in under an hour.

    Carbon nanotubes, along with powerful geo-sensing devices, have been paramount in the structure's design - these can self-adjust in the event of undersea earthquakes, for example. Also noteworthy is that the trains operate in a complete vacuum. This eliminates air friction and allows the hypersonic speeds to be reached.

    Vast numbers of climate refugees are making use of this tunnel.


    2083 AD

    Hyper-intelligent computers


    Due to Moore's Law, $1000 of computing power is now equivalent to a billion Earth's worth of human brains.*

    A laptop-sized computer of today can perform the equivalent of all human thought over the last ten thousand years in less than ten microseconds.

    Technology is progressing so fast that - in order for people to comprehend it - neural upgrades are becoming necessary on a regular basis.

    Macro-scale teleportation is achieved

    Recent experiments in quantum entanglement - made possible by AI and picotechnology - have yielded major breakthroughs. It is now possible to teleport macro-scale objects from one location to another. The objects being tested are still very small (e.g. grains of sand), but are nevertheless visible to the naked eye, and retain their original structure following the procedure.



    Part IX will follow...
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    Wheres part IX? This was an epic thread
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    Pretty cool thread OP. Will rep for the effort.
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    Originally Posted by Zunehmer View Post
    Wheres part IX? This was an epic thread
    Originally Posted by bilaba70 View Post
    Pretty cool thread OP. Will rep for the effort.

    Damn. Totally forgot about this, brb updating.
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    Arrow

    2090 AD

    Religion is fading from European culture


    In some European nations, the number of people considering themselves to be non-religious has increased from around 30% in 1980, to over 90% now.*

    Although large numbers of Muslims populate the continent, a substantial portion are now only "culturally" Muslim, rather than having a literal interpretation of the Koran. Mainstream Islam has begun a reformation and modernisation in recent years - aided by vast improvements in education, combined with the broad homogenisation of culture resulting from globalisation, the Internet, various international agreements and other factors.

    Medical advances are undermining religion as a whole, by greatly diminishing the fear of death, while developments in AI, robotics and biotechnology are beginning to trivialise the miracles on which many ancient religions are based. The increasing presence of androids in society - along with other forms of sentience - is adding a whole new dimension to the way humans view themselves and their place in the Universe. The ability to communicate with certain artifically enhanced animals (such as dolphins, monkeys and domestic pets) is also contributing to this trend.

    Spirituality continues to play a role in European cultures - but is now based more on nature and physical reality, rather than myths, dogma or supernatural forces.

    The USA still lags far behind Europe in terms of atheistic belief, however. It will be another century before America reaches the same level; even longer for certain parts of Asia. Even then, a small percentage of citizens will continue to worship a God (or Gods), well into the next millenium. These people will tend to be those who reject science and technology, or have purposefully chosen to isolate themselves from the rest of the world.



    2092 AD

    West Antarctica is among the fastest growing areas in the world


    The icy continent today would be unrecognisable to observers from the 20th century. Its northern peninsula is now home to a multitude of towns and conurbations, with a total population numbering in the millions.

    Melting of surface ice has resulted in conditions appropriate for large-scale human settlement.* Even farming and crop growing is now possible in some of the most northerly areas. Air temperatures in the polar regions have increased more than anywhere else in the world - meaning that parts of Antarctica are now comparable with the climates of Alaska, Iceland and northern Scandinavia.

    Huge levels of immigration are now underway from countries all over the world that have been affected by climate change, creating a diverse mixture of people and cultures flocking to this new land of opportunity. In some ways, the settlement of Antarctica is similar to that of America in the 18th and 19th centuries. The highest density cities are becoming cultural "melting pots" similar to New York and London.

    The world is rapidly moving towards a situation where certain equatorial regions have been abandoned altogether. Enormous deserts now cover Africa, southern Asia, Central America, parts of the southern USA and even southern European states.



    2100 AD

    Human intelligence is being vastly amplified by AI


    Some regions - such as Canada, northern Europe and Russia - have continued to grow and prosper. Large-scale automation in these countries has led to vast swathes of human employees being replaced by virtual or robotic counterparts. AI systems now occupy almost every level of business, government, the military, manufacturing and service sectors.

    Rather than being separate entities, these AI programs are often merged with human minds, greatly extending the latter's capability. For instance, knowledge and skills on any subject can now be downloaded and stored directly within the brain. In addition to basic information and data, this includes a range of physical abilities. A person can learn self-defence, for example, become an expert in any sport, or be taught to operate a new vehicle, all within a matter of seconds.

    The world is being transformed by this fusion of people and machines. The vastly greater power of AI means that it has become, at the same time, both master and servant to the human race.

    The benefits of this human-AI merger require the extensive use of implants, however - something which a significant minority of the population still refuses to accept. Compared to transhumans, these non-upgraded humans are becoming like cavemen - thousands of years behind in intellectual development.* Unable to comprehend the latest technology, the world around them appears "fast" and "strange" from their increasingly limited perspective.* This is creating a major division in society.



    Nomadic floating cities are roaming the oceans

    At the dawn of the 22nd century, many of the world's cities lie partially submerged due to rising sea levels.* Despite some attempts to build flood defences, even famous locations - such as New York, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney - have been affected.

    With over 10% of the world's population living on coastlines, hundreds of millions have been forced to migrate. However, disruption of inland food and freshwater supplies - caused by drought, disease, war, overpopulation and other factors – means their journeys often end in vain. Some of the worst-hit countries have been plunged into a state of anarchy. Vast uninhabitable wastelands now cover the equatorial regions, with desperate streams of refugees moving from city to city, fighting over what little scraps remain. There is widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure.

    In the US, formerly prosperous breadbaskets in the south have been turned into lifeless deserts, while coastal areas are frequently battered by storm surges, category 6 hurricanes and other freak weather events.*

    Meanwhile, the once mighty Amazon rainforest has been reduced to a few oases of greenery surrounded by parched scrubland and dried river beds.

    A growing number of citizens are abandoning their homelands altogether and attempting to reach more northerly or southerly latitudes. However, borders are becoming ever more difficult to cross. Limited food, resources and housing are forcing many governments to drastically rethink their immigration policies.

    Rich entrepreneurs are exploiting this, by offering a new means of living which does away with national boundaries altogether. This comes in the form of floating, artificial islands - wholly self-sufficient and capable of cruising around the world indefinitely.*

    The ships provide the kind of comfort, safety and security that many of their occupants have never experienced before. In addition to a continuous supply of food, freshwater and energy, a number of facilities are available – including state-of-the-art virtual reality suites, android servants/companions, industrial-scale nanotech assemblers, landing pads for anti-grav vehicles, swimming pools and other amenities. Carefully maintained arboretums featuring real trees can also be found on board (flora which are becoming increasingly rare these days).

    These giant, amphibious ships are especially popular in southeast Asia, which has been hit hardest by the effects of climate change. Some of the largest craft measure over a kilometre in diameter with tens of thousands of residents. Whole new cultures are forming on these "micronations", based on sustainable ways of living and a mutual respect for humanity and nature.



    Force fields are in military use

    A combination of several unique technologies - stacked together in layers - has led to a radical new form of protective shielding.* To observers from the previous century, this would resemble the "force fields" depicted in science fiction movies. When activated, it provides an instant, near-impenetrable field withstanding hits from all but the most powerful weaponry.

    The outer layer consists of a supercharged plasma window, shaped into a dome or sphere by electromagnetic fields. This is hot enough to vaporize most incoming metals.

    A secondary layer underneath contains millions of curved laser beams, producing a high-energy web that captures projectiles fast or powerful enough to bypass the plasma window.

    A third layer consists of a "lattice" made from trillions of carbon nanotubes. These microscopic structures are woven together in an instant, forming a diamond-hard shell repelling objects missed by the other two layers. If necessary, it can be extended to cover a larger perimeter, at the cost of decreased strength. Conversely, it can be reduced in size to provide an even denser and more durable barrier.

    The layers described above can protect against the majority of bullets, bombs and projectiles. However, they are almost useless against lasers. A fourth and final layer takes care of this problem. It uses photochromatic particles, which change their properties when exposed to laser light, effectively neutralising most directed-energy weapons. An early form of this technology was seen a century previously, with sunglasses that changed colour when exposed to sunlight.

    In addition to warzones, these multilayered force fields are being used in various other situations. National borders, for example, are being made more secure - as are many sources of food and water production. Corporate spaces and luxury dwellings owned by the rich are also utilising them. A number of satellites are being fitted with this technology too.
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    2120 AD

    Mind uploading enters mainstream society


    Adequate hardware to support human-level intelligence was available as far back as the 2020s, thanks to the exponential progress of Moore's Law.* This made it possible to form simulations of neural processes.

    However, the underlying software foundation required for mind uploading proved to be a vastly greater challenge. Full transfer of human consciousness into artificial substrates posed enormous technical difficulties, in addition to raising ethical and philosophical issues.

    The sheer complexity of the brain, and its inherent fragility - along with the many legislative barriers that stood in the way - meant that it was nearly a century before such technology reached the mainstream.

    Some breakthroughs occurred in the latter decades of the 21st century, with partial transfer of memories and thought patterns, allowing some limited experience of the mind uploading process. However, it was only through the emergence of picotechnology and strong AI that sufficiently detailed scanning methods became available. This new generation of machines, being orders of magnitude faster and more robust, finally bridged the gap between organic human brains and their synthetic equivalents.

    Initially tested on monkeys, the procedure was eventually offered to certain marginalised people including death row inmates and terminally ill patients. Once it could be demonstrated as being safe and reversible, the project garnered a steady stream of free and healthy volunteers, tempted by this new form of computerised immortality.

    Years of red tape and legislation followed, including some of the strictest regulations ever enacted into law. Religious and conservative groups voiced their objections to what they saw as a fundamental violation of God's will. At times, this threatened to postpone the technology indefinitely. Eventually though, like so many other breakthroughs in science, the zeitgeist moved on. The level of demand for mind uploading proved to be enormous, and the treatment was made commercially available in the 2120s.

    Today, citizens have access to special clinics in which their biological brains can be literally discarded in favour of artificial ones. Rather than simply "duplicating" a mind, the machine physically shifts the consciousness, like a sponge soaking up water. The brain is gradually replaced - piece by piece - so the original personality remains intact during the transition. This vital aspect of the procedure assuages the fear which many have of losing their identity.

    For the wealthiest individuals, entire new bodies can be grown, into which the synthetic brains can be transplanted. These bodies may themselves be artificial, with options for partially cyborg or fully robotic replacements. Externally, they are often indistinguishable from real human bodies, but include many hi-tech add-ons and internal features boosting physical and mental abilities.

    Not everyone is opting for these types of treatments, however. A significant percentage view them with extreme suspicion, as though somehow immoral and dehumanising. With each passing year, society is becoming increasingly fractured, with an ever-widening divide between those who seek to enhance themselves, and those who prefer to eschew such technology.



    The International Space Elevator is operational

    Rising from the Pacific Rim, this mega-structure is thousands of miles high. Decades in the making, it has been built entirely from carbon nanotubes. These are hundreds of times stronger than ordinary steel and capable of withstanding the enormous tensile forces involved. The elevator is controlled largely by AI, which monitors any stresses or unusual conditions.

    One major obstacle to the project's completion - aside from the initial outlay - was the need for international agreements on safety, security and insurance in the event of an accident. Although the technology was available as far back as 2040, these issues (and others) delayed construction by many years.

    A major space boom is now finally underway, as passengers can be delivered to orbit at vastly reduced costs, compared with traditional rocket launches.



    Part X will follow...
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    2130 AD

    Large-scale civilian settlement of the Moon is underway


    As a result of the International Space Elevator, huge numbers of Earth's citizens now have rapid, affordable and safe access to space. Dozens of permanent Moon colonies are now being established, funded by various cooperative groups. Nanotechnology self-assemblers enable these habitats to be constructed in hours or days.* Most are concentrated in the southern polar region, which has greater access to water.*

    Advances in genetic engineering mean that humans can be fully adapted to the gravity of the Moon. In any case, scientists are developing a form of artificial gravity that will soon become available.

    In addition to basic exploration and surveying, the main occupations for colonists at the moment are scientific and technological research, mining, agriculture, energy production, communications and transport/infrastructure management. Many tasks are handled by robots, giving more leisure time for the human residents.

    Tourism is now a booming industry, with many thousands of people arriving on the Moon's surface each year for guided tours - even though VR simulations can recreate the Moon's environment. The most popular destinations are Mons Huygens (the highest mountain), Tycho (a prominent crater visible from Earth) and the Apollo landing sites.

    A very large telescope is also operational, for long-distance astronomical observations. The lack of atmosphere and other conditions gives it a tremendous advantage over Earth-based telescopes.



    Teleportation of large stationary objects is possible

    Teleportation of stationary objects around one to two metres in size is now possible. It will be many years before living, breathing subjects can be teleported, however. At present, use of this technology is strictly limited to:

    scientific experiments
    highly classified government activities
    military operations
    surface-to-orbit transportation of equipment
    emergency situations requiring a rapid response
    The maximum possible range of teleporters at this stage is limited to a few hundred miles.



    2150 AD

    Interstellar travel is becoming possible


    Around this time, various private commercial spacecraft are sent to Alpha Centauri, Barnard's Star, Wolf 359 and other neighbouring star systems. The fastest of these are capable of achieving 0.08-0.1c (8-10% lightspeed), requiring around 40 years to reach their destination.* A variety of propulsion systems are being utilised - from nuclear pulse propulsion, to solar sail technology, to other more experimental methods.

    Most of these vessels are crewless, with only a handful of humans daring enough to attempt such a voyage. However, each craft is equipped with powerful AI, automated systems and robots which do a better job than any human could, in any case.

    Protection from incoming meteors is provided by cone-shaped force fields, projected from the front of each craft. This streamlined shape allows such debris to simply drift by without causing any damage.

    After several decades of interstellar travel, the majority of probes successfully rendezvous with their destinations. Each returns a treasure trove of data and visual information. Among the many discoveries is a planet similar in size to Earth, with over 90% of its surface covered in liquid water, though no life forms are detected. Another, much larger and rockier world is discovered in the same system, with a highly active geology and volcanism. A host of interesting and unique moons, asteroids, ring systems and other astronomical features are catalogued.

    The success of these missions acts as a catalyst, further accelerating the current boom in space travel.



    Part XI will follow...
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    2150 AD

    Androids physically indistinguishable from real humans


    Androids have been appearing amongst the general populace for many decades already. However, it is by the middle of this century that they achieve a truly lifelike appearance, movement and interaction - making them indistinguishable from real people. Many are now employed in service-based roles.

    The typical android of today would appear somewhat calm and subdued, however. They would rarely (if ever) express any strong emotions. Their cognitive abilities would be geared towards hard facts and objective data, rather than subjective views or emotional reasoning.

    For this reason, most are regarded as servants at this point in history. However, advances will be made in the coming decades enabling them to replicate even the subtlest of human traits. With androids playing an increasing role in society, a civil rights movement will develop, similar to that which dominated America 200 years earlier.



    2150 AD

    Hi-tech, automated cities

    An observer from the previous century - walking through a newly developed city of today - would be struck by the sense of cleanliness and order. The air would smell fresh and pure, as if they were in 20th century countryside. Roads and pavements would be immaculate: made of special materials that cleaned themselves, absorbed garbage and could self-repair in the event of damage. Building surfaces, windows and roofs would be completely resistant to dirt, bacteria, weather, graffiti and vandalism. These same coatings would be applied to public transport, cars and other vehicles. Everything would appear brand new, shiny and in perfect condition at all times. Greenery would feature heavily in this city, along with spectacular fountains, sculptures and other beautification.

    Lamp posts, telegraph poles, signs, bollards and other "clutter" that once festooned the streets have disappeared. Lighting is now achieved more discretely, using a combination of self-illuminating walls and surfaces, antigravity and other features designed to hide these eyesores, maximising pedestrian space and aesthetics. Electricity is passed wirelessly from building to building. Room temperature superconductors - implanted in the ground - allow the rapid movement of vehicles without the need for tracks, wheels, overhead cables or other bulky components. Cars and trains simply drift along silently, riding on electromagnetic currents.

    Sign posts are obsolete - all information is beamed electronically into a person's visual cortex. They merely have to "think" of a particular building, street or route to be given information about it.

    This observer would also notice their increased personal space, and the relative quiet of areas that, in earlier times, would have bustled with cars, people and movement. In some places, robots tending to manual duties might outnumber humans. This is partly as a result of the drastic reduction in the world's population. However, it is also because citizens of today spend the majority of their time in virtual environments. These wholly convincing, simulated realities offer practically everything a person needs in terms of knowledge, communication and interaction – often at speeds vastly greater than real time. Limited only by a person's imagination, they can provide richer and more stimulating experiences than just about anything in the physical world.

    On those rare occasions when a person ventures outside, they are likely to spend little time on foot. Almost all services and material needs can be obtained within the home, or practically on their doorstep - whether it be food, medical assistance, or even replacement body parts and physical upgrades. A "shop" in the developed world is likely to be run entirely by AI. It will know exactly what you need before you even set foot in it, and will have everything ready upon your arrival (if you even arrive at all, since robots can deliver most goods and services). The same goes for hospitals and other amenities.

    Social gatherings in the real world tend to be infrequent - usually reserved for "special" occasions such as funerals, for novelty value, or the small number of situations where VR is impractical.

    Crime is almost non-existent in these hi-tech cities. Surveillance is everywhere: recording every footstep of your journey in perfect detail and identifying who you are, from the moment you enter a public area. Even your internal biological state can be monitored - such as neural activity and pulse - giving clues as to your immediate intentions. Police can be summoned instantly, with robotic officers appearing to 'grow' out of the ground through the use of blended claytronics and nanobots, embedded into the buildings and roads. This is so much faster and more efficient that in most cities, having law enforcement drive or fly to a crime area (in physical vehicles) has become obsolete.





    Although safe and clean, some of these hi-tech districts might appear rather sterile to an observer from the previous century. They would lack the grit, noise and character which defined cities in past times. One way that urban designers are overcoming this problem is through the use of dynamic surfaces. These create physical environments that are interactive. Certain building façades, for instance, can change their appearance to match the tastes of the observer. This can be achieved via augmented reality (which only the individual is aware of), claytronic surfaces and holographic projections (which everybody can see), or a combination of the two. A bland glass and steel building could suddenly morph into a classical style, with Corinthian columns and marble floors; or it could change to a red brick texture, depending on the mood or situation.

    2160 AD

    The world's first bicentenarians


    Certain people who were born in the 1960s are still alive and well in today's world. Life expectancy had been increasing at a rate of 0.2 years, per year, at the turn of the 21st century. This incremental progress meant that by the time they were 80, these people could expect to live an additional decade on top of their original lifespan.

    However, the rate of increase itself had been accelerating, due to major breakthroughs in medicine and healthcare, combined with better education and lifestyle choices. This created a "stepping stone", allowing people to buy time for the treatments available later in the century - which included being able to halt the aging process altogether.



    Part XII will follow...
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  29. #89
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    2170 AD

    The first kilometre-sized space station is complete


    Construction of this large-scale habitat and research facility was made possible by the International Space Elevator, built half a century previously. This greatly reduced the cost of surface-to-orbit transportation - from tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram in the early 21st century, to less than a dollar per kilogram by the early 22nd.

    Several other large-scale space stations have been appearing in Earth orbit during the last few decades - but this is the largest, and represents a new generation. It contains an entire fusion power plant at its core, utilises a form of artificial gravity and is home to many hundreds of people and androids.

    The commercial space industry is booming during this time, with a regular flow of traffic between Earth, the Moon and several near-Earth asteroids which are now being mined for raw materials.



    2180 AD

    Antimatter power plants are coming online


    A century after the global deployment of fusion, new forms of power production are becoming necessary in order to cope with the exponential rise in energy demands on Earth and elsewhere.

    A new generation of power plants is becoming available, capable of harnessing the energy released in matter/antimatter collisions. The reactions involved are 1,000 times more powerful than the fission produced in nuclear power plants and over 300 times more powerful than nuclear fusion energy.



    2190 AD

    Matter replication devices are available for the home


    Towards the end of this century, home appliances are becoming available which can instantly reproduce almost any known substance, at quantum fidelity.* This is achieved using a combination of femtoengineered components and exceedingly complex fractalised software, capable of handling the stupendous number of calculations involved. These devices are just one of many spinoff technologies resulting from the development of macro-scale teleportation in previous decades.

    Originally used in factories, science labs and corporate environments, the machines were big enough to fill entire rooms, and often required huge amounts of power. They worked well for large enterprises but were completely impractical for the consumer market.

    However, much like the IT industry, exponential progress in this field led to a rapidly shrinking form-factor. Combined with power conservation and heat dissipation techniques, a new generation of replicators began to evolve that were ultra-compact. Eventually they became small enough to fit on kitchen worktops.

    Today, these devices are as cheap and commonplace as microwave ovens were in the late 20th century. They are most commonly used as food synthesisers, but a variety of other household items can be reproduced.

    Raw mass resources - in the form of sterilised organic particulates - are stored in compartments within the machine. To save energy and computational power, these have been specially formulated to statistically require the least quantum manipulation. The user inputs their choice either via mind control, or voice activation. Molecular analysers then scan each and every subatomic particle, while trillions of Heisenberg compensators maintain cohesion as the object begins to materialise, held in place by micro force-fields. The process takes a matter of seconds and can be repeated indefinitely - resources are beamed in from an external supplier, like tap water.

    A vast database containing information on food, clothing and other objects is constantly maintained online. This is automatically downloaded into each machine, and contains many freely available programs.

    These devices will play a major role in eliminating poverty, disease and hunger throughout the world. Traditional agriculture, manufacturing and distribution will become obsolete, replaced by purely information-driven systems that are completely decentralised.



    Part XIII will follow...
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    Interesting thread. I hope the prediction on Islam is true and they stop being so crazy about made up gods.

    Inb4 none of this happens, Islam takes over and the world goes back to the stone age/sharia law
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