Life in the 2040s: indefinite lifespan, 'smart' homes, skycars

By Dick Pelletier

      Imagine living in a perfect body without fear of unwanted death. Consider a world where "smart" homes with friendly biomaterials responds to our every whim; and bird-like skycars on autopilot whisk us silently through the sky to our destinations.

      Although these scenarios may seem too futuristic to happen in just 32 to 42 years, positive futurists believe that exponentially-advancing technologies could turn this 2040s vision into reality.

      Futurist Ray Kurzweil, in The Singularity is Near describes many of these technologies including how our bodies will evolve. Today’s frail human body "version 1.0" has a high failure rate – More than 50 million will die this year. Over the next two decades, biotech and nanotech advances will provide a stronger "version 2.0", which will reduce deaths significantly.

      "This brings us to "version 3.0", Kurzweil says, "an amazing body that boasts a zero failure rate." Even if a destructive accident were to occur, 2040s technologies would immediately construct a new body, retrieve mind and memories, and allow our indefinite lifespan to continue.

      Homes will not look sci-fi in 2040, because most people still enjoy living in houses, not futuristic pods. But tomorrow's residences will include biomaterials imbedded in ceilings, walls and floors that kill harmful germs, provide pleasant odors, and make us feel cozy and secure.

      Refrigerators will order food and provide nutritional data on what's inside. Meat and dairy products no longer spoil, and drinks chill themselves. All food includes vitamins designed to keep our "version 3.0" body in perfect shape. "Smart" mattresses read our minds and promote dreams that enhance intelligence and emotions.

      Our always-on holographic TV/phone/radio/computer streams live feeds from friends, relatives, or business contacts, and delivers entertainment from the Internet. We can experience programs the old-fashioned way through eyes and ears, or for easier comprehension, allow signals directly into our mind.

      Windows provide clean air and light when needed. Street addresses are gone. GPS coordinates identify every house, and high tech mind scans restrict access to family members, eliminating the need for house keys. Exterior coatings change color and texture on demand; 20th century wood and brick styles are the rage.

      Every home has a vehicle parked in the garage that can drive as well as fly. Backing out the driveway, the computer-driven skycar quickly lifts vertically like a helicopter and glides silently through the sky to your destination. A quantum computer-powered GPS system acts as onboard air-traffic controller to prevent collisions. For longer trips, we hop a scramjet that can travel to anywhere on Earth in an hour or less.

      Nanotech has enabled splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, creating clean hydrogen for fuel cells; by mid-century, America no longer suffers from the tyranny of oil. Nano-replicators, now a staple of every home, provide food, clothing and essentials at little cost. This has drastically lowered living expenses, reducing income needs for most families.

      The 2040s promise to change forever the ways we relate to each other; even our view of what constitutes life will be challenged as technology brings humanity to the edge of immortality. Could this amazing "magical future" be realized in such a short time? Positive futurists believe that it can.

This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.