Thanksgiving 2034: A glance at turkey day in 25 years

By Dick Pelletier

      

    No one knows for sure how the future will unfold in 25 years, but by projecting present-day knowledge with expected technology breakthroughs, we can make plausible guesses about what America's Thanksgiving could be like in 2034.

    Advancing technologies suggest that in 25 years we will meet loved ones via Internet-delivered holograms; receive most of life's essentials from personal nanofactories; be pampered by loyal, caring robots; run errands in computer-driven skycars; and enjoy a disease-free indefinite lifespan.

    Thanksgiving still includes sharing with family and friends, both live and virtual. Wall-size screens display interactive videos created by holographic Internet cameras that bring friends and families together from around the world – in virtual environments indiscernible from reality. As people touch, hug, or kiss a hologram image, nanobots convince participant's minds that the encounters are real.

    Turkey dinner still remains the favorite; but nanofactories, which first appeared in late 2020s, have eliminated messy food preparation. Personal nanofactories provide food, clothing, and nearly all family essentials at little or no cost. Mom replicates dinner with all the trimmings, which is then served by the family robot, voicing its often-humorous attempts at making conversation.

    Robots have become an essential acquisition in our homes. Priced at $10,000-to-$30,000 in 2030s dollars, these artificial beings understand and respond to our every need. They maintain home security, keep family members out of harm's way; and manage complex technologies such as nanobots that maintain our health, and simulations that send us to entertainment dreamland.

    Flying cars, promised since the 1950s, have finally arrived. Powered by superconductive electromagnetic drives with interactive speech capability, these computer-driven wonders allow riders to direct the vehicle with their voice. Skycars can travel streets and highways, or rise silently in the air and glide to destinations. A quantum-technology GPS system prevents accidents on the ground and in the air, making collisions impossible.

    Science has radically changed the ways that we supply nutrition to our bodies. Trillions of tiny nanorobots, produced inexpensively by personal nanofactories and housed in a special belt, deliver the exact required nutrients direct to every cell in the body. This revolutionary system eliminates the need for eating food; but more important, it keeps us forever trim and healthy.

    However, most people do not wish to give up their eating pleasures, so researchers have created a special digestive tract that receives 'real' food such as our Thanksgiving feast, but prevents those nutrients from entering the blood stream. Nanobots break down this food, then route it into a disposable pouch. Food lovers can now eat anything their heart desires without gaining an ounce.

    A government report predicts that by 2030, researchers will develop robots that swim through arteries and repair bodies. This medical nanotechnology has helped people realize that indefinite lifespans are no longer theory; in the 2030s, they have become reality. Most doctors now view indefinite lifespan as simply a natural progression of continued good health.

    Other breakthroughs expected by 2034: doctors can reprogram human consciousness to enhance happiness levels in marriages and friendships; and diminish violent tendencies in criminals, which has reduced crime rates.

    Will this "magical future" happen in just 25 years? Forward-thinkers believe that it will.

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