81 years of technology advances, but the best is yet to come
By Dick Pelletier
Eighty one years is a mere blink in history's eye, but since October 26, 1930 when I first arrived on this planet, I've watched many changes take place; some that seemed amazing at the time.
My five siblings and I were raised on a farm in the wilds of Oregon that had no electricity and few modern conveniences. Coal oil lamps and kerosene lanterns helped light the night. We bathed in a small tub in the kitchen with little privacy, drank water from a hand pump in the back yard, and made bathroom trips to a two-seater outhouse, using Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Wards catalogs for toilet paper.
For entertainment, we gathered around the battery-powered Zenith radio in the living room, listening to programs, such as I Love a Mystery, Hit Parade, Jack Armstrong, Richfield Reporter, and many others.
In 1938, our farm was linked to the electric grid. We installed lights in each room, and built an inside shower and toilet. In 1939, telephone service arrived. These conveniences radically improved our lives.
TV finally came to our area in 1950 giving us the miracle of moving pictures in the home. This represented a new dimension in communications. For the first time, healthcare and medical products were presented with visual clarity to the public through programs and commercials. People became more health-conscious, which was an important factor in raising the quality of American medical care.
Jet travel didn't exist in the 1930s; a five-day ocean trip was the main way to get to Europe. We rode horse and wagons in the early days; then as family finances improved, we purchased a new '39 Desoto that mostly could only run on unpaved roads; but compared to our horse-drawn buggy, this was a dream. In contrast, today, we drive cars on superhighways loaded with more creature comforts than we need.
America's mastery of the physical and biological world grew tremendously as the 20th century unfolded. Average life expectancy soared from 50 years in 1930 to nearly 80 by 2011. TV, cell phones, I-Pads, and computers are everywhere; and modern machines have transformed agriculture, which now provides food for seven billion people worldwide.
Shortly after the Stock Market Crash in 1929, President Hoover announced that "Prosperity is just around the corner," but he could not have been more wrong. America was about to enter "The Great Depression," which caused 25% unemployment, soup lines, and an economy that nearly destroyed most working families. Crime, violence, and suicides made headlines almost daily.
In late 1930s, President Roosevelt, emboldened by his New Deal legislation and a rapidly-improving economy that was strengthened by the oncoming war in Europe, authorized the Manhattan Project, an aggressive effort to build an atomic bomb and use it to hasten the end of World War II.
Understanding atoms helped drive our nation's hi-tech prowess, which launched the semiconductor industry, which in turn brought about the personal computer that made possible Microsoft, Apple, Google, Twitter, Facebook, and many more success stories. These advances raised worker output by 2%-per-year, giving Americans the world's highest standard of living.
So, if technologies have affected lives so drastically over the last 81 years, what might we expect in the next 81 years? The following predictions describe some incredible possibilities:
2020 – Stem cell therapies and genetic engineering procedures could replace damaged and aging organs, curing some diseases and adding healthy years to our lifespan.
2030 – Nanorobotics could be installed in countertop replicator machines that provide household necessities such as food, medicine, clothing, and appliances with no labor involved and low resource costs. In addition, according to nanotech expert Robert Freitas, tiny intelligent nanorobots could swim through our bodies, inspecting cells, making repairs to faulty DNA, eliminating nearly every disease.
Some say these 'nano miracles' will not just heal our ills; they will actually improve on nature. Bones, muscles, eyes, and ears will become stronger. We will enjoy daily life in bodies that would be considered 'superhuman' by 2011 standards. Green Lantern, Captain America, and The X-Men have arrived.
Moreover, Freitas says, by mid-2030s, nanorobots could eliminate aging. Correcting faulty DNA would allow older people to recapture their youthful health, strength and beauty and enjoy an extended lifespan.
2050 – By mid-century, non-biological body parts could be developed, immune to disease, accidents, and violence. Should a fatal disaster occur, mind and memories could be transferred to a new 'housing unit' allowing life to continue. Patients would wake up in their new body not even realizing they had died.
2075 – Forward-thinkers predict that by 2075, nanobots could be launched into the sky to change the chemical makeup of the atmosphere, allowing the weather to be controlled. Say goodbye to dangerous storms and hello to "weather-on-demand." Sunshine and rain can now be directed to fall where needed.
2092 – Humanity has achieved what some describe as a Kardashev Type I Civilization. Our societies have evolved from separate squabbling cultures into a peaceful global village working as one voice eager to explore the cosmos.
We now utilize 100% of the sun's energy that strikes our planet, which has enabled development of warp-drive spaceships with faster-than-light-speed travel capabilities, allowing real time intra-galactic forays to Earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars. Experts predict that by century's end, more than two billion people will live in space colonies and by 2150, more humans could live in space than on Earth.
We now utilize 100% of the sun's energy that strikes our planet, which has enabled development of warp-drive spaceships with faster-than-light-speed travel capabilities, allowing real time intra-galactic forays to Earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars. Experts predict that by century's end, more than two billion people will live in space colonies and by 2150, more humans could live in space than on Earth.
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Will the future unfold in this manner? Many future followers believe that the events suggested in this article could become reality within the time-frame suggested.
Moreover, here is the best part: technology advances predicted for the next three decades could enable most people alive today to remain in good health and experience this remarkable future personally, all the way through the 21st century and beyond. Anti-aging guru Aubrey de Grey believes the first people to achieve a 1,000 year lifespan are alive today. He could be talking about you. Get ready for the future.
This article appeared in various print publications and
on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.
