September 28, 2017 at 8:21 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item A New New World
September 28, 2017 at 11:00 pm
It was interesting that you mentioned Red Mars (by Kim Stanley Robinson) since there are some controversial ideas around population and birth control in his novels.
People are already living longer due to advances in technology and that trend will continue to put pressure on our precious resources.
Farming (as we know it today) is one of the areas that will see the biggest change.
We must get use to the idea that meat will be 'grown' in laboratories!
'Alternative' sources of protein will also become part of our diet...
Fresh food production will continue to move closer to cities by implementing vertical farming.
The plus side for us (working with and/or interested in data) is that there will be many opportunities for IIoT, Big Data, Machine Learning and AI projects.
September 28, 2017 at 11:47 pm
Stefan LG - Thursday, September 28, 2017 11:00 PMIt was interesting that you mentioned Red Mars (by Kim Stanley Robinson) since there are some controversial ideas around population and birth control in his novels.
People are already living longer due to advances in technology and that trend will continue to put pressure on our precious resources.Farming (as we know it today) is one of the areas that will see the biggest change.
We must get use to the idea that meat will be 'grown' in laboratories!
'Alternative' sources of protein will also become part of our diet...
Fresh food production will continue to move closer to cities by implementing vertical farming.The plus side for us (working with and/or interested in data) is that there will be many opportunities for IIoT, Big Data, Machine Learning and AI projects.
Soylent Green, anyone?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 29, 2017 at 1:41 am
I used to particularly like science fiction among a wide array of arts, culture and sports. Unfortunately it now seems like I can't watch mainstream arts or even sports without having politics rammed down my throat at every junction. I appreciate that politics has always been present in the arts, but it's now so blatant and unsubtle that it detracts from culture.
I suspect science fiction used to be far more of a playground for ideas whereas now it seems it is only pushing specific ones.
Bad science, and bad data drives bad policy and there is plenty of bad science... see Ben Goldacres excellent book...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Science-Ben-Goldacre/dp/000728487X
I think it's worrying that corporations like Google may end up knowing more about my children than I do. Now that is a scary thought!
If you agree that knowledge is power then that's a hell of a lot of power to give to a global corporation. As well intentioned as people in a corporation can be, ultimately it's goal is to make money for it's staff and stakeholders.
I really want to make sure that my children have the balance right between fresh air, exercise and technology.
I can see social responsibility being built in to technology and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a scary thing or a bit of both!
September 29, 2017 at 2:14 am
A lot of the science in Star Trek came from Issac Asimov's Foundation Series possibly most famously Android Positronic Brains eg Lt Commander Data.
As well as the three laws of Robotics there was Pyschohistory - The ability to foretell the future by analysing the past behaviours of populations in such a way that no one individual can influence the future ( there is a caveat to that, that to reveal would be a spoiler for those that have not read the series).
Given the state and focus of of AI atm I suspect that this becoming less Science Fiction and more Science Fact ( think of the data that Facebook and Twitter holds showing peoples reactions to events and trough AI being able to predict what their reaction would be to future events ....of course the Russians may already be there ;-))
Anyone who has not read the series should do so , they are a great read, still science fiction even though they were written in the 1950's !!
September 29, 2017 at 3:54 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor - Thursday, September 28, 2017 8:21 PMComments posted to this topic are about the item A New New World
I'm also a life long Science Fiction fan and like you wildly curious about where this journey Mankind will take us. I'm a bit disappointed regarding the slow progress in getting off this rock so that all our eggs are not in one basket. Space has turned out to be pretty hostile (and vast) for humans but to sustain rising demands on finite resources we won't have any choice but to go there and soon. I'm also disappointed that despite all our efforts we still have not found any signs at all of ANYONE else out there yet. How precious we all are if there really is no other intelligent life? in the Universe. I really don't want to believe this is the case but it could be.
Excellent TV series like "The Expanse" currently on Netflicks probably presents a pretty true picture of where we are heading in the next 200 years or so. It raises some very interesting concepts such as paying everyone "Basic" enough to live but just about, not the future world I hoped and hope for. However its a very real prospect unless we come up with creative solutions to Robotics and AI making vast numbers of people jobless. I know we DBA's and Developers are on the front line but it's up to governments to address the dangers and soon.
I've also very hopeful that some disruptive energy technological breakthrough may solve the CO2/climate change issue for good not to mention giving us unlimited cheap energy. Perhaps it will be technology such as (LENR) or the so called (Hydrinos) currently developed by BrilliantLight.com, Brillouin Energy, Andrea Rossi's (ECAT) Leonardo Corporation, not to mention the tons of others now getting involved. Lets hope "Evil Corp" doesn't try to bury it for another 20 years we really don't have that time.
September 29, 2017 at 4:43 am
The greatest limitation on advancement and exploration of space is man. We had a fast-moving space program, only to have it dismantled by greedy people demanding we stop spending money on space exploration and start giving it to ourselves (as in the “war on poverty” where poverty won).
As long as our civilization regressive to an inward vision, we will not even get back to a glorified school bus in orbit (space shuttle).
If we want to advance, if we want to explore space, it requires recapturing a lost set of core values we had as Americans conquering those first waddling, infant steps into space and the moon. The core values of a centuries-old American culture, where rugged individualism and self-reliance were far more common, and focused on the common good.
Our Orwellian “progressive” European-oriented culture and it’s multiculturalism are a wasteland for innovation and advancement beyond our little solar system.
Indeed, we are the greatest obstacle to overcome.
September 29, 2017 at 5:36 am
msbasssinger - Friday, September 29, 2017 4:43 AMThe greatest limitation on advancement and exploration of space is man. We had a fast-moving space program, only to have it dismantled by greedy people demanding we stop spending money on space exploration and start giving it to ourselves (as in the “war on poverty†where poverty won). As long as our civilization regressive to an inward vision, we will not even get back to a glorified school bus in orbit (space shuttle). If we want to advance, if we want to explore space, it requires recapturing a lost set of core values we had as Americans conquering those first waddling, infant steps into space and the moon. The core values of a centuries-old American culture, where rugged individualism and self-reliance were far more common, and focused on the common good.Our Orwellian “progressive†European-oriented culture and it’s multiculturalism are a wasteland for innovation and advancement beyond our little solar system.Indeed, we are the greatest obstacle to overcome.
Yes I agreed with some of what you say,but not all,(of course), the space race bankrupted the Soviet Union and proved too expensive for the US to move forward on their own and get those big budgets through congress. It's not fair to point the finger at EU for the subsequent logjam either. Multiculturalism is what America WAS all about and what hugely helped make it great in the past but I think has lost it's way lately (unfortunately for all of us).It seems to me the space exploration torch for the most part has moved on to Europe, India, Russia and China. The way forward is by colloboration and a bit of healthy competitition, both by nations and private corporations. If somehow the vast amounts of money spent/wasted on weapons and wars (BY EVERYONE) could be channelled instead to Space Tech what wonders could be achieved?.
September 29, 2017 at 6:16 am
Today's VR (AR) tech ala Halolens, Pokémon Go, Google Glass, etc is something I personally do not like, however I would love to live to see the day that I can walk into my living room, flip on a game of Gears of War and the emergence hole appears on my living room floor. I am fascinated by the holographic technology but I am just not on board with it yet. However, I would love to use it if I could walk into the room and say, "Computer, load up Gears of War 1 and I will play the character of Dominic Santiago" and the room transforms into that war-ridden planet of Sera. Will that happen in my lifetime? I just turned 50 so I am not foreseeing it. Perhaps in my grandchildren's future.
September 29, 2017 at 6:51 am
StarTrek Discovery premiered this past week as a new entry in the Star Trek seriesthat has been a part of my life since I was a kid.
Although Star Trek has also been part of my life since a child (I am apparently one of the few to cut my ST teeth on the animated series as my introduction) I won't be watching Discovery until it's available via some other means that a subscription to a single channel. Part of my cable bill goes to CBS, and they get revenue for the commercials.
While most of the technology would seem to be in the far distant future, the use of floppy drive looking objects has come and gone. The smart phone is way ahead of the communicator, although the communicator does not require the infrastructure that a smart phone does. Computers as a part of daily life is true for those living in the first world.
muchless explored other galaxies
Perhaps a quibble, but even in the ST universe intergalactic travel is not possible. This was touched on in an original series episode. They are traveling to the other solar systems in this galaxy. Even these distances are vast, and at present seem insurmountable.
September 29, 2017 at 7:26 am
msbasssinger - Friday, September 29, 2017 4:43 AMThe greatest limitation on advancement and exploration of space is man. We had a fast-moving space program, only to have it dismantled by greedy people demanding we stop spending money on space exploration and start giving it to ourselves (as in the “war on poverty†where poverty won). As long as our civilization regressive to an inward vision, we will not even get back to a glorified school bus in orbit (space shuttle). If we want to advance, if we want to explore space, it requires recapturing a lost set of core values we had as Americans conquering those first waddling, infant steps into space and the moon. The core values of a centuries-old American culture, where rugged individualism and self-reliance were far more common, and focused on the common good.Our Orwellian “progressive†European-oriented culture and it’s multiculturalism are a wasteland for innovation and advancement beyond our little solar system.Indeed, we are the greatest obstacle to overcome.
Sorry, I'm going to have to question this. While the idealist North American is rugged, individual and self-reliant the sense of community was more important because few could survive on their own. While some North Americans do still aspire to these survivalist ideals, most found that community worked better - hence why there are so many towns and cities. Europe is arguably more innovative than the US, although in various industries there are different balances to be seen between protectionism, profit and health & safety and these balances differ between North America and Europe. Orwellian is a feature of the regimes that are going the wrong way, as in where there is a growing gulf between the desires of the government, or more accurately the small number involved in the government, and the needs of the mass populace and unfortunately the US and the UK are very much sliding to the dictator/elite interest side of government style where other EU countries are currently holding out.
But yes, we, people are the greatest obstable to overcome.
September 29, 2017 at 7:29 am
Star Trek has given us all the illusion of job security. After all, how many times are they searching the Starfleet Database? They can find out how many squares of Charmin that Mr. Whipple used on any given date and time. Seriously, though, I watched the first episode of the Star Trek Discovery, want to see more, but I will not pay CBS to do it. This is very similar to the MN Wild removing games from local TV. Now you have to have cable or satellite to watch a hockey game because "This allows the MN Wild to reach a broader audience". Well, they had their games on the pay TV channels, and local TV at one time, so it is all about the money. Sadly, more broadcasting companies will probably adopt this model with popular series in the future. The dollar rules, the people do not. Which is probably why our interstellar travel is lacking, it costs too much.
September 29, 2017 at 7:49 am
I believe there will be problems with future technology to overcome, until someone sees it as an opportunity and turns it around. That to me encompasses the Western free-enterprise culture that has prevailed to this day. Contrastingly, we should already be exploiting the endless resources of our solar system (Mining the Sky), including limitless fuel for energy sources such as cold fusion - however instead of focusing on heading into space, humanity seems to have been very busy expending its efforts building the war machines needed to fight the tyranny and oppression that stems from the darker side of human nature. I am hopeful that great societies based on liberty and the rights of the individual, such as the US, will prevail, and influence the future of the human race as it inevitably reaches for the stars.
MattF
September 29, 2017 at 8:04 am
allinadazework - Friday, September 29, 2017 1:41 AMI used to particularly like science fiction among a wide array of arts, culture and sports. Unfortunately it now seems like I can't watch mainstream arts or even sports without having politics rammed down my throat at every junction. I appreciate that politics has always been present in the arts, but it's now so blatant and unsubtle that it detracts from culture.
I suspect science fiction used to be far more of a playground for ideas whereas now it seems it is only pushing specific ones.Bad science, and bad data drives bad policy and there is plenty of bad science... see Ben Goldacres excellent book...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Science-Ben-Goldacre/dp/000728487XI think it's worrying that corporations like Google may end up knowing more about my children than I do. Now that is a scary thought!
If you agree that knowledge is power then that's a hell of a lot of power to give to a global corporation. As well intentioned as people in a corporation can be, ultimately it's goal is to make money for it's staff and stakeholders.
I really want to make sure that my children have the balance right between fresh air, exercise and technology.I can see social responsibility being built in to technology and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a scary thing or a bit of both!
When I was younger I used to read Sci-Fi and watch it on the screen. Now that I've gained a few decades of wisdom and spent some serious time considering science, space, fiction and the future.
We are more likely headed towards a William Gibson dystopia than a Star Trek utopia. Star Trek as originally depicted will not happen. Even the more realistic "The Expense" will not happen. Most of the "Science" Fiction is truly fantasy. Space travel is magnitudes more expensive and difficult than most educated laymen realize. Even if we could overcome technical barriers, the economics would be unsurmountable. Plus we currently can't overcome the hubris, greed and nature of the tribal primates we are. We are crabs in a bucket. The dream of interstellar space travel is just a escape from reality, best in small doses of entertainment.
Dreams and visions are fine, but we need more people to understand real science, real history and real economics. When you immerse yourself the study of these subjects, the truth is much more interesting and more rewarding than fiction. Plus if you try hard enough, you can escape temporary from the nasty politics and bad science that has tainted almost all of entertainment.
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