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BEN BOVA
Author of the Grand Tour series of novels
Author of the Grand Tour series of novels
"Stanley Schmidt's vision of the future manages to steer a fine line between doom and gloom. He warns us of the problems inherent in the
runaway growth of technology, but also describes the almost unimaginable benefits that can occur when different technologies come together in a
happy marriage. The overall effect is uplifting and inspiring; if you think the world has changed a lot in the past twenty years, as someone once said, 'You ain't seen nothin' yet'."
JOHN GRIBBIN
University of Sussex and author of
The Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors
University of Sussex and author of
The Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors
Imagine direct communication links between the human brain and machines, or tailored materials capable of adapting by themselves to changing environmental conditions, or computer chips and environmental sensors embedded into everyday clothing, or medical technologies that eliminate currently untreatable conditions such as blindness and paralysis. Now imagine all of these developments occurring at the same time. Far-fetched?
Not So. These are actually the reasonable predictions of scientists attempting to forecast a few decades into the future based on the rapid pace of innovation.
Author Stanley Schmidt – a physicist, a writer, and the editor of Analog: Science Fiction and Fact – explores these and many more amazing yet probable scenarios in this fascinating guide to the near future. He shows how past convergences have led to today’s world, then considers tomorrow’s main currents in biotechnology, cognitive science, information technology, and nanotechnology. Looking even further downstream he foresees both exciting and potentially dangerous developments:
- Longer, healthier lives
- Cheap, generally available food, energy, and technology
- Reduced pollution and environmental stress
- Economic disruption during transitional periods
- Excessive power in too few hands
- Increased vulnerability from overdependence on technology.
The message is clear: the choices we make now will converge to create a near and distant future that will be almost unbelievably wonderful or unimaginably catastrophic, or both. This knowledgeable, fascinating glimpse into the future is a must read for everyone interested in technology, upcoming innovations in business, science fiction, and the future.
Stanley Schmidt, PhD has served as editor of Analog: Science Fiction and Fact for twenty-five years. With a doctorate in physics from Case Western Reserve University, he has been a member of the Foresight Institute since its inception, has participated in a think tank with the Advanced Concepts Group at Sandia National Laboratory, and is a member of the Board of Advisers of the National Space Society. He has published both science fiction novels and nonfiction works on the future, and has edited or coedited many anthologies.
ALT ISBN: 978-1-59102-613-6