Just think about it....

Okay, this isn't going to be a terribly deep thread, but I thought it should go in Cosmos rather than anywhere else...

Just think about all the changes the last hundred years have brought. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that more comfort-of-lliving changes have occured in the last hundred years than in any other time span of living. None of us goes outside to the bathroom, and if we want something to eat, we just hop in the car and run to McDonald's for it, some of us work from the comfort of our own home now, thanks to computer technology. It's abosolutely amazing if you think of it in relation to what most people had the opportunity for a hundred years ago.

So I guess what my question would be is: What will the next hundred years hold. What will our grandchildren be doing that makes our way of life seem difficult? Do you think that advances will continue at the pace they have been, or will it slow back down again?

Just my Saturday morning ramblings, but I would be VERY interested to see what some of the rest of you think.

Deb :D

I know what you mean. Just after the turn of the century the Wright brothers were flying their first airplane (which was really more of a glider than an airplane), and by 1969 we had put people on the moon. The more technology you have the easier it is to develop new technology. I expect the rate of advances to continue fairly swiftly, but then again it's hard to tell. I expect more experimentation with genetics (a lot of it not for good).

There are several obstacles to be overcome
if we hope to see standards of living continue
to improve over the next 100 years as they
have in the last 100.

• Distribution.

We have proven that all these conveniences
are feasible, but they have not been distributed to the other 95%
of mankind.

• The unknown

Wars in the last century diverted resources
away from what "might have been".
IMO, if WWII had not happenned, we might
still not have developed nuclear technology,
but been much further along in genetics.

Since conflict is the one thing we can surely
predict for the next century, what form
will it take and how will it cause us to
deploy research resources?
:cool:

rcgreen, you make some very good points. As I was posting originally, I was thinking that anyone who reads THIS particular post is more than likely going to have the amenities I was thinking of, but a great deal of the worlds population doesn't. And also, I think I've heard that if it hadn't been for WWII we wouldn't have made it to the moon when we did, because of breakthroughs made in aviation.

I was just wondering...we have things now that were almost unimaginable 100 years ago. I wonder what they will have in 100 years that is unimaginable to us now? But then if it's unimaginable to us....Whew, I think I need to go lie down...lol!

Preacherman, I definitely agree about the genetic research and engineering, it's moving forward with leaps and bounds. It could be such a wonderful thing for curing illnesses, etc. But I'm afraid it's going to go the wrong way, and become a weapon of some type....

Deb :D

We just got "electricity" in Australia. It's pretty cool, but don't touch it!

electricity - bah! thats nothing the Irish just invented a new type of Guinness!!! Now thats a break through! :D
As for what the next hundred yrs holds? Who knows - and isn't that part of the fun? ;)

v_Ln

Perhaps they will offer Grey Goose vodka in 1 gallon bottles in the next 100 years. That truley would be awesome.

Lol, Louie, Valhallen, and Conf1rm3d_K1ll: I'm a little concerned about the direction the world is going to take with folks like you in charge...lmao.

I guess you're right though, part of the fun is not knowing what will happen next, but I was just curious as to what technological breakthroughs the folks here think will be the most life changing in the next 100 years. There have been so many, it's hard to imagine what could really happen to top what we already have, but I'm sure something will.

Deb :D

seriously tho i think the next technology that will effect us ALOT has been discussed quite often in this forum.....chip implantation! and prolly in our lifetimes oO
I dunno if i am looking forward to it or not as there are so many different good arguments for and against but i do know that no matter what happens it will def make an impact on the lives of us still around when it comes out!

v_Ln

deb, i agree whole-heartedly with you and preacherman. ive never seen or heard of anything that has more potential for evil than genetics. this is something we all better keep our eyes on.

right now the gene project has the potential to literally cure all disease, but what horrendous weapons could also be made.

i think changes this century are going to happen much much faster than in the last. it might be initially accelerated by the upcoming cold war with china, cold wars are good for doing that, but the break threws that occur then will really take off.

there a project, which is little more than a geek toy right now, that i think will really develop into something great. im really kinda excited about it:

http://jnaudin.free.fr/html/lifters.htm

it was the best of times. it was the worst of times