Life in 2050: Amazing Science, Familiar Threats

[struggle4progress]

Public Sees a Future Full of Promise and Peril
June 22, 2010

... Large majorities expect that computers will be able to carry on conversations (81% say this definitely or probably will happen) and that there will be a cure for cancer (71%). About two-thirds (66%) say that artificial arms and legs will outperform real limbs while 53% envision ordinary people traveling in space ...

... Nearly six-in-ten (58%) see another world war as definite or probable; 53% say the same about the prospect for a major terrorist attack on the United States involving nuclear weapons. An even higher percentage (72%) anticipates that the world will face a major energy crisis in the next 40 years.

The public is evenly divided over whether the quality of the earth’s environment will improve over the next 40 years; as many say the environment is not likely to improve (50%) as say it is (47%). There continues to be a widespread belief that the earth will get warmer in the future, though the percentage expressing this view has declined by 10 points, from 76% to 66%, since 1999.

Moreover, 60% say the world’s oceans will be less healthy 40 years from now than they are today; just 32% say the oceans will be more healthy ...

http://people-press.org/report/625/

[Dawson Leery]

1. kick

[Ter]

2. 40 years from now isn't that far into the future

I expect big changes, but nothing crazy like flying cars everywhere, underwater cities, colonization of Mars, or true AI. Well, maybe AI, but I lean toward no.

[Subdivisions]

3. None of that will happen. Global oil production has peaked and

and will soon going into decline. Without oil, none of those things you listed can happen.

[txlibdem]

4. Oil is the only energy source we have or will ever have?

[Subdivisions]

5. Do you have any idea how paramount GROWING PRODUCTION of oil is

to the survival of our way of life? Any at all?

Let me ask you something: If there was anything that could replace oil, where is it? What would it be? Do you think no one has tried to answer the question of what comes after the oil runs out?

There is nothing that can replace oil in energy content and scalability. NOTHING!



SOUCE: http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/6477