Blogs

From the editors of THE FUTURIST magazine, here are the most popular articles, stories, and blog posts we were honored to bring to you this year. We couldn't do it without our members and the generous support of people like you.

In order to bridge the holidays, while we cruise the Caribbean and use skepticism to stave off the "end of the world"... here’s a classic bit of blather about the future, written way back in the early nineties, when the web was new and when pioneers like former JPL director Bruce Murray were trying out these new conversational methods utilizing a brand new breakthrough called the "world wide web."

When we think of genetically modified organisms we tend to talk about corn and soybeans. But aquaculture is turning out GMOs in the shape of salmon. Genetically engineered by AquaBounty Technologies, it has taken a decade to finally get this close to being given the green light as a safe food.

Here we are in the last week of 2012 with another 88 years before we see the end of the current century and I am one of those who is hopeful that we have the tools to make the world by then a much better place for all of humanity and the biodiversity that surrounds us.

Cloud computing made big strides forward in 2012, and if a host of industry experts proves correct, it will make even bigger advances in 2013.

A large number of us don't have access to electricity. Those in the know put the number at 1.5 billion. That's more than the total population of China. Can you imagine an entire country the size of China being completely off the grid?

Every once in awhile I rant.

Why, as a futurist, do I spend so much time thinking about the future?
Very simply, since no one has a totally clear vision of what lies ahead, we are all left with degrees of accuracy. Anyone with a higher degree of accuracy, even by only a few percentage points, can offer a significant competitive advantage. Using this as a backdrop, here are four unexpected macro trends that I see dramatically influencing our future.

This week's five stories look at:

• New 3D Display Represents Advance in Augmented Reality;
• More Evidence that Fracking Causes Earthquakes;
• Seeding the Ocean to Sequester Carbon a Non-Starter;
• New Microscale Actuator Provides Engine for Micro Robots;

Sometimes you come across a technology concept that just sounds like a bad idea. I'm not sure if this one is or isn't but but a proof-of-concept is getting funded by a well known serial entrepreneur.