Andrew McAfee's blog
TickTickTickTick… March of the Machines
Just a quick note to let everyone know that 60 Minutes is running a story tonight called “March of the Machines” about “technological advances, especially robotics, that are revolutionizing the workplace, but not necessarily creating jobs.”
Steve Kroft sat down with me and my Race Against the Machine co-author Erik Brynjolfsson, and our interview will, we’re told, be incorporated into the story.
The show will air Sunday, January 13 after the Patriots – Texans playoff game is over; between 7 and 8 pm EST. I’d tell you what to look for, but I haven’t seen the piece yet. I’ll report back here with my impresssions of it, and I’d love to hear yours. So leave a comment after it airs, please…
Recent Trends in Labor Intensity. Or, the History (and Future?) of Steady Work in the US
When I’m trying to understand something, I start drawing graphs using whatever data’s available; pictures help me more than tables of numbers or regression coefficients. So here’s a picture I drew to see recent trends in US labor productivity — how much more output the American economy gets from its workers over time.
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Blogs
Help Futurists: BetaLaunch Alumni Cyber-hero League Get Ready To Launch!
Futurists: BetaLaunch, THE FUTURIST magazine's invention and idea expo, is entering its third year and will be part of the opening night event at WorldFuture 2013. We'll be updating you soon on the BetaLaunch winners that will be showcasing their startups and inventions this July in Chicago. Right now, we would like to catch you up on one of our alumni, the Cyberhero League, an anti-bulling, pro-future game platform that teaches responsibility, sustainability, and civic-mindedness.
Scenarios for the future of urban farming
Over many centuries, attempts have been made to get food production out of the cities. Produce comes from the land and is transported into the cities. In most western cities, abattoirs have disappeared. Markets are still there, but no longer have a central role in our shopping.
Coca-Cola Blurs the Line between Virtual and Real
In this uplifting video from Coca-Cola (click here), consumers in India and Pakistan are treated to a free Coke, provided they interact with their neighbors using a virtual interface on a high-tech vending machine.
Star Trek Into Darkness: Eye Candy For The Amygdala
Star Trek Into Darkness: Eye candy for the amygdala. Yes, this is another Hollywood blockbuster depicting a dystopian future with big explosions and small innovations. However, the first ten minutes are worth the price of the ticket. I was pleasantly surprised to see J.J. Abrams using the Ancient Aliens theory and a huge wink to author Zecharia Sitchin's work in the opening scene located on the fictional (depending on who you ask) world of Nibiru.
Investing in the Future of Regenerative Medicine
Spray-on skin. Lab-grown ears. Human tissue grown in a petri dish. We're going deep into sci-fi territory (and it is already happening).
The Principles of Extropy: A Quarter Century Later
“Extropy” is celebrating its first quarter of a century. The idea was formally introduced as a philosophy of the future in 1988, and many things have happened from the end of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century. A new millennium has been born and the philosophy of extropy is well-suited for these new times of accelerating change, full of challenges and opportunities.
Resilience: Exploring the edge of new possibilities in the Anthropocene
One definition of resilience is “the ability to cope with shocks and keep functioning in a satisfying way”. Resilience is about the self organizing capacity of systems. This means the ability to bounce back after disaster, or the ability to transform if a bad stage has happened.
Developers Making Net-Zero-Energy Homes Happen in DC
The townhouse on 4310 St. NW was just like any other family-sized unit in DC. Then the developers at energy-efficient-building company True Turtle Real Estate and construction-management firm C.A.T.
