how will the world change in 30 years or so?

[private_ryan]

especially on the (computer) technology, medicine and clothing fields. I have a few ideas but I need more for a report.

thnx in advance

[terrya]

1. We will have an AIDS vacine.

Seriously.

[amazona]

3. driven by research in Africa especially Kenya

The vaccine will come from Kenya. Google some of the research going on there. They are determined to break the dependence on western drugs if possible. Even if the protease inhibitors were given free tomorrow, there is a great distribution problem to the villages to keep the supply coming. A vaccine can be a one time event or an occasional event with boosters.

I see Kenya, Cuba, and other third world countries becoming leaders in affordable medical technology. It can happen. They have powerful motivation.

[Deja Q]

11. Sweet, I hope that happens!

Affordable drugs would end the American drug empire and help lead to affordable health care for all. The people wouldn't stand for politicians/corporate interests trying to keep the status quo by then.

[Deja Q]

2. Expect a slowdown and price increase of everything plastic

Plastic is made from oil.

We're at peak collection right now.

Soon it'll get harder to collect the stuff.

Prices will go up.

If we have repukes in office, they'll set up a war with oil collecting nations and annex their supplies. Saddam, far more intelligent and astute than most Americans, once mentioned something about the one who controls the oil controls the world... If you think this new holy war is nothing now, just wait (forget mincing words, Bush* has been encouraging, orchestrating, and actively participating in a holy war because that's the easiest way to piss off those who own the oil... had the oil owners been of a different background, * would have made a war on that characteristic...).

Don't forget NAFTA and everything like NAFTA. There's a clause which states, in the event of resource shortage, the US has the "right" to take what they need. :puke: Most Canadians know this already...

Nothing about clothing will change, most of it's made by foreign entities, in foreign countries, in sweatshop conditions.

Medicine, if it's researched here, will be moved offshores as well.

Computer technology will eventually reach an impasse. Scientists already know this and are working on new technologies to replace existing ones. Hopefully ones that also won't involve plastic...

[Spider Jerusalem]

4. In 30 years?

As the effects of being on the downward slope of the oil-depletion curve make themselves felt, expect rolling blackouts to become a fact of life; even, maybe, permanent blackouts in some areas. Also expect crop failures and famine, as most modern fertilisers and pesticides are petrochemicals (oil-derived); as for clothing, polyester and nylon will disappear (because there's not the stuff to make them). In short, oil depletion leads to a pretty bleak picture.

As for computing, performance will plateau unless quantum computing becomes workable, since we're almost at the physical limits of the technology. Processor speeds may continue to increase with the greater availability of synthetic diamond for chip substrate rather than silicon (diamond chips can run at speeds that would melt silicon).

And...use Google. Use search strings like "future technology", "biomedical advances", etc.

[amazona]

5. the U.S. will be underwater and broke

We will have lost most of our wetlands, even cities far from coasts like New Orleans will be underwater, and nations like the Marshall Islands and Netherlands that will be completely underwater will be suing us for damages in a world court. It's probably too late to take action but we are not even doing anything to mitigate our liability in the global warming matter.

Insurance companies will no longer offer property insurance on the coasts or the greater Mississippi delta region. They will get out of insurance and into other financial products, or they will go broke.

By 2050 -- a bit too far ahead for your report -- it is said that New York City will be at the same risk for hurricanes as Miami is today.

One Andrew-type event in Manhattan could make 911 look smalltime.

The "big one" will likely have already destroyed downtown New Orleans at great cost and perhaps bankruptcy of the property insurance and re-insurance industries.

There will be few medical breakthroughs invented in the U.S. for a variety of reasons you probably already know but the Third World is going to astound us with their inventions.

Clothing? Hmmm. Perhaps it will finally be recognized that natural fibers like cotton do widespread destruction to the ecosystem and the soil...but maybe that will take more like another 300 years. Or three thousand.

[The Zanti Regent]

6. What I see...

Sadly if the Nazis aren't stopped, I see...

a massive increase of nuclear power plants including the construction of breeder reactors for fuel production;

massive shortages of raw materials

famines triggered by Malthusian realities setting in, no petrochemicals trigger famines, look for the price of food to skyrocket; meat will become a rarely-seen luxury.

a return to locomotive transportation, powered by nuclear reactors, since cars will no longer have gasoline and there is no marketable way to produce methanol for cars to run on.

See a return of horse-driven cabs, carriages and stagecoaches

Social Security and Medicare will be eliminated when the US has to go to the IMF for bailouts.

Churches will turn millions away who look for help. NAFTA and WTO destroy what is left of middle class jobs, leaving a permanently underemployed labor force, people will fight for the ideal job--at Wal Mart

Antibiotics will lose their effectiveness and we will have a rapidly declining lifespan

AIDS will run wild and kill billions. Africa, India and Asia will soon be emptied due to it

America will become a third world country, since Nazis will insist on mandatory bible studies and ignore everything else.

China will get to the moon, establish a moonbase, get to Mars by 2030 and move outward while we turn inward and decline.

[Spider Jerusalem]

8. "...if the 'Nazis' aren't stopped"???

Come now...surely you aren't so näive as to think that someone else running things is going to make any difference. Jesus Christ could return in glory to govern the planet till the end of time; the oil would still run out, other natural resources would still be exhausted, etc...most of this is going to happen no matter WHO runs things, sadly.

[arwalden]

7. Artificial Eyes Allow The Blind To See With 20/20 Clarity...

... not just 20 x 20 pixelized blurs.

Stephen Hawking merely needs to THINK and the electrodes implanted in his brain (or simply on his scalp) will make his voice synthesis program speak for him. (Sadly... the voice still sounds the same.)

-- Allen

[onebigbadwulf]

9. Armeggedon to the major countries of the world

[private_ryan]

10. I'm preparing to kill myself

I just read your predictions :)

how about as far as medicine delivery to the people, gene therapy, operations done by robots, organs grown in labs, stem cells, clothes with computers...any suggestions?

[The Zanti Regent]

12. China will have them

We won't.