Futurism

Why “utility fogs” could be the technology that changes the world

Arthur C. Clarke is famous for suggesting that any sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic. There’s no better example of this than the ultra-speculative prospect of “utility fogs” — swarms of networked microscopic robots that could assume the shape and texture of virtually anything. We may be decades away from this sort of…

io9 George Dvorsky

Artificial “floating” islands could replace the sinking Maldives

A number of seaside nations are expanding their coastlines by constructing offshore artificial islands — beautifully structured land masses that are being used for tourism, the commercial sector and even residential purposes. But rising sea levels are making this a precarious proposition at best, particularly for the Maldives — a country that’s just five feet…

io9 George Dvorsky

Urban Gardens that Are Also Beautiful Art Projects

The cities of the future will need to incorporate greenery, and most cutting edge architecture includes a space for urban gardens and vertical farms. But the real cutting-edge designers and artists are taking it one step further — with projects that are half garden, half-sculpture. Here are some new urban green spaces that are also…

io9 Amanda Yesilbas

The Rise of “Cyber Therapy,” or How Games Became a Medical Treatment

Today many doctors today say the best high-tech treatments are ones you can download from an app store. A trend in digital bootstrapping, using simple technology to solve complicated problems, reveals that the best cure isn’t always a brand-new drug or gadget. Sometimes a simple iPad app or game can transform a troubled treatment into…

io9 George Dvorsky

Is Reddit going to replace college for people who can’t afford higher education?

In the United States, many people can no longer afford to get a four-year college degree — even though most jobs that pay a middle-class salary require it. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project: A March 2012 study by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that 60%…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Can “cliodynamics” help historians predict future unrest?

Unlike physicists and chemists, historians have been unable to formulate grand equations or immutable laws. The trends of history, it would seem, are outside the scope of reproducible science. But a new discipline called “cliodynamics” is looking to change all that. After studying and mapping key indicators of history, University of Connecticut’s Peter Turchin believes…

io9 George Dvorsky

What does Oscar Pistorius’s success at the Olympics mean for the future of cybernetics?

For the first time ever in Olympic history, a double-amputee is set to race alongside able-bodied athletes. Nicknamed “Blade Runner,” South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius’s remarkable achievement is set to raise as much enthusiasm as it will concern. As we recently reported, it’s very possible that Pistorius’s advanced prosthetic “Cheetahs” give him a distinct advantage.…

io9 George Dvorsky

Interactive infographic predicts emerging technologies from now until 2040

Michell Zappa of the tech forecasting firm Envisioning Technologies has compiled a beautiful infographic highlighting the most significant technological innovations that we can expect to see from now until the year 2040. The graph breaks down key tech sectors by category and includes fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotech, energy, space, and many more.…

io9 George Dvorsky

Why Our Current Missions to Space Could Create Sentient Robots

Space is the domain of robots. NASA is about to land the semi-autonomous robot Curiosity on Mars within the next few days, where it joins its two less-sophisticated robot brethren, Spirit and Opportunity. There’s a good reason why these rovers are the first Earthlings first to set foot — or rather, tire treads — on…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Immortality by 2045? Russian scientists think it’s possible.

Do you want to live forever? Are you on Forbes’ World Billionaire List? Holy crap, have we got an opportunity for you. Entrepreneur Dmitry Itskov and a team of Russia’s leading scientists want to make humans immortal. They call it the 2045 initiative, and they plan to create a fully functional, holographic human avatar, complete…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

10 Futuristic Technologies That Will Never Exist

Part of the joy of science fiction is seeing all the awesome toys, and imagining how they could exist in the real world. And so many of science fiction’s coolest gadgets have come true, including Star Trek’s PADDs and communicators. But the sad truth is, a lot of the most fantastic technologies in science fiction…

io9 George Dvorsky

The Future Is Unevenly Distributed

One of the big questions of futurism is what kind of world we want to live in tomorrow. But as attendees at a recent conference on futurism discovered, “tomorrow” is relative. People in Egypt look at the future very differently than people in Canada do. This was a heated topic of discussion at the recently…

io9 George Dvorsky

Meet the future of medicine: an ingestible microchip that monitors your medications

Can’t be bothered to remember if you took your meds this morning? Soon you won’t have to. The US FDA has approved a line of ingestible microchips which, when embedded in a pill, tell you and your doctor whether you’re taking your medications as prescribed. Is it futuristic? Yes. Useful? Tremendously. Creepy? Kind of, yeah.…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

How a Rat With a Brain Sensor Turned Ramez Naam From a Technologist into a Renowned Futurist

Prior to becoming a futurist, Ramez Naam was a well respected and successful software developer and professional technologist. He was involved in the development of such products as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook. His future in the software industry certainly looked bright. But it was during this time that he decided to switch gears…

io9 George Dvorsky

Just how badly will the Total Recall remake flop?

1990’s Total Recall was one of the most profitable movies ever — it cost just $65 million to make and grossed around $262 million worldwide. But the new remake, starring Colin Farrell, was reportedly made for a staggering $200 million. And even though it comes out on Friday, we’re hearing almost no buzz about it.…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Could Minority Report come true in your lifetime?

What if we could know about a crime before it happens? We could avoid huge amounts of suffering — but even though that goal fuels stories like Minority Report and Person of Interest, it seems to be far away from reality. Until now. Experts say the field of “predictive policing” has advanced by leaps and…

io9 George Dvorsky

Genetically modified apples won’t turn brown when you slice them

Good news for people who like to take a bite out of an apple, and then just leaving it sitting on the kitchen counter for the rest of the day: A small Canadian company called Okanagan Specialty Fruits is developing a genetically engineered apple that won’t turn brown after it has been sliced or bruised.…

io9 George Dvorsky

Will Oscar Pistorius’ Prosthetic Legs Give Him an Unfair Advantage at the 2012 Olympic Games?

Have Oscar Pistorius’ carbon-fiber lower legs crossed the line between prosthetics and enhancements? And is it fair for him to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games? Scientists and sports experts alike are being drawn into the debate, as Scientific American’s Rose Eveleth explains. Her piece begins: Runners who’ve faced off against Oscar Pistorius say they…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Will we eventually have to shed our Earth-centric view of history?

Scientists make a lot of noise about how math and science are the true universal languages, and how, if we ever make contact with aliens we’ll have to speak to them through that first. But have they thought about what that would mean? For example, will it mean that we will have to demote all…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Imagining the Super-Enhanced Athlete of the Future

As the London 2012 Olympics get set to start next week, experts and fans alike are anticipating a showcase of seemingly greater-than-human performances. But with the strict prohibition against performance-enhancing drugs and gear, some sports pundits are predicting that few records will be broken — and that realization has prompted some people to wonder what…

io9 George Dvorsky

Why “utility fogs” could be the technology that changes the world

Artificial “floating” islands could replace the sinking Maldives

Urban Gardens that Are Also Beautiful Art Projects

The Rise of “Cyber Therapy,” or How Games Became a Medical Treatment

Is Reddit going to replace college for people who can’t afford higher education?

Can “cliodynamics” help historians predict future unrest?

What does Oscar Pistorius’s success at the Olympics mean for the future of cybernetics?

Interactive infographic predicts emerging technologies from now until 2040

Why Our Current Missions to Space Could Create Sentient Robots

Immortality by 2045? Russian scientists think it’s possible.

10 Futuristic Technologies That Will Never Exist

The Future Is Unevenly Distributed

Meet the future of medicine: an ingestible microchip that monitors your medications

How a Rat With a Brain Sensor Turned Ramez Naam From a Technologist into a Renowned Futurist

Just how badly will the Total Recall remake flop?

Could Minority Report come true in your lifetime?

Genetically modified apples won’t turn brown when you slice them

Will Oscar Pistorius’ Prosthetic Legs Give Him an Unfair Advantage at the 2012 Olympic Games?

Will we eventually have to shed our Earth-centric view of history?

Imagining the Super-Enhanced Athlete of the Future

Trump Says He’ll Sign Order to Pay TSA

Deadpool Will Deface ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Classics for a New Secret Lair

Apple’s Siri Isn’t Just Going to Use One Chatbot. It’s Going to Use All of Them

Why ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 Is the Key to the Rest of the Series

ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-Inch Portable Monitor Is Now Cheaper Than Black Friday in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

Early Wildfires Are Surging Across the US—and Trump’s New Fire Agency Isn’t Ready

INIU Brings Another Power Bank to the Spring Sale as SnapGo Keychain Portable Charger Drops to Its Lowest Price

Attorney Hit With Historic Fine for Citing AI-Generated Cases

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...