Futurism

10 Futuristic Places to Shop

The past decade or so has seen huge changes to the way we shop, thanks to e-commerce and online retail. But that’s just the beginning. We’re on the verge of a huge revolution in the way we shop, as physical retail spaces become more virtual, and smart businesses find more ways to get you the…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz

1981 climate change predictions were eerily accurate

A paper published in the journal Science in August 1981 made several projections regarding future climate change and anthropogenic global warming based on manmade CO2 emissions. As it turns out, the authors’ projections have proven to be rather accurate – and their future is now our present. Top image: The retreat of Pedersen Glacier in…

io9 Jason Major - Universe Today

Low-income countries are a cigarette’s best friend

Between 1990 and 2009, cigarette consumption in regions of the world like Western Europe dropped by more than 25%. But according to the American Cancer Society’s newly released Tobacco Atlas, these numbers tell just a fraction of a much larger story. According to the extensive report, which you can access in its entirety on tobaccoatlas.org…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Scientists still aren’t sure why the “uncanny valley” freaks you the hell out

When Pixar screened a computer-animated short film called “Tin Toy” in 1988, test audiences hated the sight of the pseudo-realistic baby named “Billy” who terrorized the toys. Such a strong reaction persuaded Pixar to avoid making uncannily realistic human characters – it has since focused its efforts on films about living toys, curious robots and…

io9 Jeremy Hsu - InnovationNewsDaily

The Dark Future of Phone Jamming

Phone jamming is about to get political. Everyone from police to governments are using simple devices that prevent people from making calls or texting in certain areas — and they’re doing it to control the flow of information. Let’s take a look at these devices, their legality and current uses. Then we’ll look at how…

io9 Keith Veronese

Some of the Coolest Future Cityscapes We’ve Seen in Ages

Concept artist Josh Kao has worked on X-Men First Class and Halo 4, but we really love is some of his designs of futuristic cities. His cityscapes have the shininess, and the attention to detail, that make city concept art so amazing. Check out some of our favorite cityscapes from Kao — plus some of…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Google releases a preview of its augmented reality glasses

Today Google unveiled preliminary designs and a short concept piece showcasing Project Glass, its augmented reality initiative to create smart shades straight out of Vernon Vinge’s Rainbows End or Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s Transmetropolitan. https://gizmodo.com/google-rolling-out-the-ar-glasses-from-vernor-vinges-no-5887132 The company is attempting to start a public dialogue about these devices, presumably so Project Glass doesn’t devolve into…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

Do you feel more lonely after using your smart phone?

In a recently-posted TED talk, MIT professor and psychologist Sherry Turkle explains why people who are constantly tethered to their smart phones feel so alone. She argues that loneliness in the age of social media has become far more crippling than ever before in history. But is she right that connectivity is driving us apart?…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Watch Arthur C. Clarke predict the internet and the iPads decades before they were invented

It’s no secret that 2001: A Space Odyssey author Arthur C. Clarke was an avid futurist, but it’s still absolutely amazing to see just how prescient the writer was. In this 1974 clip from Australian television, the science fiction visionary describes computerized life in the year 2001 with eerie accuracy. And of course, this was…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

Reddit’s new timeline feature takes us to the heat death of the universe

Wonder what’s going to be on the Internet in the years 2015, 2112, 3000, and beyond? Fortunately, the social bookmarking site reddit’s new timeline feature predicts the most popular links on the Internet through the heat death of the universe. Reddit’s goofy April Fool’s prank is to introduce a new “timeline” feature. But unlike Facebook’s…

io9 Lauren Davis

A live version of Google Earth will be here a lot sooner than you think

Alright, so a full-blown, Google-sanctioned version of “Google Earth live” is still probably 10-20 years away. But at least one company (other than Google) is pushing to make live, HD video of Earth a reality much, much sooner than that. The company is called UrtheCast (pronounced “Earthcast”), and according to Google Creative Sandbox, their plan…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

Which Science Fiction Scenario is Most Likely to Happen in Your Lifetime?

Science fiction is full of fantastic and horrifying scenarios, many of which seem like they could come true any time. But which of them is really going to materialize — and which is most likely to happen in your lifetime? Vote in our poll for the science fictional scenario that you’re most likely to live…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

China’s most popular science fiction is about a world ruled by China

In the West, you commonly hear science fiction authors claiming that it’s impossible to write about the near future — the march of technology and the rise of new advances make predictions a futile endeavour. But Chinese science fiction has no such inhibition, according to a new article in the L.A. Times — and for…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Stop pretending that social media will democratize the world

Are you sick of hearing tech pundits trumpeting that the democratic successes of Arab Spring can be attributed in large part to Twitter, Facebook, and other social media? Maybe you’re a little suspicious of the idea that social media is freedom’s greatest ally, especially given that Facebook is being used increasingly for workplace surveillance. If…

io9 Annalee Newitz

A science fictional map of San Francisco as an archipelago city

125 thousand years ago, San Francisco was an island. And soon it will be one again, thanks to rising sea levels. Excellent San Francisco blog Burrito Justice has just posted their latest masterpiece — a science fiction story (with infographics!) about city planning squabbles in the 2070s, when San Francisco has become an archipelago. Click…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Why Facebook is the future of workplace surveillance

Want a job at a public agency? Well, you’d better be prepared to hand over your Facebook password or “friend” the HR department rep during your interview. Over the past few years, people applying for jobs that range from statistician to security guard have discovered that potential employers want more than references. They want access…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Nokia has filed a patent for vibrating, magnetic tattoos

No, seriously. Go read the patent for yourself. The company is proposing “a material attachable to skin [that is] capable of detecting a magnetic field and transferring a perceivable stimulus to the skin, wherein the perceivable stimulus [e.g. a vibration] relates to the magnetic field.” Such an “apparatus,” explains the patent application, could come in…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

How to grow a biological city of the future

By the middle of this century, nearly two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in cities. If we want their lives to be pleasant, and the resources they use to be sustainable, urban development is going to have to change radically. That’s the thesis of architect Rachel Armstrong, who works with synthetic biology to…

Books & Comics Annalee Newitz

Find out if your house will be underwater by 2100

We all know sea levels are rising — since 1880, global sea levels have risen by about 8 inches, and the rate of rise is increasing every year — but what sort of effect can we expect these increases to have on our day-to-day lives? One way to measure their impact is to forecast the…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

As the financial system falters, some Greeks are turning to alternative currencies

What do you do when your country is thrown into financial chaos? After all, you still have your resources, your skills, and your neighbors. As cash is increasingly short supply, some Greeks are creating local currencies, and finding their social support system is stronger than they ever knew. The Guardian is reporting on one such…

io9 Lauren Davis

10 Futuristic Places to Shop

1981 climate change predictions were eerily accurate

Low-income countries are a cigarette’s best friend

Scientists still aren’t sure why the “uncanny valley” freaks you the hell out

The Dark Future of Phone Jamming

Some of the Coolest Future Cityscapes We’ve Seen in Ages

Google releases a preview of its augmented reality glasses

Do you feel more lonely after using your smart phone?

Watch Arthur C. Clarke predict the internet and the iPads decades before they were invented

Reddit’s new timeline feature takes us to the heat death of the universe

A live version of Google Earth will be here a lot sooner than you think

Which Science Fiction Scenario is Most Likely to Happen in Your Lifetime?

China’s most popular science fiction is about a world ruled by China

Stop pretending that social media will democratize the world

A science fictional map of San Francisco as an archipelago city

Why Facebook is the future of workplace surveillance

Nokia has filed a patent for vibrating, magnetic tattoos

How to grow a biological city of the future

Find out if your house will be underwater by 2100

As the financial system falters, some Greeks are turning to alternative currencies

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

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