Things We Probably Won't See

[dean]

global warming having a major effect

Unless you're over 60, I'd guess you'll be around.

i dont wanna though.

[Terrell]

Practical interstellar travel, Human colonies on worlds that don't orbit Sol, Hyperwave (faster than light communications), A unified Earth (no more human on human wars), New sources of energy, cold fusion (if it's even possible). Just a few things I'd love to see but probably won't.

[Cookiely]

A transporter like on Star Trek.

[Audrey2Katrina]

global warming having a major effect

Unless you're over 60, I'd guess you'll be around.

i dont wanna though.

Don't worry, for my part unless you live about another billion years I don't think it'll happen. Different perspective;

A2K

[Audrey2Katrina]

Practical interstellar travel, Human colonies on worlds that don't orbit Sol, Hyperwave (faster than light communications), A unified Earth (no more human on human wars), New sources of energy, cold fusion (if it's even possible). Just a few things I'd love to see but probably won't.

Now THAT's a litany I'd like to see too! of course interstellar travel (unless through cryogenics or the development of hyperdrives etc. as per sci-fi) would require what most physicists will tell you can't happen.

Of course of course at one time they didn't think Mach I could be practically reached either.

A2K

[alicia-w]

A cure for AIDS

[Janice]

I doubt we will see free college educations for all in the US.

[Terrell]

A transporter like on Star Trek.

The tech for that already exists, though on a very rudimentary level.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=00014CBD-7633-1C76-9B81809EC588EF21

[Audrey2Katrina]

Hey, it's a start!

A2K

[Janice]

An Ice Age

[Terrell]

Practical interstellar travel, Human colonies on worlds that don't orbit Sol, Hyperwave (faster than light communications), A unified Earth (no more human on human wars), New sources of energy, cold fusion (if it's even possible). Just a few things I'd love to see but probably won't.

Now THAT's a litany I'd like to see too! of course interstellar travel (unless through cryogenics or the development of hyperdrives etc. as per sci-fi) would require what most physicists will tell you can't happen.

Of course of course at one time they didn't think Mach I could be practically reached either.

A2K

I think if we make interstellar travel possible it's going to be through some version of either warp, hyperdrive, or some form of Jump Gate. But then again it may be something totally different from these sci-fi mainstays that we cannot conceive of it at this time.

In addition I wonder if we had a drive capable of near the speed of light, how would we deal with the time dilation effects that supposedly come about with near lightspeed travel. As the ship approaches the speed of light, time onboard the ship, will slow down relative to the rest of the universe outside the ship.

In addition what happens when our ship going near or faster than light collides with something, say a small piece of rock in space (like a pebble) at those speeds. Sounds like we'll need shields just for that or at least a way to repel particles that pose collision hazards.

[Audrey2Katrina]

how would we deal with the time dilation effects that supposedly come about

We could all wind up at "The Planet of the Apes."

In addition what happens when our ship going near or faster than light collides with something, say a small piece of rock in space

Very true, although one would think that once in interstellar space such collisions would be very unlikely--but a consideration nonetheless. Also, some of the more interesting prospects are (aside from a space/time warp) would be the concepts of things like shown in the movie "Event Horizon"... where a mini-black hole is the main propulsion, (I know...highly unlikely--but it was interesting); and travel through wormholes... ahhh the possibilites... who knows what unimaginable concepts will be dreampt up in eons to come?

A2K

[beachbum_al]

Childhood diabetes will be a thing of the past and there will be a cure!

[Yankeegirl]

First thing that came to mind was Social Security.. I will never see that in my lifetime...

[Audrey2Katrina]

A complete "cure" for cancer... just too much money in the pharmaceuticals--JMO.

A2K

[Audrey2Katrina]

COMPLETE independence from the need for ANYTHING (particularly OIL) from the Mideast!!

A2K

[Terrell]

COMPLETE independence from the need for ANYTHING (particularly OIL) from the Mideast!!

A2K

That would be awesome, and well within our means, if we can get rid of this fear of change away from oil. We cannot drill (for oil) our way to energy independence, so we need to find other means to power our lives.

[Janice]

I-ROBOTS...

[Terrell]

I-ROBOTS...

I loved that movie.

[Janice]

Me too, I love any movie Will Smith is in.