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The World in 50 Years, a project for 4TTO students (ANW-ML-CKV-KCV)
On Monday 8 February 2010 we looked to the future through two different glasses: Technology-driven and Society-driven. The first view was seen through the documentary “The World in 2050”, and the second view was seen through the inspired lecture by Drs. Gerard Goedhart.
The documentary
Our modern society only has one real challenge: Energy.
The documentary
Our modern society only has one real challenge: Energy.
How will we solve this problem?
Space stations can be used for the solar cells of the future. Solar energy is not sufficient yet, but it’s clean. In Germany solar cells undergo heavy testing, but the silicon solar cells have disappointing results. They are now experimenting with quantumcrystal points, which absorb the different kinds of light that sunlight contains. They only have to arrange them in neat layers.
To go to the solar cell space stations, they have thought of an elevator. They even picked a spot already: in the Pacific ocean, next to Mexico, as that is the place with the most stable weather conditions in the world. The ribbon on which the elevator will work will be made of carbon nanotubes, tiny tubes made up of single carbon atoms bonded together.
You can also ‘just’ create your own sun: copy the operating system of the sun. This is done inside so-called fusionreactors. This method is still very inefficient, but might become very useful.
Another method is to replace coal with a kind of burning ice: methanehydrate. This is a substance found in the depths of the sea, where now an estimated 10.000 gigatonnes of carbon is hidden in the form of methanehydrate. There is a con as well: it produces a lot of CO2.
The technology will be heavily influenced by the struggle between the USA and China.
Space stations can be used for the solar cells of the future. Solar energy is not sufficient yet, but it’s clean. In Germany solar cells undergo heavy testing, but the silicon solar cells have disappointing results. They are now experimenting with quantumcrystal points, which absorb the different kinds of light that sunlight contains. They only have to arrange them in neat layers.
To go to the solar cell space stations, they have thought of an elevator. They even picked a spot already: in the Pacific ocean, next to Mexico, as that is the place with the most stable weather conditions in the world. The ribbon on which the elevator will work will be made of carbon nanotubes, tiny tubes made up of single carbon atoms bonded together.
You can also ‘just’ create your own sun: copy the operating system of the sun. This is done inside so-called fusionreactors. This method is still very inefficient, but might become very useful.
Another method is to replace coal with a kind of burning ice: methanehydrate. This is a substance found in the depths of the sea, where now an estimated 10.000 gigatonnes of carbon is hidden in the form of methanehydrate. There is a con as well: it produces a lot of CO2.
The technology will be heavily influenced by the struggle between the USA and China.
This will inspire new technologies in for example soldier armor:
they can be made from a special material that looks like yoghurt but turns very strong when held near a magnet. This makes sure that the armor will turn hard when a bullet, generating a magnetic field, comes near it. In the case the soldier does get hit, tiny artificial muscles inside the armor reanimate the soldier and an automatic alarm is sent to a satellite with GPS data.
The armor can be used as a giant screen covered in cameras, where the cameras that film what’s on your back project on your front, making you invisible.
Or communication:
The armor can be used as a giant screen covered in cameras, where the cameras that film what’s on your back project on your front, making you invisible.
Or communication:
Laserbeams can be used for internet instead of the radio waves. They are harder to interfere and faster, though bad weather conditions can kill them off.
We hold the power of life or death of our species in our own hands.
The lecture
Gerard Goedhart is a researcher who makes future scenes for companies. He thinks one doesn’t recognize the future: one makes it.
There have been several theories about technology and its link to society:
We hold the power of life or death of our species in our own hands.
The lecture
Gerard Goedhart is a researcher who makes future scenes for companies. He thinks one doesn’t recognize the future: one makes it.
There have been several theories about technology and its link to society:
Determinism: states that society is scared of technology
Convergence: technology changes the culture
Actor network system: depends on where you are and what your culture is whether the technology will have an effect on you.
Of all these theories they have concluded it is not true.
Of all these theories they have concluded it is not true.
Firstly, there is a cultural lag: it takes a while before you see the true effects of a new technology on a culture.
The current view is that of the ‘Social construction of technology’: all technology is co-created by social groups when there is a clear demand of a certain type of technology.
Society is growing older, so the slogan is becoming “Sense and Simplicity”. Technology is going to be easy and all around us. Gerard calls the parents the generation C: the generatio
Content and Creativity.
Content and Creativity.
Our future is solar, wind and nuclear energy, like the electric cars that are now being perfected. Our new society is more mind style orientated than the former lifestyle orientated society.
The old generation thinks of life as a power play race, where the aim is most important. This is slowly changing to a life that considers the experience of the race itself more important than the finish.
Our society is also a comfort society: the solution for the global energy problem is to be able to use less energy without losing the comfort.
The global problems are not a technology problem: it is a social problem.
The old generation thinks of life as a power play race, where the aim is most important. This is slowly changing to a life that considers the experience of the race itself more important than the finish.
Our society is also a comfort society: the solution for the global energy problem is to be able to use less energy without losing the comfort.
The global problems are not a technology problem: it is a social problem.
All solutions are there already, we’re just not using them properly (yet).
Catharina van Doorn V4C
Catharina van Doorn V4C
Martine Wauben V4E