How will the world be in the next 50 years? Most Americans believes that the future will look somewhat like today’s science fiction.
They believe that in the future human body organs will be created in the laboratory, computers will be able to write novels and compose music to a standard done by humans. Possibilities in teleportation and space colonisation are also expected, according to a survey released by Pew Research Center.
For the majority of respondents, the future looks quite different from that envisioned by Google, Facebook or Amazon. These tech giants are investing in drones which can do deliveries and take Internet connection to places where it does not exist. But respondents — 63 per cent of them — are against the opening of most of the US airspace for commercial and personal drones.
On “designer babies” through DNA manipulation, 66 per cent think it would be a change for the worse if parents could alter DNA to produce smarter, healthier or more athletic offspring. Only 26 per cent believe it would be a good thing.
Bad news for Google Glass
The survey also has bad news for Google Glass and other wearable computers — 53 per cent of respondents are negative on the use of implants or other devices that constantly show information about the world around. Only 37 per cent agree this would be a change for the better.
When asked about which new technologies they would want, 19 per cent chose new forms of transportation, including cars and flying bicycles, personal spaceships and teleportation machines.
Two in five Americans think that teleportation will be possible within the next 50 years, while 33 per cent expect colonies on other planets.
Many Americans seem to feel happy with the tech inventions available nowadays; 11 per cent answered by saying that there are no futuristic inventions that they would like to own or that they are “not interested in futuristic inventions.”
And 28 per cent weren’t sure what sort of futuristic invention they might like to own.
