Sci/Tech Exponential Technologies: Cheer Up World—We Are On the Verge of Great Things

[The Helper]

At the recent World Science Festival in New York City, Ray Kurzweil outlined why he is certain that the future isn’t as dreary as it’s been painted, and why we are closer to the incredible than we think: Exponential upward curves can be deceptively gradual in the beginning. But when things start happening, they happen fast. Here are a selection of his predicted trajectories for these “miracles” based on his educated assessment of where science and technology is at in the present.

Within 5 years the exponential progress in nanoengineering will make Solar power cost-competitive with fossil fuels

Within 10 years we will have a pill that allows us all to eat whatever we feel like and never gain any unwanted weight

In 15 years, life expectancies will start rising faster than we age

In about 20 years 100% of our energy will come from clean and renewable sources, and a computer will pass the Turing Test by carrying on a conversation that is indistinguishable from a human’s.

Kurzweil: The tech curve says we're on the verge of great things - AR15.COM

Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear.

www.ar15.com

 

[mushroom911]

somehow the last part reminds me of terminator.. seeming as if that keeps up... who knows? world domination?

 

[13lade619]

somehow the last part reminds me of terminator.. seeming as if that keeps up... who knows? world domination?

the SkyNet is on the verge of its creation...

remember, in the series it started as a traffic monitoring computer.

 

[Jackal]

the SkyNet is on the verge of its creation...

remember, in the series it started as a traffic monitoring computer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_(satellites)

We are all doomed

 

[Prometheus]

I'll be the first to have my own "Cortana".

 

[Lunarios]

I'll be willing to put one hundred solar panels on in 5 years we will not have cost-competitive solar panels.

 

[Varine]

This is all cool, but isn't the world going to end in four years?

 

[shawtybaby]

we are on the verge of great things? what about pollution? poverty? animals endangered? crime against human rights? animal abuses? animal torture? wars waging? What a bright future, much more to come!
..
..
No, not really.

 

[Knight7770]

This is all cool, but isn't the world going to end in four years?

No...

we are on the verge of great things? what about pollution? poverty? animals endangered? crime against human rights? animal abuses? animal torture? wars waging? What a bright future, much more to come!

No one ever said that the great things would be good things; just great things.

 

[Jindo]

This is all cool, but isn't the world going to end in four years?

Wrong, it ended 8 years ago when the millenium thing happened.

 

[Seb!]

assessment of where science and technology is at in the present.

Or maybe we're not as far as we thought.

 

[TheDamien]

Kurzweil might be loopy, but he has a pretty good point. Technology has a habit of developing rapidly - well within living memory, people were using punched cards and watching black and white TV.

 

[Darkchaoself]

Wrong, it ended 8 years ago when the millenium thing happened.

Yes, but thats just what scientists thought.
The 2012 thing is "hidden" in the bible, and multiple different cultures predicted it.

 

[Prometheus]

Yea, and I predicted that the sun will rise so whatever I say must be true,

 

[chanta45]

Religion has no place in politics or science, and furthermore religion resulted in alot of the worlds problems... Theres been hundreds of "apocalypse" dates and none has come true :thdown:

 

[Blackveiled]

Religion has no place in politics or science, and furthermore religion resulted in alot of the worlds problems... Theres been hundreds of "apocalypse" dates and none has come true :thdown:

Why do you think I'm not religious? Honestly, people need to cut the crap, because what most people probably don't know, is that religions formed out in times when the world was an EXTREMELY scary place, speaking there were no governments or anything, religion was just there to make peace with people. Now in times where governments can control civilians to make sure they do not cause havok, or at least try to keep them from it. I don't want to offend, but religion is the main thing holding technology back.

 

[DDRtists]

we are on the verge of great things? what about pollution? poverty? animals endangered? crime against human rights? animal abuses? animal torture? wars waging? What a bright future, much more to come!
..
..
No, not really.

PETA, lol.

 

[WastedSavior]

I don't want to offend, but religion is the main thing holding technology back.

Im not deeply religious but im very curious to see how you prove this one.

 

[esb]

Religion implies many morals, many morals that halt some technology. Such as cloning, Stem Cells, animal testing, human testing, and a few others I can't remember now

 

[WastedSavior]

Religion implies many morals, many morals that halt some technology. Such as cloning, Stem Cells, animal testing, human testing, and a few others I can't remember now

You don't need to be religious to have morals. I object to cloning, and i have no religious affiliate that instructs me to do so.