Visions of a possible future...
Charlie Wilsher reflects on the classic novel 'The Time Machine' and imagines what the future might look like in 2055...
I have just read and enjoyed HG Wells' dystopian novel 'The Time Machine'. In this classic work of science fiction, the Time Traveller invents a device for travelling through time and journeys to the year 802,701.
I found the book thought provoking and spent much time wondering what the future may look like. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of time travel. Several years ago, I attended a Professor Brian Cox lecture and was completely amazed by the concept of ‘space time’. Our lives take their own pathways through time and space with every point within space time persisting. I was staggered by the concept of wormholes and black holes as portals and a potential way of traveling through the fabric of space and time.
Most people will have considered the possibility of time travel and thought about where and when they would like to travel to. Perhaps to a notorious historical event or a glimpse into the distant future.
Although the past is fascinating for me, a trip into the not too distant future, into the future within my own era would be the most tantalising journey.
Let us take a journey not to the year 802,701, but instead to the year 2055. Our imaginary Time Machine could be anything, a DeLorean, as used in the classic 1980s' Back to the Future trilogy of films or even a Tesla, throw in a Flux Capacitor, (which for those who haven’t seen the films, is what makes time travel possible- that and the 1.21 Giga watts of electricity used to power it!). Set the time dials to year 2055 accelerate to 88mph. What would the future hold for my generation as we approach our mid-forties...
2055...
My generation have carried into the future the burden of the mistakes of previous generations, who have abused our planet, depleted its resources and poisoned the oceans and the air we breathe. Extreme weather events around the globe: Forest fires, flooding, hurricanes etc show humanity that we have done too little too late to prevent climate change. We are in its grips, the biggest existential threat to humanity.
Our climate system is finely balanced, and small changes can have significant consequences.
In 2055, the global map has altered considerably. Rising sea levels have caused problems for people around the world. Many cities and remote islands completely lost to rising sea levels and whole countries like Bangladesh left uninhabitable. We live with global conflict over the distribution of remaining habitable land and on where to place climate migrants. Over a billion people have become climate migrants, those who previously lived within 100 kilometres from a shoreline or ‘low-level coastal zone' on a coastal flood plain, now displaced. During the first half of the 21st century, time after time global leaders would meet at climate summits to agree on targets, pose for photographs together, happily smiling and shaking hands. Then without exception all go back on their pledges to tackle climate change. Sea levels continue to rise and efforts are continually made to improve flood defences. Extreme weather has now become the norm.
Floods are commonplace; heavy rainfall overwhelms drainage systems or bursts river banks. In heavily concreted urban areas and cities, the effect is more severe. Flooding causes severe damage to buildings and transportation, which can be very costly and hard to recover. In hotter regions forest fires are still common place and temperatures soar to levels way above human tolerance limits.
Not only have people been displaced by changing climate but other species too. Loss of habitats and climate change have led to a catastrophic loss of over 40% of biodiversity over the past 40 years. Species completely extinct, erased from existence, never to walk the earth or swim in its oceans again. Many important botanical species have completely disappeared too, some with important medicinal properties. Climate change has resulted in loss and shrinking of habitats. As a result, species that never previously shared a habitat now live in close proximity, this has resulted in more cross species (Zoonotic), viruses. New Pandemics arise every few years, with each new virus having the potential to wipe out our species. Sadly, many millions perished in the last global pandemic in 2053.
There has been an explosion in pests, which infest our homes like bed bugs, fleas, parasitic skin diseases and pest that devour our limited food resources. As our climate warmed and rainfall patterns changed, the seasons have been lost, it has become almost impossible to grow enough food in some areas. Some new crops have been genetically engineered using AI, but crop production has reduced, especially in hotter countries. There is increased food insecurity and famines are commonplace.
Our oceans have become acidic and damage to marine ecosystems, mean that fish levels have depleted to a record low. What fish do remain, are contaminated by the microplastics from plastic pollution that fills the oceans. In 2039, it was found that micro plastic was the primary cause of a sharp the increase in stomach cancers and birth deformities. Finally, in 2041, there was a complete ban on plastic production and new biodegradable alternatives are now used. Depressingly the plastics that already contaminate the oceans and landfill site will persist for a thousand years.
It has become illegal to consume the ocean's fish. Farming of livestock such as cows, pigs, sheep etc has become very limited. Most of the protein we now eat comes from insects or mycoprotein alternatives.
Now aged 46 years, I reflect on how far removed life is, from what life was like when I was a teenager at school. I have witnessed incredible changes, which have occurred within an unimaginable time frame. When I was aged 14, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was in its infancy. No one could have imagined its potential to alter the course of humanity in the way it has, and in such a relatively short space of time. There is no doubt that AI has resulted in incredible advances in medicine.
The use of AI rapidly sped up the identification of genes important in cancer and many other diseases. AI was used to create new drugs for these disease and technologies like gene editing now mean that humanity is rid of the curse of cancer and many other terrible diseases. Since 2040, AI has been used to unravel the genetics behind ageing, and for the very few that can afford it they can now under go gene editing so that they remain young for a life time, (average age expectancy in 2055 is currently 138 years). Consequently, there are some people who now look older than their parents. Whilst 40 years ago this would have sounded miraculous, the truth is that our fragile planet cannot cope with the greater demands placed upon it.
Removing disease and interfering with natural evolution, although incredible, is not sustainable. The planet's resources cannot support an ever expanding and youthful population on a shrinking planet. In 2051 new legislation was introduced globally to restrict parents to only one child. There has been much global unrest and protest against this relatively new legislation.
Our civil liberties have been eroded over time, which has led to much civil unrest around the globe. In an attempt to reduce climate change, personal air travel was banned in 2035 due to the high carbon cost associated with such travel. Initially flights became so expensive that most could not afford to travel in the way we used to. Now most people rarely travel far from home. Those that have work, almost exclusively work from home. To escape from reality most people will seek virtual reality for entertainment and for those that can afford it, travel can still be done virtually.
Over the past three decades, AI was quick to replace humans within the work place, initially manual repetitive jobs like factory work. I remember the excitement of unboxing my first iSYM2030, a AI domestic robot which was
design to help with cooking, cleaning and general jobs around the house. When introduced these were relatively affordable, this gave people far more free time. Each generation of iSYM became obsolete as it was replaced by the next upgrade. As iSYM generations have been introduced they have become increasingly expensive, the latest model, the iSYM2055 costs around £520,000 which is out of reach to the majority of people.
AI rapidly replaced humans in other less obvious roles. Journalism is an occupation of the past. With AI media content flooding social media with fake news controlled by the rich and powerful few. As a result this has led to increased wars and conflicts driven by intolerance and division. As AI became self-learning, quickly more and more professions were replaced until humans have now become almost obsolete. There are now enormous social divisions between the rich and poor in society.
I’m one of the lucky people who still have a job. I work for Axogen, a genetic research company. Axogen used AI to study the Axolotl genome and identify the genes which switch on and control limb regeneration. Axogen were pioneers in using this technology to grow organs and replacement limbs to order, in the laboratory. I work from home controlling a robot SYM within the laboratory. About 10 years ago Axogen collaborated with the iSYM corporation. Together they produced an iSYM with real human tissue and face, using ‘donated’ genetic material from the general population. The current iSYM2055 is almost indistinguishable from a real human and what is possibly more concerning is that they can also display real human emotions. For many this is a step too far and a wave of resistance against AI is now sweeping the globe.
Most of the world’s finances are now spent on conflict or invested in deep space mining and the capture of asteroids which are potentially rich in minerals such as Lithium. (Lithium is among a number of elements which are now depleted on earth, we can no longer sustain electric vehicles without lithium for batteries.)
As I approach 50, I long for the life we used to have, a simpler life with more freedom and less division. I recently read again, a book I’d read at school, The Time Machine by HG Wells which conveys an essential message: class divisions must be removed before mankind wrecks itself. The Eloi and the Morlocks, the descendants of the rich and the poor: a terrible warning for humanity if it continues to ignore economic inequality. The combination of the outcomes of climate change and AI development have driven a huge wedge between the richest and poorest in society. H G Wells words have as much significance now as when they were written 160 years ago in 1895.
I recall how many scientists had warned of the danger that AI posed to humanity. Professor Stephen Hawking famously said that: ‘Humanity will develop AI that improves and replicates itself, a new form of life that outperforms humans - The last invention that humanity will ever need to make!’
Then again I recall the words of another Scientist Doc Emmett Brown ‘Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has! Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has! Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one!’
Charles Wilsher
I have just read and enjoyed HG Wells' dystopian novel 'The Time Machine'. In this classic work of science fiction, the Time Traveller invents a device for travelling through time and journeys to the year 802,701.
I found the book thought provoking and spent much time wondering what the future may look like. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of time travel. Several years ago, I attended a Professor Brian Cox lecture and was completely amazed by the concept of ‘space time’. Our lives take their own pathways through time and space with every point within space time persisting. I was staggered by the concept of wormholes and black holes as portals and a potential way of traveling through the fabric of space and time.
Most people will have considered the possibility of time travel and thought about where and when they would like to travel to. Perhaps to a notorious historical event or a glimpse into the distant future.
Although the past is fascinating for me, a trip into the not too distant future, into the future within my own era would be the most tantalising journey.
Let us take a journey not to the year 802,701, but instead to the year 2055. Our imaginary Time Machine could be anything, a DeLorean, as used in the classic 1980s' Back to the Future trilogy of films or even a Tesla, throw in a Flux Capacitor, (which for those who haven’t seen the films, is what makes time travel possible- that and the 1.21 Giga watts of electricity used to power it!). Set the time dials to year 2055 accelerate to 88mph. What would the future hold for my generation as we approach our mid-forties...
2055...
My generation have carried into the future the burden of the mistakes of previous generations, who have abused our planet, depleted its resources and poisoned the oceans and the air we breathe. Extreme weather events around the globe: Forest fires, flooding, hurricanes etc show humanity that we have done too little too late to prevent climate change. We are in its grips, the biggest existential threat to humanity.
Our climate system is finely balanced, and small changes can have significant consequences.
In 2055, the global map has altered considerably. Rising sea levels have caused problems for people around the world. Many cities and remote islands completely lost to rising sea levels and whole countries like Bangladesh left uninhabitable. We live with global conflict over the distribution of remaining habitable land and on where to place climate migrants. Over a billion people have become climate migrants, those who previously lived within 100 kilometres from a shoreline or ‘low-level coastal zone' on a coastal flood plain, now displaced. During the first half of the 21st century, time after time global leaders would meet at climate summits to agree on targets, pose for photographs together, happily smiling and shaking hands. Then without exception all go back on their pledges to tackle climate change. Sea levels continue to rise and efforts are continually made to improve flood defences. Extreme weather has now become the norm.
Floods are commonplace; heavy rainfall overwhelms drainage systems or bursts river banks. In heavily concreted urban areas and cities, the effect is more severe. Flooding causes severe damage to buildings and transportation, which can be very costly and hard to recover. In hotter regions forest fires are still common place and temperatures soar to levels way above human tolerance limits.
Not only have people been displaced by changing climate but other species too. Loss of habitats and climate change have led to a catastrophic loss of over 40% of biodiversity over the past 40 years. Species completely extinct, erased from existence, never to walk the earth or swim in its oceans again. Many important botanical species have completely disappeared too, some with important medicinal properties. Climate change has resulted in loss and shrinking of habitats. As a result, species that never previously shared a habitat now live in close proximity, this has resulted in more cross species (Zoonotic), viruses. New Pandemics arise every few years, with each new virus having the potential to wipe out our species. Sadly, many millions perished in the last global pandemic in 2053.
There has been an explosion in pests, which infest our homes like bed bugs, fleas, parasitic skin diseases and pest that devour our limited food resources. As our climate warmed and rainfall patterns changed, the seasons have been lost, it has become almost impossible to grow enough food in some areas. Some new crops have been genetically engineered using AI, but crop production has reduced, especially in hotter countries. There is increased food insecurity and famines are commonplace.
Our oceans have become acidic and damage to marine ecosystems, mean that fish levels have depleted to a record low. What fish do remain, are contaminated by the microplastics from plastic pollution that fills the oceans. In 2039, it was found that micro plastic was the primary cause of a sharp the increase in stomach cancers and birth deformities. Finally, in 2041, there was a complete ban on plastic production and new biodegradable alternatives are now used. Depressingly the plastics that already contaminate the oceans and landfill site will persist for a thousand years.
It has become illegal to consume the ocean's fish. Farming of livestock such as cows, pigs, sheep etc has become very limited. Most of the protein we now eat comes from insects or mycoprotein alternatives.
Now aged 46 years, I reflect on how far removed life is, from what life was like when I was a teenager at school. I have witnessed incredible changes, which have occurred within an unimaginable time frame. When I was aged 14, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was in its infancy. No one could have imagined its potential to alter the course of humanity in the way it has, and in such a relatively short space of time. There is no doubt that AI has resulted in incredible advances in medicine.
The use of AI rapidly sped up the identification of genes important in cancer and many other diseases. AI was used to create new drugs for these disease and technologies like gene editing now mean that humanity is rid of the curse of cancer and many other terrible diseases. Since 2040, AI has been used to unravel the genetics behind ageing, and for the very few that can afford it they can now under go gene editing so that they remain young for a life time, (average age expectancy in 2055 is currently 138 years). Consequently, there are some people who now look older than their parents. Whilst 40 years ago this would have sounded miraculous, the truth is that our fragile planet cannot cope with the greater demands placed upon it.
Removing disease and interfering with natural evolution, although incredible, is not sustainable. The planet's resources cannot support an ever expanding and youthful population on a shrinking planet. In 2051 new legislation was introduced globally to restrict parents to only one child. There has been much global unrest and protest against this relatively new legislation.
Our civil liberties have been eroded over time, which has led to much civil unrest around the globe. In an attempt to reduce climate change, personal air travel was banned in 2035 due to the high carbon cost associated with such travel. Initially flights became so expensive that most could not afford to travel in the way we used to. Now most people rarely travel far from home. Those that have work, almost exclusively work from home. To escape from reality most people will seek virtual reality for entertainment and for those that can afford it, travel can still be done virtually.
Over the past three decades, AI was quick to replace humans within the work place, initially manual repetitive jobs like factory work. I remember the excitement of unboxing my first iSYM2030, a AI domestic robot which was
design to help with cooking, cleaning and general jobs around the house. When introduced these were relatively affordable, this gave people far more free time. Each generation of iSYM became obsolete as it was replaced by the next upgrade. As iSYM generations have been introduced they have become increasingly expensive, the latest model, the iSYM2055 costs around £520,000 which is out of reach to the majority of people.
AI rapidly replaced humans in other less obvious roles. Journalism is an occupation of the past. With AI media content flooding social media with fake news controlled by the rich and powerful few. As a result this has led to increased wars and conflicts driven by intolerance and division. As AI became self-learning, quickly more and more professions were replaced until humans have now become almost obsolete. There are now enormous social divisions between the rich and poor in society.
I’m one of the lucky people who still have a job. I work for Axogen, a genetic research company. Axogen used AI to study the Axolotl genome and identify the genes which switch on and control limb regeneration. Axogen were pioneers in using this technology to grow organs and replacement limbs to order, in the laboratory. I work from home controlling a robot SYM within the laboratory. About 10 years ago Axogen collaborated with the iSYM corporation. Together they produced an iSYM with real human tissue and face, using ‘donated’ genetic material from the general population. The current iSYM2055 is almost indistinguishable from a real human and what is possibly more concerning is that they can also display real human emotions. For many this is a step too far and a wave of resistance against AI is now sweeping the globe.
Most of the world’s finances are now spent on conflict or invested in deep space mining and the capture of asteroids which are potentially rich in minerals such as Lithium. (Lithium is among a number of elements which are now depleted on earth, we can no longer sustain electric vehicles without lithium for batteries.)
As I approach 50, I long for the life we used to have, a simpler life with more freedom and less division. I recently read again, a book I’d read at school, The Time Machine by HG Wells which conveys an essential message: class divisions must be removed before mankind wrecks itself. The Eloi and the Morlocks, the descendants of the rich and the poor: a terrible warning for humanity if it continues to ignore economic inequality. The combination of the outcomes of climate change and AI development have driven a huge wedge between the richest and poorest in society. H G Wells words have as much significance now as when they were written 160 years ago in 1895.
I recall how many scientists had warned of the danger that AI posed to humanity. Professor Stephen Hawking famously said that: ‘Humanity will develop AI that improves and replicates itself, a new form of life that outperforms humans - The last invention that humanity will ever need to make!’
Then again I recall the words of another Scientist Doc Emmett Brown ‘Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has! Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has! Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one!’
Charles Wilsher