What technolgical or scientific innovations do you think are going to influence this century?
930742
If you had asked this question in 1906, all the answers would have been wrong, as they will be in 2006.
980858
Interesting questions. Since technology seems to be evolving alongside of us, I tend to suspect out bodies will adapt to deal with this. As most technology appears to be making our lives easier, or lasier (which will be more critical as I explain my theory), there is no doubt in my mind we will loose alot of our mobility. Since there is a large push towards working at home and automating everything, I think it is potentially possible we may loose the function of our legs and arms and the moving parts of out bodies. Having said that, it will be interesting to see how we will feed ourselves and reproduce. I suspect the theory discussed in the story, "The Time Machine", is not to far from the truth. It could be possible that we evolve into two different types of humans, similar to termites. We will have the workers; those that will grow our food and carry out the pysical tasks, The general populous which will be home bound and in control of mental actvities. Whether this happens in the next 1000 years seems unlikely since evolution takes much longer than this. But in reflection, considering the environmental change the globe is going through, other changes in the human form will need to be taken into consideration. Could it be possible that humanity will not evolve in the next 1000 years, but simply die out and a new species takes its place? This seems more likely since it has happened to many species throughtout the earths history.
772930
how about the history of mass production..\nthe fact that some things now have interchangable parts. The evolution from being able to replace a part of something , like a car, and still use the product.\nThen introduce the new world of disposable products. like calculators and computers and how it has influenced a world who has to have it now and easy..\ngood luck
1179454
Well the trend is already showing us that the internet is going to be almost like interactive tv with dynamic content (aka Web 2.0) and video will be found everywhere. We will be able to think of web pages more like channels and eventually it will merge so much with TV that we will probably start using the computer for both surfing and watching shows (example is ABC offering episodes of their tv shows for free on their website).\n\nThe bandwidth of cable is going to go to fiber optics for sure (Verizon has already started offering fiber to the home in parts of the east USA) and once that becomes common place, data transfer will almost be limitless.\n\nWe will become a species of instant information gradification and  totally dependent on information and communication. That is just the sad truth. However, I think it will also allow us to work from home and on the road as mobility will also increase.\n\nAs a technology expert, I am a bit anxious to build this future, as long as they stay out of implants in the skin, I am fine with it all. Every day I am helping to build this future and having fun doing it.\n\nThanks for the question.
81072
Things will change and i think for good. Human beings will stop playing with nature.\n\nIn next 25 years the whole world come very close and there would not be any problems of race, cultures and terrorism as people will slowly realise that these things dont help a community to grow. \n\nScience will open new doors and we cant even think what all new things we'll see in next 25 years.
396945
Nanotechnology is the next big step\nbut its really tough stuff
885178
Research suggests that within the next century not only will we completely understand the human brain but computer processing power will far exceed it. Therefore we should not only be able to replicate the brain but should be able to create a far superior machine or human version 2. Depending on how we as humans merge with this new technology will determine whether we are part of this superior race or seen in the future as a lesser being. Either way endless and exciting possibilities are around the corner I don't think we will be waiting 1000's or even 100's of years.
1163085
Printing press, hands down.  I know it's a common answer, but you can't deny its importance.  The fast production of books enhanced our educational systems and the overall spreading of knowledge in ways we can never really measure.  We would likely be centuries behind in our technological, medical, and scientific advances if it had not been invented.\n\nThe most important one to me is the car, for obvious reasons.\n\nI think that technology has made life more convinient, not necessarily better.  Too much technology can make things too noisy and busy.  There's no denying it's made things easier, but at the same time devices like cell phone ensure that your company can get in touch with you all the time.  Laptops enable you to take your work with you wherever you go.  This sounds great, but it creates more work and stress for the average person.
52714
There always seems to be a new breakthrough.  Little by little traditional cancer research is gaining ground.  As far as soon?  That would take a major breakthrough.  But look at the rise in technology over  the past 100 years, and then the past decade.  We have not only more educated and then knowledgeable brains working on it, but think about the knowledge that isn't being lost now when someone  in the research field dies.  You don't have to go searching for a book for answers, it's right there on a computer.  Quick access has made knowledge so readily available that the rise in medical technology should continue to spike off the charts.   So, at the rate it's going the past predictions of stating a cure may be found in 50 years could be reduced to "some time soon"er than anyone thought.
846477
I predict we will do stem cell research and cloning; and while these things will help us to some extent, I think cloning especially will prove to be more problem than solution.\n\nI predict we will be forced to be involved in recycling for the well-being of our planet.\n\ni predict the antichrist will show himself.
301773
Of course it will.\n\nCompare life today to life in the 1600s. Huge changes.\n\nThe amount of problems will stay the same. For every one solved, there will be a new one created. \nOn the other hand, the most serious of problems will go down. (Technology has helped bring down infant mortality rates, lowered deaths from disease, illness and injury, allows more food to grow with less effort in slmaller areas, extended lifespans, etc.)
372758
technology is and will continue to change the world. It is going to bring an end to the world that we have known - but it is going to lead us into a new world.
574756
Sometime in the 20th century
235163
still waiting on it, but personally i think the next invention ( be it what ever it may be ) will further insulate society from one another like the current state of connectivity does right now. interesting isn't he, he we are on this board posting replies, when we could be outside... connecting.. with people.. and not text..
63431
tomorrow will be alot like today.  A week from now will be more of the same.  A year will show a couple cool inventions and some new research.  A decade will have safer cars with lower emmissions.  A century and we will be surprised to find that we still rely alot on ground transport.  Medical improvements will have improved quality of life, but genetic detiriation from a lack of natural selection in humans will be having increasing tolls.  We will start to allow gene therepy but it will be heavily regulated.  A millenia will find man and machine merging.  People will choose to replace faulty body parts with bionic parts instead of cloned parts because the bionic ones allow superior performance.  Sports will be hard to regulate.  Fusion will be controlled and will provide us the energy to travel far in space.  Due to relativistic effects, the amount of people who are willing to travel far are surprisingly few.  Tech takes care of most everything for peolpe nd the most common occupations are science and engineering related.  Art and music widespread, but since there are so many people engaged in it there are relatively few who make much profit from it.  The economy is a combination of socialism and capitalism, more socialistic then America today due to increased availability of resources.  And I could go on and on.
747880
I bet it will be nanomachines.  Microscopic machines that work at the molecular level will be crucial in the biomedical fields and in new tech innovations that we use everyday, like today cell phones.  Did you ever see that add for microsoft where it was in the near future and this girl was jogging and she got a video conference call from her dad over her sunglasses? He brought up schematics of art works he was thinking of buying and talking to her while she was jogging... well thats all going to be possible with molecular computers.  Unfortunately though, so will other really bad things, we'll just have to see how it goes.
1070173
Here's a link to a list of inventions.  I'll leave you to figure out which ones are most important how they changed the world.\n\nhttp://www.crystalinks.com/chinainventions.html