Table of Contents
A Glimpse of the Future xv
Part 1 An Introduction to the Future
1 Futurism-Days of Future Passed 3
2 A Brief History of the Future 8
3 The Science of Futurism 25
Future Fiction: 2063 CE 30
Part 2 Today's Technology That Will Shape Tomorrow (and Tomorrow and Tomorrow…)
4 Genetic Manipulation 35
5 Stem Cell Technology 53
6 Brain-Machine Interface 65
7 Robotics 78
8 Quantum Computing 94
9 Artificial Intelligence 106
10 Self-Driving Cars and Other Forms of Transportation 120
11 Two-Dimensional Materials and the Stuff the Future Will Be Made Of 144
12 Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality 159
13 Wearable Technology 174
14 Additive Manufacturing 183
15 Powering Our Future 195
Future Fiction: 2209 CE 211
Part 3 Future Technologies That Don't Exist (Yet)
16 Fusion 217
17 Mature Na no technology 228
18 Synthetic Life 239
19 Room-Temperature Superconductors 249
20 Space Elevators 255
Future Fiction: 2511 CE 265
Part 4 The Future of Space Travel
21 Nuclear-Thermal Propulsion and Other Advanced Rockets 271
22 Solar Sails and Laser Propulsion 280
23 Space Settlements 291
24 Terraforming Other Worlds 303
Future Fiction: 23,744 CE 311
Part 5 Science Fiction Tech-What Is and Isn't Possible
25 Cold Fusion and Free Energy 317
26 Faster Than Light (FTL) Travel/Communication 321
27 Artificial Gravity/Antigravity 330
28 Transporters, Tractor Beams, Lightsabers, and Other Sci-Fi Gadgets 337
29 Regeneration/Immortality 362
30 Uploading Consciousness/The Matrix 371
Conclusion 378
References 383
Index 397