2 100 10 black technology, are your brain holes ready?

With the rapid development of science and technology, it is not easy to keep up with the trend of the times, and it is even harder to predict the future. Just like before the Wright brothers invented the airplane, we could only fantasize about the romantic legend like the Goddess Chang'e flying to the moon, and every family could only bury their heads in rockets and smoke. In this way, we don't know what scientific and technological miracles will happen in the next few years, let alone what will happen in 80 years, but this does not prevent us from exerting our rich imagination. Let's take a look at the super advanced technology that 100 is most likely to realize!

Although these technologies are only at the level of imagination, I am quite confident in making these predictions. Just like the advanced technology that already exists, we may take it for granted now, but before it was invented, people may think it was just whimsical. I believe that by the 22 nd century, even if all the top ten super-advanced technologies will not be successfully developed, most of them are still possible. Here is a living example-artificial super intelligence. Before the invention of computers, we couldn't imagine such a huge information network. In 1960s, computer scientist I. J. Good aptly described "the first super-intelligent machine came out, which is the most impossible invention in human history".

Once machines with superhuman intelligence are developed (as early as 265438+1950s), intelligent machines will replace human beings, act as designers and engineers, and help us realize our scientific and technological dreams, even including some technologies that we haven't thought of yet. Below we will introduce ten technologies that can change almost everything.

1. brain-computer connected virtual reality

Wearable devices such as Oculus Rift (a head-mounted display device specially designed for video games-virtual reality device) are very sophisticated and advanced, but no matter how complicated and subtle these gadgets are, the real feelings in real life are still out of reach. What we need is a virtual reality device that can give us a more realistic sensory impact. Perhaps in the early 22 nd century, researchers will be able to successfully develop this device. When we experience virtual reality, it feels so real that we can't tell the difference between virtual reality and reality. Incredibly, information is directly transmitted to the brain through the human body's receptors, which is different from ordinary sensory input methods, so our feelings are more real.

I feel that this kind of thing is really wonderful! It is tangible, but sometimes it can only be understood but not expressed; Let's just say it's invisible, and we can really feel the change of our emotions. If you want to know what feelings in life are, you must start to understand from the source-the human brain. In fact, the brain (in all organs) is a sensory processor, and it feels everything regularly, whether it is the smell of tortillas or the dazzling light on the computer screen. As Morpheus said in the movie The Matrix, "What is real? If you mean what you can feel, or what you can taste, or what you can smell and see, then I'm sorry, these so-called' realities' are just electrical signals processed by your brain. "

Ray kurzweil, the author of Singularity Approaching, is a futurist. In the Q&A section of the book, he explained how this happened.

"At first, I learned that nano-robots (which are programmable molecular robots that apply biological principles on the nano scale) can be implanted in our bodies and brains, which can help us stay healthy and realize complete immersion in the nervous system. It plays a role in virtual reality technology, and can also directly realize communication between brains through the Internet. In addition, nano-robots can save our IQ! However, please remember that our biological intelligence has hardly changed since birth, but non-biological intelligence can multiply every year! By the 265438+30s, our abiotic intelligence will dominate intelligence. "

Although the timetable given by Kurzweil is a bit too optimistic, his view is reasonable. We are trying to find new ways to break through the blood-brain barrier and invent micro-machines that can move freely in the human body. Equally important, we are creating a detailed brain network diagram, including the area responsible for processing the sensory information received.

Once Morpheus's nano-robot is implanted in the brain, it will find all kinds of sensory input information received by the brain and prevent further transmission of information (such as refusing to receive electronic signals collected by retina and ears), which can make us completely unaware of the actual environment around us (perfectly shielding external information). At this time, the nano-robot will replace those lost signals and transmit some artificial sensory signals to the cerebral cortex through wireless transmission, which will be a brand-new subjective experience. For a person, you may feel that you have come to another world.

2. Practical fog

J. Stals Hall, the pioneer of nanotechnology, once designed a utility fog, which is actually a group of nano robots or "small fog blocks". It can copy the real shape of any object and change its shape while moving. Stals was inspired by the concept of future seat belts. If the safety belts that protect us are no longer static or inflatable airbags, but interrelated snowflake-shaped intelligent fog blocks, they will also change shape with the changes of the surrounding environment, such as the movement of passenger seats, thus protecting everyone.

This practical fog requires the rich imagination of researchers to realize complex technologies. Each small fog block is only about 10 micron long (about the size of a human cell), and its movement is generally controlled by a microcomputer that can be carried with the car, that is, by an artificial intelligence system from the outside. At the same time, it is equipped with twelve telescopic arms, which can be extruded outward into a dodecahedron shape. When two small fog blocks meet, a loop will be formed, so as to realize the transmission and effective distribution of energy and information in this network. But these small fog blocks can't float freely. When they are connected in twelve directions, they will form a lattice structure-octagonal truss.

Practical fog is like a programmed substance, which can move around an object or a person, surround them and even be used as a means of transportation. What's more exciting is that practical fog can also create a virtual world for us, and even lead a person's thoughts when he is in nano-fog (similar to the small fog block described by Warren Ellis in his book Crossing Metropolis).

3. Space solar energy

At present, we have been trying to reduce the impact of climate change on the global ecological environment and human life, and try to transition to a more sustainable energy economy society. At present, the existing resources on the earth can never meet our endless energy needs. Since the 1960s, the idea of space solar energy has been constantly put forward, saying that it can solve all energy problems at one time.

About 60 years ago, Peter Glaser imagined that solar satellites could transmit the captured solar energy to a receiving tray on the earth's surface in the form of microwaves. Since then, relevant researchers have put forward many different schemes. First of all, Japan has formulated a complete implementation plan-SBSP system, which is actually a fixed orbit motion of Japan's space orbit power station about 22,400 miles above the equator, and then transmits energy to the earth through a laser beam. Each satellite should have a receiving station with a width of 1.8 miles. The solar energy it receives can generate one billion watts of electricity, which is enough for 500,000 households. Of course, for the sake of safety, the receiving station should be built far away from human settlements, such as deserts or islands.

Upload consciousness

In the 22 nd century, everyone's existence can be expressed in the form of pure numbers without any biological restrictions. The so-called teleportation, or whole brain simulation, requires us to master and copy all the details of the existing biological brain. Scanning instruments can capture every detail from the brain to the molecular level, including memory, association and even a person's personality quirks.

Although futurists do not fully know how to obtain information about human ideology, the key step is to ensure that important areas of the brain can be well copied, especially those related to personal identity, namely the parahippocampal gyrus (located in the occipital and temporal lobes) and the cingulate cortex (located in the cingulate cortex). This process may be a bit "destructive". In order to better record the state and memory of the brain, it is best to slice the brain or separate it in other ways (just simulating the operation), which is beneficial to record all the details. In addition, we can take a snapshot of the brain with a powerful enough brain scanner, and then send it to the computer, and then the computer will analyze and translate the information in the film to become a normal thinking brain. A virtual body and environment is also a necessary condition for the uploaded person to behave normally.

However, there is an important scientific and philosophical problem. Can this represent a real change in ideology, rather than simply copying a person's brain? At the same time, it is not entirely clear whether a clear self-awareness can be replicated on a digital base. The terrible thing is that everyone who uploads may not really be a "person" in a sense. To put it more directly, it is like a walking corpse, and its behavior is carried out according to the existing people's thoughts. In fact, it may be more appropriate to call it "script-driven robot".

Control the weather

By the end of 2 1 century, we still can't completely control the weather, but at least we can try to use technology to make the weather change according to our wishes. At present, we can use clouds made of special particles (such as dry ice) to stimulate rainfall. California, which lacks water all the year round, has been artificially raining for nearly 50 years. During the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the government of China launched 1 100 rockets over Beijing for artificial rainfall before the rainstorm, and even tried to trigger lightning by sending laser pulses to Lei Yun to achieve the purpose of rainfall.

Looking ahead, meteorological engineers can build a huge wall structure to prevent the formation of destructive tornadoes. At the same time, in order to capture the available energy from hurricanes as clean resources for social use, a huge and powerful offshore turbine array can be built. A study in 20 14 years shows that wind power plants generally include thousands of turbines, which can reduce the peak wind speed to 92 mph (148 km/h) and reduce the storm surge by 2 1%. In fact, this will reduce the energy of hurricanes by an order of magnitude. Of course, the reduced energy can be converted into energy that can be used by human beings.

What's more exciting is that we can finally develop a weather machine that can simulate the atmospheric environment through programming. At present, there is a particularly interesting scheme, which mainly uses transparent balloons to make a global cloud belt and then rises to the stratosphere, so that sunlight can be prevented from entering to some extent. Put a mirror in each balloon, equipped with GPS (position monitoring), actuator (direction control) and a microcomputer, and then move up with the help of hydrogen. This programmable greenhouse gas will stop when it reaches a position about 20 miles above the ground. When tens of thousands of mirrors turn their backs on the earth's surface, sunlight returns to space through specular reflection. This system, controlled by artificial intelligence, will have a certain impact on weather patterns around the world, turning uninhabited areas into temperate areas where people can live comfortably.

6. Molecular assembly machine

3D printers are amazing? More amazing than this is yet to come, and that is the molecular assembler. This is the assembly machine conceived by K. Eric Drexler, the father of nanotechnology, in the book Engine of Creation. The equipment described by drexler can assemble a single atom into anything you want. In an episode of Star Trek, a sailor printed out a steaming cup of earl grey on the copier. If you have seen it here, you will basically understand how this molecular assembly machine works. Many futurists also call it a factory, or fabs for short.

The Replicator in Star Trek is basically a part of the sub-assembly machine.

Drexler believes that the bio-assembler has existed for a long time, and it can generate many complex and exquisite biological structures, such as bacteria, trees and even you and me. By the same logic, we can finally understand the mechanical properties of tiny matter deeply, and then use similar principles to make objects of any size, shape and density.

Fab is expected to open a new era of "inherent richness" for the world. It allows us to make things and materials that cannot be made in other ways, starting from scratch, or more accurately, starting from molecules. However, such equipment can only be used to make familiar things, such as food. If you cook a steak, first, the molecular assembler will collect raw materials, including carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, then make them into amino acids and protein, and finally make them into the shape of a steak.

7. Geo-engineering

Unfortunately, the negative effects of climate change seem irreversible. From now until 2 100, no matter how hard we try, a lot of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will continue to warm the earth.

Search the concept map of unmanned "cloud-making ship", which is making clouds and reflecting sunlight back into space.

From sea level rise and severe drought to super storms and species extinction, climate change has brought various environmental disasters. In order to prevent this kind of harm from spreading, we have to start using geo-engineering carefully to save the earth.

There are some popular solutions, including reducing reflectivity by rolling clouds and rain, managing solar radiation by injecting particles into the stratosphere, slowing global darkening by injecting sulfur aerosol, and basically restoring carbon balance by tropical afforestation. In addition, there are some other methods, such as arranging a huge space mirror (although our technical ability may not reach this level to 2 100), or fertilizing the ocean to eliminate a large number of blooms, enhance the alkalinity of the ocean and reduce the acidity of the seawater. Obviously, there are many solutions, and we don't need to be limited to one.

However, the problem of geo-engineering is that if these methods develop in the wrong direction, then we may become more serious in the name of science. After that, I will only rely more and more on these methods and I can't go back. But we need extreme measure in an emergency. Perhaps in order to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the final results, we have no choice but to rely on complex climate models and supercomputers.

8. Telepathy

At present, a series of achievements in the fields of communication technology and neuroscience make telepathy between people possible.

Shell Mobile Team 2: Not guilty

The realization of telepathy between people not only shortens the distance between people, but also promotes the early arrival of "hive thinking" "Honeycomb thinking" means that in the future, every scattered individual's thinking can be connected together through the Internet. At that time, we will find that the power of individuals is gradually disappearing, while the power of group consciousness is growing.

It is worth noting that such a scene will come earlier than we thought. As early as 20 14, an international research team demonstrated a completely non-invasive brain-to-brain communication system, which is the first time that humans send and receive information directly through the brain. In this experiment, two volunteers are hundreds of miles apart, but they communicate through ideas in their heads. A year later, another research group also made a breakthrough. They let two volunteers play the same computer game together. One of them transmits the signals in his brain to the other party through the network and directs him to make actions. Although these systems are in the initial stage, they point out the direction of future industry development. In the future, we can communicate with another person only through ideas, and we can also control the smart devices around us by "taking things with ideas".

9. Fusion energy

At the beginning of this year, German physicists used 2 MW microwave pulses to heat hydrogen to 80 million degrees, and finally it was converted into extremely low-density hydrogen plasma. The whole experiment did not produce any energy, and the whole process was only 1/4 seconds, but it made people take another important step on the road to achieving the ultimate goal, that is, the way to realize energy generation: nuclear fusion.

Heating, heating and reheating: hydrogen plasma is heated to 80 million degrees.

Nuclear fission, also known as nuclear fission, refers to a nuclear reaction form in which a heavy nucleus, mainly a uranium nucleus or a plutonium nucleus, splits into two or more atoms with lower mass, while nuclear fusion refers to the polymerization of two nuclei with lower mass, and finally generates a nucleus with higher mass. Scientists believe that the final result of nuclear fusion is to release huge energy, which will also become a feasible source of clean energy in the future. Finally, fusion energy can replace fossil fuels and traditional nuclear reactors.

But in order to achieve this goal, scientists need to find safer and more reliable methods, especially when conducting experiments on the sun. The difficulty is that the fusion plasma is difficult to "put in a container" because these proton and electron flows are difficult to control. Because the sun's gravity is strong enough to bind ions together, but on earth, we must rely on magnets or lasers to achieve the same effect. Once the tiny plasma is separated, the machine wall will be damaged, causing the nuclear reactor to stop running.

10. Artificial life

Scientists in the future will not be satisfied with genetic engineering, but will design and manufacture new life from scratch-from the most microscopic synthetic bacteria to the redesigned clone with the same feeling as human beings in blade runner. This emerging discipline is artificial life, also known as Alife, which refers to the artificial transformation of organisms through computers and other synthetic biotechnology.

JCVI-syn3.0 is a synthetic bacterium composed of 473 genes.

Scientists' exploration of synthetic life forms has begun. At the beginning of this year, researchers from synthetic genomics and J. Craig Venter Institute in the United States successfully produced a synthetic genome with only 473 genes, less than any other known bacteria. In the future, the progress made in this field will help biologists to explore the core functions of life and classify the most important genes in cells. Researchers can also create creatures that do not exist in nature, such as bacteria that eat plastic and toxic garbage, and microorganisms with certain effects.

There is another major breakthrough related to this. George Mcdonaldchurch of Harvard Medical School is also one of the organizers of this new project. He is trying to synthesize the human genome. The researchers said that their goal is only to synthesize the complete human genome in one cell. But once successful, this technology will also be applied to the synthesis of artificial organisms, even synthetic people.

Any of the technologies listed above may reshape the process of human civilization. Just at present, we don't know how these extraordinary achievements will cooperate with each other in the future, and the superposition effect produced by the integration of different technologies is always unpredictable. For example, the integration of computer-connected virtual reality, consciousness upload and artificial intelligence may lead to the possibility of the integration of computer-based world and people in the real world, simulating the coexistence of brain and artificial intelligence. Future geo-engineering systems will integrate climate control systems and artificial nanoparticles, and so on.

The more we predict the future technology, the more confusing it becomes.

Tadpole staff is compiled from gizmodo, translated by Yizichen and Sunshine, and reproduced with permission.