Year 2203, a crisp January morning in Singapore.
At 7:00 am sharp, the nanoprocessor, which is no bigger than a microdot, embedded
beneath Manu's scalp just above his forehead sends a silent signal to Manu's
brain to gently wake him up. Actually, there is an interconnected net of nanoprocessors—a
nanonet—in different locations under his skin. There is one under the
skin of each fingertip, ear, elbow, navel, knee and toe. Apart from doing
the mundane task of being Manu's invisible secretary, the nanonet is also
his personal physician-cum-gym-instructor, databank, ID tag and communicator.
It used to be his wallet too until 2200, when at the turn of the century,
money was abolished altogether.
It's no wonder that at 95, Manu is often mistaken for a fifty year old!
The nanonet, with the help of millions of nanomachines (nanobots) tirelessly
cruising through his bloodstream monitors every aspect of Manu's health every
second of his life. The nanonet is essentially a quantum computer, whose input/output
are the millions of 'dumb' nanomachines, Manu's mind/brain, and his fingertips.
The nanomachines that are all over Manu's body, constantly monitors every
aspect of his health and continuously feed the information to the nanonet.
The nanonet processes this information and forms an image of the status of
his health and well being. At the slightest indication of trouble, the nanonet
activates those localised nanomachines to rectify the problem. Most of the
problems are fixed by the nanomachines before they develop into serious complications.
Since the nanomachines are bio-engineered out of Manu's own DNA, his immune
system does not recognise them as foreign and hence does not attack them.
In the event of a problem requiring external medication/surgery, the nanonet
alerts Manu with diagnostic details and the way forward. The alert could be
in the form of messages to his ears or twitches to his index finger. Optionally,
the nanonet may also communicate to a remote nanonet of, say, his surgeon
and inform him of Manu’s condition. This was what happened eleven years
back when he needed a new heart; it was too worn out to be mended by the nanomachines.
His heart was harvested outside his body using his stem cells then transplanted
to him by a robot surgeon.
Manu quietly got out of bed and softly stepped into the large glass-enclosed
balcony. He was careful not to wake up his wife Eva, who was still sound asleep.
His house was sailing soundlessly through the sky and was now approaching
the Singapore air-space. In a few moments his house would dock into a gravity
pad. He was just returning from a holiday in India. He remembered his grandfather
telling him before he passed on, that during his early years people used to
travel for all kinds of reasons. There was the work related travel, travelling
for education, for business, for pleasure and leisure. Now people travel only
for leisure, since travelling for any other purpose has become unnecessary
and obsolete, with the quantum leap in communications technology and worm-hole
transport.
Even leisure travel has had a major revolution since the beginning of the
millennium when people used to travel in those contraptions called airplanes
where people were boxed in with total strangers for hours together breathing
stale air and eating tasteless microwaved food. Since the development of gravity
shields, which curiously began in the late 1990s, all homes were gradually
fitted out with grav-shields. This not only paved the way for a revolution
in human travel but also in architecture since designs that were hitherto
structurally impossible suddenly became practical and ubiquitous. With the
advent of the gravity shield technology, public travel died a slow death.
Gravity shields would not have been so successful if it wasn’t for the
parallel revolution in power generation – the cold fusion and microfusion
reactors. These reactors, that were initially pooh-poohed by the scientific
community in the 1980s as impossibilities, were later developed in the 2060s.
This initiated a whole slew of developments due to the limitless quantities
of clean energy it offered. Centralised power generation and transmission
was slowly phased out. Each home began to have its own microfusion reactor
that was no bigger than a small suitcase capable of delivering enough power
to meet the inflated needs of a household for about fifty years. Smaller units
powered their leisure vehicles like the gravity-shielded sky-scooters. Quantum
computing too had a major impact on lifestyles. As portrayed in 20th century
science fiction movies, robots evolved into increasingly human-like forms
until by the late 2100s it was hard to spot the robot in a household. The
human-like robots (androids) did not perform any mundane chores; there were
lower grade robots for such tasks. The androids were more like advisers to
a household. They were experts in almost all fields of learning right from
delicate neurosurgery to micro-economics to religious philosophy. They were
highly respected members of the family.
Many revolutions had come to pass in the two hundred years since the start
of the millennium. It is indeed an irony to understand that most of these
revolutions were only possible due to the foundations laid during that turbulent,
primitive, violent phase of human history – the beginning of the third
millennium. To understand the future, let us take a look at the possible (perhaps
not probable) history of that future; the time line of the new millennium.
Here many positive assumptions are taken with the firm belief that man shall
ultimately prevail, progress, and evolve to better future. These projections
are made based on the current trends in research:
The 1990s:
Life Sciences: Research on the human genome project underway
Computing: The first primitive quantum computer created in a laboratory by
Dr.Isaac Chuang, a researcher at IBM, and his team
Engineering: Research on nanotechnology continues.
Robotics: Primitive robots with pattern recognition skills developed.
Physics: Podkletnov carries out his controversial gravity shield experiment
and reports it to be a success, amidst much ridicule and scepticism from the
scientific community. Research on string theory hots up. Scientists suggest
existence of worm holes. Cold fusion (table-top fusion) experiment a failure.
Political: Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait leads to the American intervention
in the liberation of Kuwait.
Early 2000 - 2100:
Life Sciences: Human genome project completed. The first mammal cloned; a
sheep named Dolly. Research on stem cells intensifies while debate on the
ethics of cloning continue. Viruses mutate into newer forms causing new epidemics.
First successful human organ created using stem cells (2030). First successful
transplant operation using harvested organ (2032). Idea of the creation of
a super species mooted. Debate on Eugenics and the creation of a super species
rages.
Computing: Quantum computers become extensively used in cryptography. First
quantum hybrids created at the molecular level. Nanonets tried out on volunteers
successfully.
Engineering: Nanobots commonplace, extensively used in non-invasive surgery
and other applications despite strong resistance from a section of scientists
due to its potential to be abused. An international watchdog with powers to
regulate research in nanotechnology and ensure that it does not fall into
the wrong hands is formed.
City Planning: Water scarcity becomes severe in the first quarter of the century.
Coastal cities in the third world opt for reverse osmosis plants to meet part
of the water demands. Rain water harvesting gains popularity globally. With
growth in communication and home-office concept coupled with problems of urbanisation
people begin to move to rural areas from cities. Moderate ocean habitats with
gravity shield bases levitating above water appear in several parts of the
world (fourth quarter). First colony on the moon. Water scarcity solved by
extensive use of air-to-water technology and reverse osmosis plants.
Robotics: Household robots become popular and sophisticated. Robots used extensively
in other applications such as mining, construction etc.
Physics: Dr. Rusi Taleyarkhan’s table-top fusion experiment confirmed
a success under laboratory conditions. Worm hole transport device a failure.
Table-top fusion successful and found commercially viable. Crude gravity shield
devices developed (third quarter of the century). Commercial applications
of gravity shield devices appear in the fourth quarter.
Other Sciences/Developments: Ocean mining increase tremendously.
Political: Sept 11 terrorist attack on America. America invades Afghanistan
and later Iraq. New wars break out in other parts of the world resulting in
enormous casualties and suffering. A new global consciousness to go beyond
war emerges as a phoenix. With it comes a new resolve to earnestly look at
the causes of war and suffering. Global organisation of people sans politics
is formed; replaces the UN. Divisions in humanity are blamed for violence.
Humanity breaks out of its violent adolescence into maturity by conquering
wars. After many years of debate and soul searching, research for the development
of a more resilient super-species (cancer-proof and virus-proof), but with
a single outward characteristic is finally approved (last quarter). “Fixing
the mistakes of God,” “Next giant leap in evolution?” cries
many of the global newspapers. Many previously third-world countries like
India, China etc. enter into the first world.
2100 to 2200
Life Sciences: Research on the creation of a super-species takes twenty years.
First of the new species is born of normal parents who volunteered; the child
is named Manu after the first man. The child has grey skin, dark hair and
other features, which suggest a racial mix. The child is immune to cancer
and all forms of viruses. The child exhibits a high intellect, deep equanimity
and spirituality with little trace of individual ego. More such babies are
born of parents from different races, all having similar characteristics of
skin/hair colour etc. There is tremendous initial resistance. A new virus
mutation decimates a significant portion of the global population, but leaves
the “super” kids untouched. This causes more and more couples
to opt for the “super” kids.
Computing: Nanonets become very sophisticated and miniaturised. One by one,
countries pass laws to have citizens embedded with nanonets despite tremendous
global resistance due to suspicion and the belief in the invasion of personal
privacy. People begin to grudgingly accept nanonets due to the tremendous
benefits after assurances from the Governments.
Engineering: Gravity shields and microfusion make tremendous impact on transportation,
architecture, construction, space exploration, material science etc.
City Planning: Large ocean and sky habitats sprout up. Mobile homes with a
gravity shield base gains popularity.
Robotics: Human-like robots (androids) become commonplace.
Physics: Wormhole transport portals developed successfully; signals next revolution
in transportation.
Political: All countries progress to first-world status. Wars become non existent.
Crime tapers off due to the installation of nanonets. Countries merge. Borders
and barriers come down.
Economics: One of the most revolutionary laws to affect mankind is passed
with the advent of 2200—the abolishment of money. With optimal planning
& resource management coupled with a tempering of greed, money was becoming
increasingly redundant towards the end of the 22nd century. The new breed
of mankind became selfless and worked for the sheer joy of working. Advanced
robotics ensured an adequacy of goods and personalised services.
Manu looked out into the distance. He could see the spires of Singapore touching the clouds. He wonders: how many more times does he have to see these spires growing up and up and up…? How many more times does he have to make these leisure trips to the same places? His days have become white and featureless like an endless ocean of milk. There is only a boring and eternal happiness in this world of his. There is not even a news channel in the programmes that are beamed directly into his brain. For, with the death of grief and misery, news too died a natural death. Sometimes, just for the sheer heck of it, he would browse the archives and see the tumults of history. Now, everywhere he looks, he sees smiling clones of himself. He sees a future of a bland blissful blankness. Can immortal bliss be so empty? Isn’t death really a liberation? The holoscreen sensed his thoughts and projected an advertisement. “Switch-off in style” the old grey face that appeared before him said before morphing into sand. A brief smile lit Manu’s face before his communicator went active.
