What's the next big technology?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around predictions and speculations regarding the next significant technological advancements. Participants explore various historical inventions and propose future technologies, touching on themes of energy solutions, resource harvesting, and integration of technology with human capabilities.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants list historical inventions, suggesting a pattern of technological evolution leading to future innovations.
  • One participant humorously suggests a fictional technology, "snarlgenpoogen," as the next big thing.
  • Another proposes a grand synthesis of existing technologies, combining elements like sailboats, steam engines, and integrated circuits.
  • Several participants express interest in advanced concepts such as brain-computer integration, replicators, and holodecks.
  • Resource harvesting from celestial bodies like the moon and asteroids is discussed as a potential future endeavor.
  • Some participants mention the need for a single invention that could address multiple global issues, including energy and food shortages.
  • Battery technology and fusion power are highlighted as promising areas for future development, with potential impacts on renewable energy and electric vehicles.
  • One participant humorously suggests an "insect ball" as a novel invention for managing insects while golfing.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion features multiple competing views and speculative ideas about future technologies. There is no consensus on what the next big technology will be, with various participants proposing different concepts and inventions.

Contextual Notes

Participants express a range of assumptions about the feasibility and impact of proposed technologies, with some ideas being more speculative than others. The discussion reflects a mix of serious and humorous contributions, indicating varying levels of seriousness regarding the predictions made.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in technology trends, futurism, and the implications of emerging technologies may find this discussion engaging.

  • #31
fletch-j said:
Hopefully sometime soon we will see one of the countless many new battery technologies that have come about in the past few years come into fruition. This would be beneficial not only for small scale electronic devices but also for electric cars.

Also, fusion power.
Far better battery technologies would be great for renewable energy adoption.
 
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  • #32
Ryan_m_b said:
Far better battery technologies would be great for renewable energy adoption.

I think that it would spawn a whole new range of technologies and could be a big game-changer in renewables and consumer electronics.

Now some of that battery technology needs to become financially viable so it can come out of R&D and into the market...
 

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