/r/Futurology
A subreddit devoted to the field of Future(s) Studies and evidence-based speculation about the development of humanity, technology, and civilization.
-------- You can also find us in the fediverse at - https://futurology.today
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A subreddit devoted to the field of Future(s) Studies and evidence-based speculation about the development of humanity, technology, and civilization.
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For details on the rules see the Rules Wiki.
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If history studies our past and social sciences study our present, what is the study of our future? Future(s) Studies (colloquially called "future(s)" by many of the field's practitioners) is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to hypothesize the possible, probable, preferable, or alternative future(s).
One of the fundamental assumptions in future(s) studies is that the future is plural rather than singular, that is, that it consists of alternative future(s) of varying degrees of likelihood but that it is impossible in principle to say with certainty which one will occur.
For a list of related subreddits, hover over top menu.
/r/Futurology
Have you ever imagined a world where all living beings are connected through an invisible network in the atmosphere? Let me introduce you to Neuraqua-Symbiosis – a speculative phenomenon where water particles in the air form a neural-like network, linking humans, animals, and plants in a universal system of communication.
What is Neuraqua-Symbiosis?
It’s a theoretical state where atmospheric water acts as a conduit for instinctive, non-verbal communication. Imagine feeling the needs of a tree in distress or sensing the gratitude of a deer as it drinks from a stream. This connection would allow life on Earth to harmonize in ways we can’t yet comprehend.
Key Features: • Neural-like Network: Water molecules create glowing, interconnected pathways, similar to a brain’s synapses. • Communication Beyond Language: Emotions, intent, and survival signals are shared instinctively between all forms of life. • Harmony with Nature: Exploitation of resources becomes impossible as every living being feels the impact of actions in real-time.
Why Does It Matter?
Neuraqua-Symbiosis challenges how we think about nature and technology. Could such a network ever exist? What would it mean for human relationships, environmental conservation, or even future technology?
Examples of Usage: 1. “In a world governed by Neuraqua-Symbiosis, humans no longer need to speak to understand the emotions of animals or plants.” 2. “Through Neuraqua-Symbiosis, humanity evolved to coexist with nature in perfect balance.”
I’d love to hear your thoughts! How do you think such a phenomenon could change our understanding of life, ecosystems, or even future science fiction?
Let’s discuss!
We've been used to seeing most climate change action taking place in terms of C02 reduction. Soon, we will have to confront a new course of action - managed retreat.
In the US, the potential damage from climate change intensified floods, hurricanes and wildfires could top $1 trillion in the years ahead. A 2018 insurance company report found that a single Category 5 hurricane hitting Miami could cause $1.35 trillion in damages.
More and more, private insurance companies are refusing to deal with this. Is the answer public insurance? Why should voters in 'safe' areas pay for people who deliberately choose to live in climate change dangerous areas? Perhaps 'managed retreat' to safer areas may be the more realistic option.
Some politicians have tried to behave as if climate change isn't happening. But that game won't work much longer, these are all about to become unavoidable issues.
Me and a friend have come up with 2 theories, excluding the obvious "make them bigger". The two would be, somehow, using light; or using quantum computing. I know this has probably been asked, but I'm just curious
I’ve been wrestling with this idea that so much of what we call innovation is just incremental progress—fixing or optimizing the same systems instead of rethinking what those systems are for in the first place. I started writing out some principles for how to approach design differently, and this is where I ended up. I’d love to hear how this sits with other people who think about the future of tech and design.
Design for amplification, not replacement: Focus on enhancing human abilities, not substituting for them.
Prioritize symbiosis over utility: Create systems that grow and adapt with users, not static tools.
Start with why, not what: Focus on the purpose and potential impact, not just the technical possibilities.
Think in systems, not components: Design holistically, integrating all elements into a unified experience.
Embrace cognition-first design: Build around human thought processes and workflows, not device constraints.
Treat current limitations as temporary: Don’t let today’s technology dictate tomorrow’s vision.
Seek human-centric solutions: Design with empathy for how users think, feel, and interact naturally.
Aim for disappearing technology: Create systems that seamlessly integrate into life, rather than intrude on it.
Ask transformational questions: Redefine the problem space instead of optimizing within it.
Build for relationships, not tasks: Focus on deep, intuitive connections between humans and systems.
Edit: I see that despite being the Futurology subreddit, this is still Reddit, and a lot of people are shitting on this as if when someone actually has experience working in STEM fields that these aren’t addressing deficits in current thinking by many engineers.
Edit 2: I know the literal definition of innovation, all instances of incrementalism aren’t bad obviously, and I get how corporate jargon and words like “holistic” can be bullshit filler but this is obviously not one of those cases and anyone whose ever worked in STEM would know many of these principles aren’t actually used when engineers think of problems. Optimization and utility often get prioritized over creative solutions and just broader vision. And no, my suggestions don’t just define paradigm shifts, these are grounded principles that can be used with incrementalism. Again the shocking amount of Reddit snarky bullshit never ceases to amaze me.
As self-driving cars (AVs) become more widespread, they could revolutionize not just transportation but the very design of cities themselves. The implications go far beyond just having a driverless vehicle on the road.
One of the most significant changes could be the reduced need for parking. In today’s cities, a lot of valuable urban space is dedicated to parking lots and multi-story garages. But with self-driving cars, vehicles could drop passengers off and then park themselves far from city centers, or even return to pick up passengers at the right time. This could free up vast amounts of land for public spaces, parks, housing, or commercial developments.
Additionally, roads might no longer need to be designed primarily for human drivers. They could be optimized for efficiency, safety, and space, with smoother traffic flows and fewer road signs. If AVs communicate with each other, traffic could become more coordinated, reducing congestion.
Another possibility is the reimagining of transportation hubs. Instead of the traditional car-centric designs, cities could adopt more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly layouts, with a focus on shared transportation options.
On the flip side, challenges will arise: How will we integrate self-driving cars into existing infrastructure? Will we see disparities in the adoption of these technologies across different neighborhoods? And, of course, how do we address concerns about privacy and data security?
What do you think the future of cities might look like with self-driving cars at the core of urban planning?
Have you ever tried to switch from one service to another—like moving your playlists from Spotify to Apple Music or transferring your gaming progress between platforms—only to discover how frustratingly difficult it is? This is vendor lock-in, a challenge many of us face in the digital age.
What Is Information Lock-In?
Vendor lock-in occurs when companies make it difficult to transfer your data, preferences, or experiences to a competing platform. This lack of interoperability often traps users in ecosystems they might want to leave, leading to limited choice and flexibility.
But there’s hope! Cross-platform services are emerging as a solution to this problem, giving users the freedom to move their digital lives across providers seamlessly.
Real-World Examples of Cross-Platform Services
Here are a few examples of how this is already happening :
SongShift: A service that lets you transfer playlists between Spotify, Apple Music, and other music platforms.
Google Takeout: A tool that allows users to download their Google data (emails, photos, etc.) and transfer it to other services.
Gaming Platforms (Epic Games and Steam): Some games now allow players to sync their progress across multiple platforms, making it easier to switch providers or play on different devices.
'Why Should We Care?'
Cross-platform services empower users by reducing dependency on single providers and encouraging a more open, user-friendly digital world. They’re a win for everyone, fostering competition and innovation while giving individuals greater control over their data.
The Data Landscape: Visual Insights
To understand the magnitude of our digital interactions, consider these statistics:
Average Number of Apps per User: As of 2023, the average smartphone user has approximately 18.45 apps installed on their device, with projections indicating a slight decline to 17.80 by 2027.
Global Data Creation: In 2024, the total amount of data created, captured, copied, and consumed globally is forecast to reach 149 zettabytes, with projections to grow to more than 394 zettabytes by 2028.
Daily Data Generation per Internet User: In 2023, the average internet user created about 1.7 MB of data per second, equating to approximately 146,880 MB per day.
Note: 1 zettabyte (ZB) equals 1 trillion gigabytes (GB).
These figures highlight the vast amount of data individuals interact with daily, underscoring the importance of cross-platform services in managing and transferring personal data seamlessly.
Let’s Make It Better
I’d love to hear from this community:
Have you experienced vendor or information lock-in, and how did it impact you?
Do you know of other services that enable data portability or interoperability?
What would an ideal cross-platform service look like to you?
Let’s discuss and build a better understanding of how we can create a freer, more connected digital future. Your input could inspire future posts (and maybe even solutions).
Looking forward to your thoughts!
#DataPortability #CrossPlatform #DigitalFreedom
With smart home technology evolving rapidly, the bathroom is becoming a hub for innovation. From smart mirrors that provide health insights to self-cleaning toilets and water-recycling showers, the possibilities seem endless. What emerging technologies do you think will become mainstream in the future?
Here is my analogy
You can imagine that the internet is like one piece world but without world government. The navy(government) sail between the island to maintain its rule in certain region. The island(internet giant) is scattered across the sea and connected by shipping company(search engine). In the open ocean there is a lot of new company ready to sail(start up) to find a new island, but mostly they either forced to stay on certain island(internet giant) or being stopped by the nature(lack of investment or failed product). Ofc there are pirate on the seas(hackers)
There's no main body for supervision, there is no coordination between the island, the user will be trapped and put in the cage inside the island at the mercy of internet giant. The internet giant is basically a king on the island and can do whatever they want to the user on the island and they sometime do reckless thing to them life stealing user data or abusing power to force certain policies to increase it's profit. The government can force certain rule but they will also make small move behind its back and find a loophole.
The ideal state world be the internet company is forced to create supercontinent containing all user and company so they move easily between the region and not being locked or force to stay at certain island.
This is more of a theory than something that I have a lot of evidence about or that I know a lot about, etc, but I have heard something about this out there, read something.
Life is in a certain way the "recycling" of the previous, of the same in different ways, genetics is that, houses, lands, some songs, music style, recycle that with some changes, etc.
And if the advances of technology and AI and etc, have already happened and by continuing and building on the previous things, in a certain way they regenerate that same thing?
As a child I believed, like many others, that this was all there was, the world was this present that happened and life was about seventy, eighty years and doing the best possible, and that was all in the present of this world, standard eight-hour jobs, everything more or less regulated and standardized.
And if the AI, advances, since this is mostly all it knows, in a certain way it regenerates the same thing? And if it has already done so?
What makes us think that it goes to something very different, be more utopian or dystopian, etc.
It is difficult for me to imagine a society in which everything is simply fine and there are resources for everyone, energy for everyone, considering that this could be achieved yes, even in the present, but it simply does not happen.
But it is also difficult for me to imagine that this leads to something very dystopian.
Maybe everything will be more or less not to different from what it is now.
This is something that can be explored in more detail, yes, this is just a general look of the concept.
PD: It reminds me of a part of the Matrix, you must already know it and it must have been cited here a few times, more than once surely.
In one part one of them says that they tried to give humans a more "utopian" world and they didn't like it, they didn't adapt, etc, many believed that it wasn't real, etc.
It they were given something very dystopian there would be difficulties too.
So they were simply given the same world they were already in, with some changes perhaps but generally the same.
Because, humans need that activity, imperfection, that intermediate world, and much of life is based on that.
Like religion, there is no way to demonstrate it but there is also no way to totally not demonstrate, that is why it is called faith, believing just for believing, and it can be argued that there is some evidence about religion, God, but not very clear and they are interpretative, etc, and the same about the opposite of this, proofs of its not existence, etc.
And around that there is a whole system, "business", something for humans to do, etc. If that were removed, what would humans do?, at least those related to that, which are not few.
And this applies to many matters, life is based a little on that in-between, we are awake but we also sleep, there is a day but also a night, etc.
That is life itself, human life. I don't know how much of that could change, if it happens to change.
And, finally, I don't know how much can be "controlled" about that, which is what is being tried a little now, controlling advances, technology, directing it to this side or that other side, etc.
Life is something that just happens, I don't know how much can be controlled.
I’ve been looking for articles/discussions that look at global zero sum game in terms of not only humanity but also the animals, fungi, and vegetation we share the earth with. Everything I read seems to disprove looking at the global economy through the lens of a zero sum game, but those articles also seem to only account for humanity. Any thoughts on proving or disproving the zero sum game theory on a global scale in terms of the future of other species alongside humans? Thanks!
I need a crash course. From the perspective of 2025, what do you all think should I read to understand the big ideas/controversies regarding emerging technologies, coming dangers, and possible utopias?
From AI-powered brain-computer interfaces to self-repairing materials, the future of tech seems limitless. Imagine a world where:
Nanobots swim in your bloodstream to monitor and fix your health in real-time.
A chip in your brain lets you stream your thoughts directly to a screen.
Hyperloop becomes the standard for travel, cutting hours into minutes.
Fusion energy finally becomes a reality, powering entire cities sustainably.
What’s the wildest (but possible!) tech you think will exist in the next 5-10 years? Let’s dream big and discuss how it might shape our world!
I feel bad for the future of sports like football, where everyone might eventually be enhanced to the same level physically and mentally. If everyone has the same strength, height, stamina, and intelligence, what's the point of talent anymore? There wouldn't be anyone who stands out as exceptional. Sports would lose that competitive edge, and it might feel like no one can really beat each other because everyone would be the same. If everyone is just as good, the thrill of watching an athlete with natural talent and unique skills might disappear. It could turn into something where athletes are forced to "dumb down" just to make the game interesting for fans. And with no real standout talent, sports could lose that excitement and passion. It wouldn't feel like a challenge anymore—just a bunch of people playing for fun, which is fine, but it’s not the same as the competitive fire we have today. Would we even have true rivalries if everyone is at the same level? Sports could end up just being for entertainment, without that sense of excitement and unpredictability we get from seeing someone defy the odds and perform at an elite level.
Let me know your thoughts!
Do you think it's pure rage bating and anxiety introducing? In the way they predict the future in terms of AGI?
Recently I feel like tech CEOs have become even more insufferable. The amount of disingenuous takes to hype up their technology is just out of this world.
I completely understand they have to ensure their company grows, but do they really have to make such bold fake claims like "AI replacing all devs"? That would mean the code to generate every other job, including their own as CEOs, is also immediately achievable.
I agree AI will change a lot of dynamics in dev jobs, but replace them? Nonsense.
In a world full of AI and technology one of the most valuable skills have to be the knowledge about how computers work. AIs are algorithms and the knowledge of their mechanics is paramount. Calculators did not replace mathematicians, it let them tackle harder problems by automating tedious parts.