The World… A Century Later

The World of Religion

A 2015 report titled “Changing religion, changing economies” mentioned the following:

1. By 2050 only one of the leading economies will have a majority Christian population – the United States.
2. Other mega economies in 2050 will include a country with a Hindu majority (India), a Muslim majority (Indonesia), and two with exceptionally high levels of religious diversity (China and Japan).
3. By the middle of this century, the number of people affiliated with a religion is expected to grow by 2.3 billion, from 5.8 billion in 2010 to 8.1 billion in 2050.
4. The number of Muslims in the world is expected to nearly double between 2010 and 2050 and Muslims are expected to lead the world in population growth compared with other religious groups.
5. The largest share of the world’s Muslims lived in the Asia-Pacific region as of 2010 and will continue to live in this region in the decades ahead.
6. Economic growth among the global Muslim population is expected to significantly outpace global economic growth.
7. India is expected to have the largest Muslim population of any country in the world by 2050, surpassing Indonesia.
8. In the years ahead, slightly more than half of the economic influence associated with Muslim populations is expected to be in the Asia-Pacific region, with India’s economic overall growth also helping to add some to the global economic resources of Muslims.

The World of Science

1. The world’s sea levels will rise 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) by 2100, which could displace up to 4 million people worldwide.
2. Greenland’s usually cold summers could become completely ice-free by 2050.
3. Oceans will be farmed extensively, not just for food but also for renewable energy sources and raw material.
4. Efforts towards weather control have already started. In the next 100 years, it might be possible to use this to avoid damages caused by extreme weather conditions.
5. The Polar Regions might be developed commercially to house the increasing population.
6. Space elevators might be developed enough to make travel to outer space cheap and easy.

The World of Technology

1. Quantum computing will advance, processing a massive amount of data and enabling us to find out more about the world around us.
2. Our brains will be fully integrated with our devices. Research into Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) is already underway.
3. Electric cars might be able to drive themselves on solar-powered highways.
4. Engineers are currently designing self-healing concrete structures and potholes that fill themselves. Expect this technology fully implemented in the next few years only.
5. Artificial intelligence will automate more and more jobs.

The World of Medicine

1. Genomics, the study of a person’s genes, is relatively a new field right now. However, in the next century, we can expect genomics to become a significant factor in preventing and curing major diseases.
2. With the advent of ‘Dr. Google’ syndrome, patients already know quite a lot about their states of wellness and sickness. In the coming years, this phenomenon will increase. Patients will be up to date with their illnesses and might be able to detect and address their specific issues before they escalate.
3. Part of the patients’ high level awareness will be the technology that facilitates them to acquire this information. The process has already started with smart watches tracking calories, blood pressure, and so on. A time might come when the entire genome data of a person is accessible on his or her smart devices.
4. Doctors will need specialized training – not just in the medical field but also in artificial intelligence and related technology.

The World of Food

1. Foods will be tailor made for every demographic: men, women, elderly, children, and so on.
2. 3-dimensional printers can create objects from plastic and metal, and they can also print, cook, and serve foods. (This concept is already in an initial stage now.)
3. Plastic bottles might be substituted with edible water bottles made with seaweed. A London-based seaweed-tech startup is already working on this.
4. Food scanners, already in an infant stage now, will become commonplace. You point a device at your plate and it will tell you which chemicals and vitamins are present in your food.
5. Meat will likely be manufactured in labs.

The World of Hobbies

1. Bird watching. The existence of many species of land birds will be threatened thanks to climate change and habitat destruction, so bird watching will be the most popular hobby.
2. Soccer games with robots. Robots will form a team and play with humans. (A World Cup might be on the cards too.)
3. Online storytelling which is already in vogue for children now thanks to YouTube will be more advanced. Any form of storytelling will eventually be done via online channels instead of face to face.
4. Virtual reality entertainment. People will not just watch the content – they will interact with it too.

The World of Homes

1. Keyless home entry systems will be capable of telling family members apart as well as recognize guests using biometrics like body temperature and heartbeat.
2. Homes will be tied to a centralized communication console, capable of running the house without us. They will handle everything from maximizing energy efficiency to turning appliances on and off as needed, ordering groceries, and sending out requests for support when an appliance malfunctions.
3. More robots and devices will be doing our domestic work like cleaning rooms and windows, making minor home repairs, doing laundry, and folding and putting away clothes.