Category Archives: Futurist

It's definitely not edible.Spooky Spaghetti

Last month, NASAs Perseverance rover spotted an mysterious noodle-like object on Mars.

Appearing to be some sort of messy bundle of string, the object was first captured by the Mars rovers camera on July 12 before mysteriously vanishing just four days later.

NASA was adamant that the stringy object was terrestrial in origin and not some Martians spilt ramen, speculating that its likely "a piece of cord from the parachute or from the landing system that lowers the [Perseverance] rover to the ground."

And now, as it turns out, the space agency wasnt that far off. In a statement on Monday, NASA declared that the unknown object is nothing but a piece of Dacron netting, putting this Mars mystery to bed.

Dacron is a polyester fiber used as netting in thermal blankets, and while it may look unrecognizable now, thats because it "appears to have undergone significant unraveling/shredding, suggesting that it was subjected to strong forces," according to NASA.

When the Perseverance rover landed on Mars in February of last year, its entry, descent, and landing (EDL) hardware flew off to crash a safe distance away. The EDL's impact scattered debris across the Martian surface, and thats where the Dacron netting came from.

Considering that it crashed some 1.4 miles away from the rover, the material has traveled impressively far, likely due to wind, NASA said.

For the most part, a bundle of polyester string blowing around Mars is pretty harmless and amusing, but NASA isnt messing around: team members are investigating photos of the material as it "may pose as a potential contamination source for the sample tubes" in the area where it was found, the space agency said but fortunately, there arent any "immediate concerns."

Theres also a risk of the shredded material becoming entangled with the Perseverance rover itself, but NASA engineers deemed the risk to be "low."

In short, NASA doesn't see the Martian spaghetti as too much of a threat. After all, space debris being discarded on the Martian surface is quickly becoming a pretty common occurrence.

More on Mars: NASA Says It's Sending Two More Ingenuity-Class Helicopters to Mars

Read more:
NASA Finally Figured Out What That Weird Spaghetti It Found on Mars Was - Futurism

The Earth's spin is really starting to pick up speed.

As CBS News reports, June29 was the fastest day in recorded history, clocking in at 1.59 milliseconds shorter than the average 24 hours we know and love.

According to a recent study, the Earth started to spin faster back in 2016 and, on average, the days have become shorter ever since.

The rotation change hasn't been enough to render every single day shorter, according to the study's authors, but the impact has been pronounced enough to get the scientific community buzzing.

And if the trend continues which it very well might mankind will likely have to make some changes to atomic time, or the universal way that time on Earth is measured, according to experts.

But that's not exactly easy, especially when the tech industry reallydoesn't want that to happen. Ever heard of the infamous Y2K bug?

Historically speaking, Earth has never kept perfect time. A number of factors, from its magma core to ocean tides, can impact how fast the Earth spins. And as The Guardian points out, our planet has actually spun a bit slower in recent centuries than it has in the distant past.

Though there are some different theories floating around, the study co-authors told CBS that they believe changes in ocean tides are likely to blame for the recent rotation change.

To address the issue of, well, time being wrong, scientists have advocated for the introduction of negative leap seconds rather than adding an hour like we do during leap years, they call for the artificial subtraction of time from the world time clock.

This potential solution, however, may present an entirely separate set of issues. The tech industry overwhelmingly opposes the introduction of negative leap seconds, as they could wreak havoc on system interfaces.

"Negative leap second handling is supported for a long time and companies like Meta often run simulations of this event," Meta engineers Oleg Obleukhov and Ahmad Byagowi told CBS. "However, it has never been verified on a large scale and will likely lead to unpredictable and devastating outages across the world."

Regardless, if noticeably shorter days like last week's anomaly persist, we'll need a fix and like most things, we might not all be particularly happy with what that solution turns out to be.

READ MORE: Earth is spinning faster than usual and had its shortest day ever [CBS News]

More on Earth spinning too fast: The Earth is Spinning So Fast, We Might Need to Skip a Second

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The Earth Is Spinning so Fast, We Might Have to Turn Back the Clock - Futurism

"This is not a faster car, this is a spacecraft."Mind-Numbing

Think and youll miss it: researchers at MIT claim to have successfully created analog synapses that are one million times faster than those in our human brains.

Just as digital processors need transistors, analog ones need programmable resistors. Once put into the right configuration, these resistors can be used to create a network of analog synapses and neurons, according to apress release.

These analog synapses arent just ultra-fast, they're remarkably efficient, too. And that's pretty important, because as digital neural networks grow more advanced and powerful, they require more and more energy, increasing their carbon footprint considerably.

As detailed in a new paper, the researchers hope their findings will advance the field of analog deep learning, a burgeoning field of artificial intelligence.

By ditching the normally used organic mediums and opting for high tech glass, known as inorganic phosphosilicate glass (PSG), instead, the researchers were able to reach nanosecond speeds, which were faster than the synapses in the human brain.

"The action potential in biological cells rises and falls with a timescale of milliseconds, since the voltage difference of about 0.1 volt is constrained by the stability of water," said senior author and professor of nuclear science Ju Li, in the statement. "Here we apply up to ten volts across a special solid glass film of nanoscale thickness that conducts protons, without permanently damaging it."

"And the stronger the field, the faster the ionic devices," he added.

Because PSG can withstand high voltages without breaking, it allows the protons to travel at ludicrous speeds while also being incredibly energy-efficient.

The material is both common and easy to fabricate, making it not only the fastest option, but also a practical one.

"Once you have an analog processor, you will no longer be training networks everyone else is working on," said lead author Murat Onen in the statement. "You will be training networks with unprecedented complexities that no one else can afford to, and therefore vastly outperform them all."

"In other words, this is not a faster car, this is a spacecraft," he added.

More on AI: Authors Are Starting to Use AI to Quickly Churn Out Novels

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MIT Claims New Artificial Neuron 1 Million Times Faster Than the Real Thing - Futurism

Today the creators of Genshin Impact announced they were starting the Beta test of their next game, Zenless Zone Zero, they celebrated this announcement new trailer. A video with a gameplay recording from the beginning of the game has already appeared on the network.

Once an end date has already been set, you should have time to really develop the game if you need to get into the beta.

Zenless Zone Zero is an upcoming post-apocalyptic action RPG from HoYoverse. The game is quite reminiscent of Jet set Radio and The World End With You.

Zenless Zone Zero hasnt yet been released, so its definitely not enough for at least another year. If the game continues along with HoYoverses previous track, the second test against the next phase of the game will take place towards the end of the year.

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The first 40 minutes of gameplay from the futuristic action game Zenless Zone Zero from the creators of - Game News 24

The life aquatic is now looking even more appealing thanks to Ocean Builders.

The Panama-based company, which specializes in innovative marine technology, has just unveiled a new fleet of pods homes designed for life on the ocean. The singular abodes pair quality craftsmanship with the latest green tech to ensure you can live both comfortably and sustainably on the seas.

The range includes three models that were each penned by Dutch architect Koen Olthius. The SeaPod is built for aquatic living, the GreenPod is engineered for the land and the EcoPod is the environmentally friendly option. Billed as the worlds first eco-restorative floating home, the SeaPod was designed to address the lack of space in desirable seaside destinations.

Every day thousands of people all over the world move closer to the top 15 major metropolitan cities which are within 50 miles of a coastlinea trend that will continue to grow, Ocean Builders CEO Grant Romundt said in a statement.

Essentially, the elevated offshore structures give travelers and residents alike a chance to live on the water in the lap of luxury. Each pod sits nearly eight feet above the waves and offers 830 square feet of living space. The interior, which is spread across three levels, comprises a primary bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom and a large storage space. Each home is also equipped with 575 square feet of panoramic windows and a patio for unobstructed ocean views.

These are smart pods, too. Special software allows residents to control everything from the lighting and temperature to shower heat and water pressure. Each pod also comes with a wearable smart ring for the owner. With a simple wave of the hand, you can unlock doors, turn on music and more.

If thats not futuristic enough, a fleet of drones will be used to drop food, medicine and everyday items to the pods, while larger autonomous vessels will carry out bigger deliveries like furniture and luggage. There will also be another self-sailing vessel to collect trash and clean up the area.

As for the eco-restorative part, Ocean Builders says it has developed a way to create a natural habitat for ocean life underneath each home. In turn, this will help create thriving underwater ecosystems.

Weve been motivated by the opportunity to change and challenge the traditional real estate and tourism models and create first-in-class living experiences that can give back to our ocean environment, Romundt adds.

The pods are currently manufactured in Panama and will be located there for the first year. Eventually, the pods will be shipped elsewhere. Available to order from September, the floating homes start at roughly $295,000 and can go up to $1.5 million based on upgrades and customization. Ocean Builders claims it will have the first 100 custom pods either in production or delivered by the end of 2023. It also says the second rollout of 1,000 pods will begin in 2024.

Bring on the life aquatic.

Click here to see all the photos of the SeaPod and EcoPod.

Read more:
Forget Yachts. These Floating Homes Will Give You a Luxe Eco-Friendly Residence on the Sea. - Robb Report

Whether youre an artistic type, an analytical problem solver, or in a dynamic field that requires a refined touch, youre likely to find numerous benefits in 3D printing. 3D printers have been on the market for a long time, and somehow people are still finding new uses for them.

Created back in the '80s with the intention to advance prototypes in manufacturing, 3D printing has since made an incredible impact on countless other industries; be it in dentistry, medicine, education, automotive, and really everything in between. By layering materials (such as plastic, metal, carbon fiber, resins, and many others) over each other and fusing them together with methodical precision, a 3D printer can easily create your desired pieces while you sit back, relax, and brainstorm about what youll print next.

I began my 3D printing journey several years ago when I bought a Monoprice open-frame printer. Since then, Ive been able to use 3D printing as an artistic release, as well as engineer things that have had a direct benefit to my life and others. Early on, as I was getting out of my car, I noticed a small plastic piece of my door handle had fallen off. I didnt know what it was, or how to even search for a replacement online. After taking some measurements, I was able to replicate this piece with my 3D printer and in a matter of hours, had replaced it with ease something I would have never been able to do by hand.

Whether Im creating bag tags for the youth soccer team I coach to create a sense of unity, prototyping useful tools with friends, or experimenting with new designs, having a 3D printer has paid for itself many times over. Lately, Ive been testing out the Anycubic Photon M3 3D printer, and have been thoroughly impressed by the speed, silent printing, and incredible detail its capable of. Having tried out several models and builds, I can say without a doubt that this is a 3D printer seasoned professionals would appreciate, and newcomers to the resin-printing field could happily take a crack at.

Specs: Dimensions: 10.6 inches L x 10.1 inches W x 16.7 inches H Weight: 15.4 pounds Compatible Materials: Resin Print Volume: 6.4 inches L x 4 inches W x 7.1 inches H Print Speed: Up to 50mm/h

Anycubic has made a name for itself among the 3D printing community as one of the leading manufacturers for DIY printing. Though theyve been around since only 2015, theyve become known for developing top-of-the-line 3D printers for home use and for regularly improving their users experience.

The Photon M3 comes equipped with just about everything youll need to get started, however Id suggest adding on the resin itself to your order. In addition to the printer, Anycubic included gloves and a mask for safety purposes, a scraper, a screen protector for the LCD monochrome screen, a resin vat, tool kit, USB memory stick (as this printer doesnt have WiFi compatibility), a user manual, and a funnel so you can pour your material back into the bottle when youre finished with it. In terms of what you get for the price, the box was surprisingly full.

The 3D printer itself came together in a breeze. In fact, it took me longer to remove the packaging and initially check out all of the items than it did to assemble the printer, needing only four hex bolts and three thumb screws. Just a few minutes later, Id finished setting up the leveling and Z-offset wizard, and was ready to take it for a whirl.

The Photon M3 is the first resin 3D printer Ive tested, and it differs greatly from any fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer out there. While filament, used in FDM 3D printers, is a solid material that often comes wrapped around a spool, the Photon M3 uses resin. Resin is a liquid solution that solidifies after photocuring with UV light.

Comparatively, the Photon M3 can do far more in terms of pristine, unrivaled detail than any FDM printer could. 3D printers that use filament often build from the bottom up, melting and depositing layers of whats essentially plastic strings of material. This method, though popular, often doesnt produce the high-quality detail that resin does, and can lead to stringing (when artifacts and small strings are left on your printed piece, even after cleaning it up).

How the Photon M3 differs from this is, firstly, that it builds itself upside down (from the top up). The resin, like filament, goes on one layer at a time, but is cured between every layer for optimum efficiency and quality. I have never been able to create a realistic LEGO brick with an FDM printer, but with the Photon M3, I was able to print several compatible pieces that could seamlessly clip on to my other LEGO, despite a little bit of elephant foot. No matter the level of detail or difficulty, with every piece I threw at the Photon M3, the end result was always a clean, smooth, and slick structure. It truly seems like theres nothing it cant print.

Not only is the 3D printer amazingly speedy and quiet, but I was honestly astounded by the level of detail the Photon M3 was capable of. Having tested it out with some Settlers of Catan tile models and comparing them to the same file printed with an FDM printer, the comparison was mind-blowing. Not only is the Photon M3s finished product clean and smooth, the tiniest details were visible which was especially impressive on a tinier model.

Something to note is that your builds will be a little smaller than you may be used to, with a maximum build size of 6.4 inches L x 4 inches W x 7.1 inches H. For comparably priced filament printers, you would expect at least a couple extra inches to work with, but this is easily made up by the level of detail your models will showcase.

The way the Photon M3 accomplishes these near-exact masterpieces is down to the cleverly crafted screen, plate, high-functioning software, and of course, the use of resin. The build plate dips into the resin vat at your current build level, then the screen projects what one layer will look like. After completing this layer and setting it with UV light, it lifts up and goes back down to do another layer; this process repeats until the build is finished.

Something that sets this 3D printer apart is its LCD monochrome screen. Where other resin printers often employ a laser projection, the screen mounted on the bottom of the Photon M3 exposes each layer and then prints them on in succession. This feature, incorporated with the user-friendly software, led to a higher-quality surface finish and enabled impeccable detailing.

The included screen protector is such an important component here, as it keeps your LCD screen scratch-free and allows for a longer lifespan. The LCD is so essential to the entire operation that you want to ensure its protected. If your screen protector becomes damaged, you can easily strip it off and put another one on whereas the screen itself would be a bit trickier to replace.

The front LCD screen and fully compatible Slicer software are also a very nice touch and I found it super easy to use. Once youve inserted the USB drive and you select your file to print, the screen shows you a preview of what the build will look like something Ive not experienced with any 3D printer before. This is especially helpful for those of us who have a poor file-naming convention. Even though the Slicing software wasnt the typical Cura that I was used to, it was easy to navigate.

Laser-Etched Print Bed: Anycubic put a lot of thought into every aspect of this 3D printer, down to its special design of the print bed. This crucial piece of the Photon M3 is laser-etched to create a strong adhesion and keeps your builds from falling off as theyre printing. This is especially handy for heavier models that are more likely to lean or fall out of place, however it is very difficult to remove smaller items from the print bed if theres a large surface area in contact with it.

Printing Capabilities: At 50mm/h, the Photon M3 is wicked fast. At this pace, it only takes two and a half hours to print a 12-centimeter-tall model, which is significantly faster than other leading 3D printers. And for its unbelievable speed and accuracy, the volume at which it operates is incredibly quiet. This may be partially due to the fact that there are very few moving parts in this printer compared to others. Theres only one screw that moves the plate up and down, whereas with a typical filament printer, there would be more armature, and youd need to maintain the belts and ensure everything is lubricated properly. With this in mind, the Photon M3 requires very little maintenance and gives you more time to focus on your creations.

Something thats undeniable about this 3D printer is that it stinks. Literally. Because of the fumes, you wont want to be in the same room while its running unless you have an air purifier, so its important to place it in a well-ventilated space that youre able to walk away from for some time. Thankfully, you can place the hood on it while it runs to keep in some of the smell, as well as to protect your prints from outside UV lights.

Another drawback thats specific to using a resin 3D printer is that youre stuck with a solid build volume. Filament printers can be specified so that your infill is only 10 to 20 percent for example, so youre able to make a hollow shape and save your materials for purely visible and structural aspects. Because of the way a resin print needs to be supported, you cant make any hollow pieces this would also lead to trapped, uncured liquid inside. This makes resin printing more costly, as youll go through more material. Although its less economical, youll always end up with a flawless, durable model.

Finally, resin printing is messy. When you pull your piece out of the printer, its steeped in a liquid that you will need to clean off in a water rinser. To make this step easier, you can get water-rinse resin or high concentrated isopropyl alcohol. Once your item is clean, it needs to be cured in the same machine. Its very easy to wipe off, but youll be messier than if you were to use a filament, and will want to ensure youre working in an area that can get a little dirty. For the print quality though, this is a fair tradeoff.

While the Anycubic 3D printer is extremely efficient and capable of replicating some of the most complex designs, you may want to consider adding on a few more products to make your experience the best it can be.

AirPure Air Purifier Water-Wash Resin Extra Screen Protectors

Overall, my experience testing the Photon M3 3D printer was great. Id wholeheartedly recommend it to those looking to add resin to their arsenal or newbies in the resin field, but its not necessarily the best pick if youre completely new to 3D printing. This is an excellent choice for making toys, figures, or models for Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop games.

Anycubic is really ahead of the game. I didnt feel like I was really giving anything up, and for such high speed, precision, and low cost, Im blown away.

As told to Mia Huelsbeck

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurisms owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.

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Review: Create Your Own Miniatures with the Anycubic Photon M3 3D Printer - Futurism

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

SHOW SUMMARY:Rich and Travis are back doing VIP and it feels so good! They spend twenty minutes discussing 1919 French futurism, anachronism, and predicting the year 3022. Will certain wrestlers get their names back? Will Elias ever have Sampson as a last name again or are the terrible WWE naming conventions still alive and stupid as hell? Big time praise for the simple yet effective storytelling surrounding the United States Championship on Raw Monday. Rich recaps AEW Dynamite that he listened to like an old time radio show. Travis updates his book club challenge. Three weeks worth of mailbag to slog through.

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VIP AUDIO 8/3 East Coast Cast VIP Aftershow (NSFW): Trav and Rich talk 1919 French futurism, will certain wrestlers get their names back, United...

NEW YORK, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Space Hero, Lava and One Digital Entertainment today announced plans for the creation of Space Village, a series of 10 iconic futuristic space-inspired landmarks in different locations around the world. Space Village is designed by Alexander Rieck from German architectural firm LAVA. Each Space Village will feature a large space center and a glimpse of forward-looking technology that will stimulate the visitor's imagination.

A media studio to produce Space Hero, the global competition series, and an iconic hotel, where fans of the series can watch events unfold in real-time, will add to the first-of-its kind features that Space Village will offer.

As part of the Space Hero series, 24 Space Hero finalists complete numerous challenges in a setting that resembles the various conditions in space to prepare for an extraordinary mission, including thriving underwater in a buoyancy tank. The challenges will resemble the endurance tests astronauts must complete when training for a mission. Inside Space Village, the finalists' living quarters will model spacecraft conditions and finalists will be challenged to create their own energy and grow food. A jury, which will include a group of experienced astronauts, scientists, and professional athletes, will observe the finalists' behavior and character. Global audiences will be able to vote for their favorite finalist during weekly episodes.

"Visitors to Space Village will experience what life could be in 30 years; sustainable, yet comfortable, healthy and happy," said Thomas Reemer founding partner of TDGA Holdings Limited, owner of the Space Hero IP. "We want to show our visitors a future that they can look forward to, using the endless possibilities our planet has to offer."

"Traveling to the stars continues to be the dream of millions of people around the world, and the Space Village will offer visitors that space-themed futuristic thrill of a lifetime," said Deborah Sass, a founding partner of TDGA Holdings Limited, owner of the Space Hero IP. "Children will be inspired to prepare for a career in Space and join exhibitions to the Moon, Mars and beyond," she added.

Story continues

"We didn't just want to simulate a space craft or living on Mars but showcase how technology that is developed for conditions in Space, is benefitting the future of living on planet Earth. With 10 more Space Villages to be built all over the World, we have a chance to explore any living condition and how to react to it," said Rieck, who is also a professor at the renowned Fraunhofer Institute. "Space Village brings back the hope for an astonishing future world full of miracles. It connects the old dream of travelling to the stars with more actual needs of a sustainable, healthy, and healing earth," Rieck added.

"We see this as an opportunity to not just build something extraordinary but also extremely futuristic, as people on Earth are inevitably finding ways to live sustainably in the future. We believe that we will create experiences and motivate people in general on all elements of travel, sustainability, and empathy for our environment. Space comes closer with jaw dropping experiences for everyone, which only a handful of a lucky few have experienced so far. We are fully capable technologically and at scale to make this a global success," said Shabir Momin & Gurpreet Singh, Founders of One Digital Entertainment.

Over the next two decades TDGA Holdings Limited plans to build 15 Space Villages around the World.

About Space HeroSpace Hero is the world's first-ever global competition series where contestants compete for a $55-million, seven-day trip to space; the biggest prize ever awarded on TV. The competition for this once-in-a-lifetime journey will be open to anyone over 18 who speaks English. This is the remarkable journey of heroes from all over the world to be elected by the global public as their representative of humankind in Space.

Space Hero has established relationships with over 145 Government agencies and Private Space companies in over 63 countries, including NASA, the Japanese space agency JAXA, the Canadian space agency CSA, and the Nigerian and Brazilian space agencies. The series will kick off with a global search for everyday people from any background who share a deep love for space exploration. For more information, please visitwww.spacehero.orgor follow us on Instagram @wearespacehero.

About LAVALAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture) are international science led design vanguards in architecture, questioning standards by providing intelligent solutions for future living, working and entertainment. The Laboratory for Visionary Architecture sees itself as part of the "Neo Nature" or "Next Nature" movement and in nature a model from which to learn with the help of the abstraction of processes and phenomena from nature, the office aims to gain a new perception of construction and spaces.

In every project LAVA is committed to achieving "more with less", creating sustainable experiences with less resources. In 2016, LAVA was awarded the European Prize for Architecture for their visionary approach. The office was founded 2007 by Chris Bosse, Alexander Rieck and Tobias Wallisser in Germany and Australia and currently maintains office locations in Berlin, Stuttgart, Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City where 80 architects work on shaping the world of tomorrow.

About One Digital EntertainmentOne Digital Entertainment is Asia's leading digital media, technology and creator network which specializes in many verticals of content and digital media across music, food, comedy, film, fashion, and lifestyle domains and works with some beacon creators and platforms like MostlySane, Badshah, Sidhu Moosewala, Yuvraj Singh, CarryMinati, Alia Bhatt, Sanjeev Kapoor, Sony Pictures, Warner Music, Google, Facebook, Spotify and the likes. The company currently has an unbeaten repertoire of managing a whopping 15000+ creators and ten billion watched minutes of content every month on social media. In recent times the company has acquired Blush, Being Indian aside of significant stakes in Digital2 Sports Pte Ltd, Instant Bollywood. The company has also launched India's first creator-driven merchandise marketplace, MerchGarage and dedicated podcast brand PodOne.

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SPACE HERO PARTNERS WITH LAVA AND ONE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TO ANNOUNCE DEVELOPMENT OF "SPACE VILLAGE" - A SERIES OF THE WORLD'S FIRST...

In 1900, Smithsonian Institution curator John Elfreth Watkins wrote an article for The Ladies' Home Journal, entitled "What May Happen in the Next Hundred Years," filled with predictions that many of his readers probably scoffed at as ridiculously improbable. Indeed, Watkins was pretty far off about some things. He predicted, for example, that the letters 'C,' 'X' and 'Q' would vanish from the alphabet, streets would be relocated underground, and farms would grow strawberries as large as apples. But what's more impressive is the extent to which Watkins' vision of the future actually has come to pass -- wireless phone networks on which a person in New York could talk to another in China, live TV images being transmitted around the globe, MRI machines, aerial warfare, and high-speed trains traveling between cities at 150 miles per hour. Watkins even predicted the food trucks that have become a fad in cities throughout America [source: Watkins].

Today's futurists -- who aim to forecast trends, inventions and events that will appear in the decades ahead -- would love to be that prescient. But unlike Watkins, who mostly seems to have relied upon his own imagination and wishful thinking, modern forecasters have developed more sophisticated methods for divining what may lie ahead. As Timothy Mack, president of the World Future Society, explains on the organization's Web site, futurists systematically scan the news media and published results of scientific studies, and conduct carefully structured surveys called "Delphi polls" in which they probe the minds of experts in various fields. Many also now create computer simulations and even conduct role-playing games in an effort to foresee what events and trends might result from certain changes, such as worsening environmental problems, the development of new energy sources or changes in the tax system [source: Mack].

Futurists -- whose work often is underwritten by companies and governments trying to prepare for future problems or gain a competitive edge from foresight -- also know that their predictions actually may shape the world ahead. "The main purpose of studying the future is to look at what may happen if present trends continue, decide if this is desirable, and, if not, work to change it," Mack explains [source: Mack].

Here are 10 futurists who've greatly influenced modern society with their predictions of what may lie ahead.

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10 of the Worlds Most Groundbreaking Futurists - HowStuffWorks

What exactly is a Futurist, and How Can I Become One?

by Ben Parsons

You've probably heard me throwing the world "futurist" out there to describe myself fairly frequently in the last few weeks, months, or even years, and might be wondering if I'd possibly lost the plot, or had maybe even traded my teaching textbooks for tarot cards and tea leaves. Well, I'm happy to inform that that's hardly the case. Actually, I think I've always innately been a futurist, despite having only recently realised it, and I believe many of you reading this article are futurists also, perhaps without even knowing it. This article will explain what a futurist is, why I think it's the most important role in a democracy, and how you can become one too, if you aren't one already.

Put simply, a futurist is a person who, using a combination of research, statistics, imagination, and intuition, analyses and makes educated projections and predictions about the future. These projections and predictions can be pretty much about anything: from evolving demographic patterns, to technological trends, to health issues, to trends in education, and to predictions relating to our physical environment. While early futurism began with Sir Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematicain 1967, believe it or not, the concept of modern futurism has its roots with early 20th century science fiction writer H.G. Wells, author of the classic futurist novelsWar of the Worlds and The Time Machine.Futurism as a concept was then propagated and continued by subsequent sci-fi writers well into the 20th century, such as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Frank Herbert, and others. Midway through the 21st century, futurism branched out into other fields, and became a bone fide occupation, existing in some form in a range of other professions. In fact, most companies probably employ futurists without even knowing, and have them perform some of the most vital roles in the organisation.

In fact, Candy & Schultz (Acceleration Watch) have identified at least twelve different kinds of futurists from a range of fields and disciplines in two major areas.Social Futuristsgenerally tend to predict and project future states for the self, society, and the environment, whereasMethodological Futuristsfocus on the tools of prediction and projection, and how we can claim to make those social projections:

2. Personal futurist:One who uses foresight to solve problems primarily for themselves, within the conventions of society, and whose current behavior is oriented to and influenced by their future expectations and plans.

3. Imaginative futurist:One who habitually develops future visions, scenarios, expectations, and plans in relation to self and others, knowing but sometimes breaking the conventions and norms of society.

4. Agenda-driven futurist:One who creates or works toward top-down developed (received, believed) ideological, religious, or organizationally-preferred agendas (sets of rules, norms) and their related problems, for the future of a group.

5. Consensus-driven futurist:One who helps create or work toward bottom-up developed (facilitated, emergent), group-, communally-, institutionally- or socially-preferred futures.

6. Professional futurist:One who explores change for a paying client or audience, who seeks to describe and advance possible, probable, or preferable future scenarios while avoiding undesirable ones, and who may seek to help their client or audience apply these insights (manage change).

8. Alternative futurist:One who explores and proposes a range of possible or imaginable futures, including those beyond one's personal, organizational, and cultural conventional and consensus views.

9. Predictive futurist:One who forecasts probable futures, events and processes that they expect are likely to occur, in a statistical sense, both as a result of anticipated personal and social choices, and for autonomous processes that appear independent of human choice.

10. Evolutionary developmental (Evo devo) futurist:One who explores evolutionary possibilities and predicts developmental outcomes, and attempts differentiate between evolutionary (chaotic, reversible, unpredictable) and developmental (convergent, irreversible, statistically predictable) processes of universal change.

11. Validating futurist:One who seeks to evaluate, systematize, and validate the completeness (for critical and alternative futures) and accuracy (for predictive and evo devo futures) of methodologies used to consider the future.

12. Epistemological futurist:One who investigates the epistemology (how we know what we know) of the future, and seeks to improve the paradigms of foresight scholarship and practice

More recently, however, I think I've fallen very much into the realms ofimaginative futurist, critical futurist,andpredictive futurist.Recently, I wrote a dissertation for my Master's Degree in English that dealt with all three. To put things simply, I argue that science fiction allows readers to better imagine and understand the complex science of climate change, better imagine and understand the potential, abstract, future consequences of climate change, and hopefully imagine the required social, political, and economic transformation that is most certainly going to be required in humanity is to avert climate catastrophe.I also recently delivered a TEDx Talkon the subject, and plan to deliver more.

In my education career, I think I've apredictive futuristquite a lot recently. As an advocate of STEAM and educational technology, and have spent a lot of time researching, training, teaching, and deploying a range of educational technology I see as being the future of education, such as Minecraft, Computer-Aided Design, and 3D Printing. Hopefully, in the coming years, I can delve more into the other schools of futurism.

What kind of futurist are you?

Nothing can possibly matter more than the future. We are literally setting the foundations today for the world our kids and grandkids will inhabit tomorrow. Humans are fully capable of perceiving and realising the consequences of short-term phenomena: if we drop poison into a river, we almost immediately see dead fish. If an oil tanker sinks, we almost immediately see the consequences for surrounding sea life. But, in terms of climate change, how can we perceive the consequences of present-day actions that occur so far into the future? How do we begin to perceive and imagine the social, political, and economic consequences of something as seemingly abstract as releasing an invisible gas, carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere over decades, or even centuries? Animaginative futuristcan provide compelling visions of those consequences, and through science fiction literature, can compel readers to take action. Morecritical and predictive futuristslike myself can explore these visions, analyse them, and write about them, as I'm doing now. As a meta-prediction, I predict that futurism will be one of the defining skills of the 21st century, one that every organisation will need to not just survive in an automated and changing world, but thrive.

Happy futuring, all!

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What exactly is a Futurist , and How Can I Become One?