Life in 50 years

With the 50th anniversary of the weekly magazine "New Scientist" approaching, the editorial team decided to ask renowned scientists about their visions for the future. The article presents predictions for the next 50 years, which include spectacular achievements in various fields of science. Experts predict, among other things, the discovery of extraterrestrial life, the development of biotechnology enabling the cultivation of organs for transplantation, and the creation of technology that will enable communication with the minds of animals. These expectations point to revolutionary changes that could impact our lives and our relationships with the world around us.

Although fortune-telling has little in common with true science, scientists seem to be the most qualified to forge visions of the future. This was the assumption made by the editors of the weekly "New Scientist," who, on the occasion of the magazine's 50th anniversary, asked renowned researchers what extraordinary discoveries await us over the next half-century.

If you asked someone living in the 1950s what life would be like in 2006, they certainly wouldn't have been able to predict all the achievements and inventions we use every day. They might have mentioned space travel, but they'd probably also have mentioned nuclear vacuum cleaners.

However, it seems that many of the ideas from ancient science fiction novels have become reality. Techniques such as CT scans allow us to peer into people's minds, read minds (or rather, take pictures of the brain at work), and painlessly scan the human body for disease. Thanks to the internet, we can instantly communicate with someone on the other side of the world, check the weather in Bangladesh, or flip through the pages of medieval folio books. "The contraceptive pill, automatic washing machines, television, cell phones, disposable diapers, microwave ovens, and text messages—these are all the results of scientific discoveries that have dramatically changed our lives," says Jerry Webb, editor-in-chief of New Scientist.

How will our lives change under the influence of inventions and discoveries over the next 50 years? This question was posed to researchers and scientists working in various fields of science.