The Future Is Coming At Us Like A Train

There's no stopping it.

From Al Fin:

... significant breakthroughs are waiting to be made in several different areas. Just because our politicians are total idiots and psychopaths is no reason to be totally pessimistic. The new tools of the future will be extremely powerful. Those who can take them and use them constructively and imaginatively should be able to do okay.

The first junctionless transister. Shrinking electronics devices even smaller.

First magnetic monopole? The potential for opening entire new fields of materials and technology.

Nano-desalination breakthrough. If this device can be scaled up, it will change the future.

Diamond nanowire photo-quantum device. Early glimpses of the potential of quantum diamond electronics and photonics.

Nano-superconducting wires for super-efficient nanoelectronics. More advanced quantum effects on the way.

Electronically switchable adhesion device for walking on walls and ceilings. May be particularly useful in weightless environments and for robots.

Automated rainwater catchment and irrigation system. Making desert homesteading more workable.

High altitude blimps that create their own hydrogen from water using photovoltaics -- stay perpetually high! Living and working between Earth and space. Good training for long-term astronauts -- also great launching platforms for ultra high skydives!

Woven high pressure air tank "flatpacks" for firefighters and other interesting uses. These "deflatable" pressure tanks can be stored flat when empty, then inflated to high pressures in designed shapes -- to avoid getting "hung up" in tight spaces. Besides uses in firefighting, should be useful for underwater uses, possibly outer space. Also possibly useful for gaseous fuels.

"Silver bullet" antiviral that works against multiple deadly viruses. May be useful in bio-warfare situations as well as emerging epidemics of lipid enveloped viruses.

Fascinating and semi-fascinating questions about brain and mind.

(apologies, Pastorius. I tried but I couldn't stop it. It just screamed for this video. . .)