Everyday Life For Future Humans

<h4>

Everyday Life for Future Humans</h4>

What will life be like tomorrow? How about next year? Or in ten years time? Or 100? Humans have a habit for looking ahead… but what will the coming time really be like?

In this video, we’re exploring the future plans for humankind. How we’re moving up the Kardashev Scale; how it’s projected that even our bodies will change; and how we can reasonably expect to branch out into space.

This is Unveiled, and today we’re taking a closer look at EXACTLY what everyday life will be like for future human beings.

What does the future hold for the human race? How will we move along the road of progress? Predicting what’s to come is always a difficult business… but, when we take stock of society in the twenty-first century, we can see the beginnings of a new world.

A Type One civilization on the Kardashev Scale is one which has mastered all of the energy potential of its home planet. It’s in total control of its local world which should, in theory, mean that it’s living its best life. 

Today, we know that this isn’t quite the case for humans on Earth. There are various problems facing us, some of which threaten our very existence on this particular rock. Yes, we’re still comfortably in the habitable zone of our solar system… there’s still enough oxygen for us to breathe here, and the gravity doesn’t crush us. But that doesn’t mean that we’re on easy street. Some things can still go wrong, and some things still need to improve. All of which means that we’re generally said to rank at about 0.7 on the Kardashev Scale. If humans had a report card, it might read; good, but could do better.  

The Kardashev Scale isn’t the only way of measuring advancement and it might not even be the best way… but it is one of the most established. And, as such, it’s something that new technologies are so often pitted against - to see how they move us up the scale, and where they leave us when they’re done. So, which technology has had the greatest impact in recent years? Many would say the internet.

The internet is one sign that we’re climbing the Kardashev Scale. In most models of a Type One civilization unity is key. Everyone needs to pull in the same direction. And the internet, in theory, allows us to do that. Today we have the world wide web, the internet of things, and smart technology… none of which would’ve been conceivable to the majority of the population just thirty or forty years ago. The internet links people and countries and communities all across the world map, meaning we’ve never been more connected as a unified force. A global civilization.

According to some interpretations, a Type One society should be united in other ways too, including currency and language. With currency, we’ve made some steps toward this. Many countries on the European continent share the Euro, for example. Meanwhile, the US Dollar is held in banks all over the world as reserve currency. We also have emerging digital currencies like Bitcoin. And other, more mainstream ways of exchanging money worldwide, like debit cards and banking apps. 

The development and future of language is perhaps a little more complicated. In fact, most versions of Type One retain multiple languages, so there’s no need to lose this particular part of our cultural diversity. There usually is, however, a universal language which runs alongside all of that. And it might be claimed that the internet is that universal language. Or at least that digital code is. Failing that, there’s some argument that… emojis are a step in the right direction. Purely because they skip most language barriers and translate everywhere. Like hieroglyphs for the modern age, accelerated into usage, once again, by the internet.

But we all know that, deep down, what the Kardashev Scale really concerns itself with is something even more fundamental to society than money and communication; it’s energy. But here, as well, there are signs that humans are moving in the right direction.

One thing a Type One civilization has to do is lose its reliance on fossil fuels. Not only to protect the environment, but also because they’re not sustainable. Instead, Type One needs renewable resources - and these are the second sign that humanity is beginning to make the grade. Time will tell whether we’re too late (or too slow) from a climatological point of view, but we’ve seen the emergence of solar, wind and tidal power stations in recent decades. These make use of the planet’s natural, ongoing processes (sunlight, atmospheric pressure and wave patterns) by converting them into usable energy for the everyday human.

For many, nuclear energy also has a role to play in us climbing the Kardashev Scale. Again, there are big environmental concerns here, chiefly with how and where to safely store radioactive waste… but the argument goes that if humanity can find a way to switch from fission to fusion, then our power potential could skyrocket. Nuclear fission is the now traditional method of harvesting energy via the splitting of the atom. Nuclear fusion, however, involves combining atomic nuclei for energy. It requires extremely high temperatures, and it’s what happens inside a star. 

If humans were to master fusion, we’d be able to bring that kind of cosmological power down to Earth. And we are making moves to do that, with most fusion reactor designs using two isotopes of hydrogen - deuterium and tritium - which, when put together, have a high reaction rate and energy yield. It isn’t yet a viable energy solution because it’s so impractical and expensive to heat and run a reactor… but there are various experiments underway to improve this - including ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. If, or when, nuclear fusion becomes commercially possible, many claim that that will be a breakthrough moment for our Type One ambitions.

Finally, we can see early signs of a progressing civilization in how humanity is trying to spread out. Both on Earth and in space. One signature of a Type One culture is that it’s capable of converting previously uninhabitable environments into safe and even comfortable living spaces. 

Today, there are various ideas for underwater cities, including the ocean spiral - a real-life water world and future living concept dreamt up by the Japanese architectural firm, the Shimizu Corporation. The same company also has plans for a Mega-city Pyramid - a wholly artificial metropolis to house at least one million people which, if it ever gets built, would easily become the largest ever human made structure. The plans are to install it into Tokyo Bay, as a way of addressing the city’s massive population and otherwise lack of space. It’s still very early days for projects like this, but if humanity ever becomes Type One then it’s predicted that they’ll be commonplace. And that these artificial worlds would not only serve to house a growing population, but might also be built in regions where cities would otherwise struggle to thrive - like across the Sahara or even in Antarctica.

But, still, there are plans gathering pace to move us even further afield than that. Humanity has shown renewed interest in space exploration. There are now multiple, established and ambitious space agencies all across the planet, as the space race is no longer run between only America and Russia. We also have countless private companies vying for their piece of the cosmological cake. It all amounts to us having a long list of hefty space goals for the near future. A return to the moon… Crewed missions to Mars… Orbital cities and space tourism. All while our probes and landers travel even further out to try and make sense of our place in the solar system, and universe.

In some ways, our plans for space travel seem to go beyond Type One. We aren’t yet masters of the energy on our home planet - as all Type Ones need to be - but we’re already trying to get off of this world and onto another one. But then, space travel can also be seen as just one way in which we’re trying to push our boundaries. And some argue that it’s the only route to the future survival of our species. Even comparatively close projects, like the International Space Station, serve to better our understanding. Giving us a greater grasp on things like weather processes, for example, and how Earth’s atmosphere works. Bearing in mind that weather control is another key attribute at Type One.

So, the groundwork is being laid. The internet knits us together… the search for new energy sources propels us into the future… and the quest to build and discover new and revolutionary places to live is reshaping the human landscape. We could be on the cusp of monumental change.

It’s clear that, in the modern world, the societal and technological landscapes are shifting. But, in many ways, the revolution is happening within us, rather than around us. Humans have a long history of changing their bodies for cosmetic reasons. We can pierce, tattoo or remold ourselves with all sorts of modifications. But what happens when body mods and technology align, as it’s predicted they will do? Where will the bleeding edge of cybernetics take us? And what are the upgrades that everyone will want?

One of the most immediate and useful applications of modern cybernetics is the creation of advanced prosthetic limbs… including some designs that are controlled through the mind. It’s a breakthrough moment for science, so much so that it’s led to predictions that humans will soon opt for limbs like these out of choice, not just necessity. Mechanical arms (or mechanically enhanced arms) could be stronger than what we’re used to. They could be custom designed, too, giving everyone scope to be as individual as they like. And it could be that they’re tweaked and patched to become multifunctional. You might take a true cyberpunk route and install a firearm or some giant swords. Or maybe you’d choose just to have your phone permanently attached, so you never risk losing it. As with so many cybernetic upgrades, it’s all about choice.

Another sci-fi style enhancement focusses on our vision. Cybernetic eyes. Tech that gives you a heads-up display for your day-to-day life. Again, humans are already experimenting with this sort of thing. The filmmaker and cyberware pioneer Rob Spence, for example, refers to himself as an “EyeBorg” because he has a prosthetic eye that doubles as a camera. There are other optical attachments that already exist, too, including ones that can help blind people sense color via soundwaves. Devices like Rob Spence’s don’t yet communicate sensory data to the brain, but work is well underway to make this next step in the future. If we do, it’ll be life-changing for anyone visually impaired. But, again, it could be that everyone chooses cybernetic eyes… once the tech becomes available. Early devices like Google Glass didn’t catch on… but, if the design’s right, then we could soon be getting text messages, emails and social media notifications directly in front of our faces. Not to mention the opportunities with maps, entertainment and, dare we say it, advertising. In 2024, Apple Vision Pro promises an all new chapter in the story of this particular type of technology.

Elsewhere, though, another upgrade which could soon become standard is Radio-frequency identification (or RFID) chips. Especially in the workplace. Various employers worldwide have already implanted subdermal RFID chips into their employees, for all sorts of things… from authorizing payments to unlocking electronic doors. These implants double up as their identity, and remove the need for passwords and access codes. But this kind of tech also scares people. More so than with most other products, it’s perhaps a cybernetic upgrade that not everyone will want! The main downside is that RFID chips open up the possibility that workers (that anyone) could be tracked 24/7. There are some potential up-sides to these things as well, though, including that they could be used to privately track useful health and movement data… to help you keep tabs on your lifestyle. Nevertheless, below-the-skin trackers go beyond even the most thorough of regular smart watches.

But if you really want a way to get up close and personal with your biometrics, then embedded biosensors might be more your thing. Another upgrade that some are tipping to be the norm by the end of the century, these are tiny machines under your skin that zoom in on your personal biology. The earliest versions are already capable of tracking your temperature. But future versions are expected to precisely track blood sugar levels, and to generally monitor everything - from caloric intake to vitamin deficiencies to hormone levels. With biosensors, we’ll all be able to know exactly what’s wrong (or right) with ourselves, at any moment. Just go to the doctors, upload your vital statistics, and await the verdict. It could revolutionize health by allowing for ultra-early diagnoses.

Biosensors aren’t the only future solution to disease, however. It’s thought that nanobots could also prove to be vital tools when it comes to health and medicine. We’re now talking about digital, artificial technology that’s small enough to enter your body, and your bloodstream. Imagine specialized nanobots that carry out the same functions as white blood cells do. The cybernetic dream is that you’ll have a whole colony of microscopic robots living inside your body, all remotely programmed to fight off pathogens. It could spell the end of bacterial infections and viruses, for good… some say without even the need for vaccines anymore! Instead, any virus will be instantly wiped out by the programmable, adaptable robots that are already living inside us… with scientists issuing targeted updates whenever a new disease emerges. It’s maybe not surprising, then, that some believe nanobots could even pave our way to immortality. Equally, it’s clear why many picture them as a teeming health risk, potentially turning the human body into a hackable (and destroyable) thing.

For many, immortality is the ultimate aim for all cybernetics, however. This is a field that deals in improving organic bodies, making them less and less vulnerable and unreliable, until a future time when, perhaps, they’re invulnerable. Or, even, invincible. As well as those already covered, there could be other ways of achieving this. One of which is… synthetic muscles. And now we’re talking super-strength. According to some predictions, synthetic muscles could be installed into anyone in the future, to easily increase their strength and power beyond regular human limits. You won’t have to work out to improve your body’s performance anymore… you’ll just need to be fitted with the latest and best muscle pack. And it could be similar for our skeletons, too. Doctors already use artificial bones to replace broken or damaged ones… so some see this becoming the norm very soon, as we willingly replace all our at-risk, natural bones with unnatural but unbreakable metal ones. It’s something out of the pages of Wolverine’s life story.

But what might you be doing with your new super-muscles made of synthetic polymers, or your Adamantium skeleton? How best to use a body like that? Well, one of the main reasons as to why humans can’t support wings is that our arm and back muscles are too weak for them. But that wouldn’t be the case anymore! We’d now have power enough to flap and gain lift, allowing us to achieve one of the most often wished for superpowers of all; the power of flight! In the modern world, we already have jetpacks… but they’re expensive, they use a lot of fuel, and they’re just not going to replace cars any time soon. But foldable, retractable wings made of some ultralight material would be so much more manageable. They could even come to be totally expected in day-to-day life, as we’d wear them like a backpack and think nothing about casually flying from A to B. 

But, maybe it’s actually not your body you most want to upgrade, and you’re more interested in unlocking the potential of your mind? If so, there are cybernetics in the pipeline, just for you, as well. In some cases, for example, we’re already able to interface directly with computers using only our thoughts. But the more commercial applications of tech like this are set to grow and grow. There’ll be no need for virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa in this future world. You’ll just think what you want your smart devices to do… and they’ll do it. Total power rests with your brain. Again, it’s efficient, but tech like this will also dramatically improve the lives of anyone who’s paralyzed - enabling direct control of all devices. Anything which enables thought transference will most likely be something that everyone wants, however, because of the seeming freedom it will grant us all. Nobody would need to know what you were doing anymore. You could just think it and it would be done. If the popularity of comparatively basic gadgets like Alexa is anything to go by, then this is sure to be a hit! 

But, lastly, maybe even total control via your own brain isn’t quite enough? Maybe what you want most of all is another brain? Or at least something else to bolster your current cognitive potential. And there are various cybernetic enhancements planned which will serve to increase your processing power - including Elon Musk’s Neuralink, and others like it. Imagine a chip in your brain that not only connects you to your devices, but actually renders most of them redundant. Why would you even need artificial eyes, for example… or a doctor to diagnose the readings from your nanobots… if all of that information could just be stored inside your own head, instead? Why would you need to transfer your thoughts to another machine, if your brain could perform all of the functions of that other machine without it. Any brain tech leading to superintelligence could even, eventually, pave the way toward totally digitizing human consciousness. It’s another route to the promised land of immortality, but it would also take us to a generally higher level… where even many of the cybernetic upgrades in this video could feel outdated and useless.

The march of technological progress goes on, and we’re always looking for new ways to develop and improve. But, in the coming decades more than ever before, the line between science fiction and everyday reality might finally be crossed for good.

So, finally, what could all of this mean for space travel? We know that it’s one way in which we’re moving up the Kardashev Scale. We know that the human body is likely to undergo any number of technological upgrades before we finally spread out into the solar system. But how will those fateful journeys of the future unfold?

Empty space is the only thing standing between Earth and the rest of the universe. The possibilities for exploration would be limitless if humanity had better technology for interstellar travel. Scientists are working on or considering a number of ideas that, if perfected, could revolutionize how we move through space. 

The space travel business has seen a recent surge of interest, with several companies aiming to send tourists into space and even around the Moon. So far the companies in the lead are Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and of course Elon Musk’s SpaceX. However, they still have a number of hurdles to jump in order to overcome limitations in technology and costs. In the future, however, cheaper and more efficient methods of travel will no doubt be available. 

Instead of using fossil fuels for energy, space shuttles of the future will have different thrusters.  Ion engines, for example, are a technology that already exists outside the realm of science fiction. NASA has had one for years now called NASAs Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT). This thruster works by utilizing Xenon and solar energy to power its operation. Xenon gas is ionized by firing electrons through it, which is then propelled out through the thrusters. This process can be ten times more efficient than standard shuttle thrusters and can reach very high speeds, given enough time. That’s the problem, however - time, as they are currently very slow at accelerating. If this problem is solved, ion thrusters could become commonplace. 

Another very real potential means of thrust is that of solar sails. Solar sails mimic a sailboat’s functionality by using mirrors to capture the push from the sun’s radiation like cloth to wind. IKAROS, a Japanese spacecraft, was the first ever to demonstrate this technology in 2010. Physicist Avi Loeb has speculated the interstellar object ‘Oumuamua, which passed by in 2017, could have been alien solar sail technology, though this view is controversial. Perhaps though it is the preferred form of advanced space travel! 

If we never learn to bypass the speed of light as a universal speed limit, much of the universe will remain out of reach. If we really need to travel to distant galaxies or solar systems, we’ll have to do so in a Generation Ship. The idea behind a generation ship is that it’s a self-sufficient craft that can last centuries while traveling through space. This option is likely a disaster option scenario where humanity is forced to flee Earth and search for another planet. Generation ships are stations and homes that will be all some people ever know. If a destination is over 100 years away, people will have been born and died on the ship without ever having stepped foot off of it. A ship like this would need its own water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle as well as being big enough to house a population. In addition, it would need to block out harmful radiation, and artificially create gravity due to the negative side effects that long term weightlessness has on the human body. It would also have to be a completely sealed environment with its own food production and energy management. The closest anyone has come to experimenting with this is Biosphere 2. In 1991, eight people sealed themselves in a completely self-contained system called Biosphere 2 for two years. They were overcome with a variety of challenges as they had to grow their own food, manage their own oxygen levels, and deal with the human factor of intense irritation at being around the same other people with no escape. They proved, however, that sealed ecosystems can survive for years, and this may be necessary for space travel one day. 

Then again, instead of traveling in a ship in the future, you might find yourself standing in line for an elevator. In 1895, Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky came up with the idea for what he called a celestial castle, or a massive space station of sorts attached to Earth via a long tower. More modern interpretations call this a space elevator, and there are some serious thoughts about building one. If executed properly, the cable would be built of very durable and plentiful material and would transport people to and from the planet with an elevator. The trip could take mere hours and could be a hundred times more cost efficient to run than space shuttle launches. The space station at the top of this elevator could be a hub or spaceport of sorts, with connecting flights leaving and entering. Launching shuttles from Earth is so expensive because it has to overcome the planet’s gravity, but in space that won’t be as much of an issue. The idea is obviously difficult to execute, as the material it was built from would have to be so strong and durable that it doesn’t break from the forces and potential atmospheric debris impacting it. If it did break, the results could be catastrophic. Nevertheless, this idea might be a practical one. NASA itself has deemed the idea to be sound enough, and both China and Japan have said they want to build one by 2045 and 2050 respectively. Some day in the future you might be able to take a vacation to outer space by packing your bags onto an elevator and watching the Earth grow small beneath your feet to the soothing pitch of elevator music. 

Of course, we could also try to build spaceships that don’t try to move through space fast, but rather manipulate the fabric of spacetime itself. There are other proposed methods of space travel that could one day be real, but for now are merely theoretical. Warp drives, for example, perhaps aren’t as far fetched as previously thought. The idea of a warp drive is to overcome imposed speed limits on space travel by warping spacetime itself around the ship. One specific warpdrive thought up by theoretical physicist Miguel Alcubierre is called the Alcubierre drive and works by compressing space in front of the ship while expanding space behind it. And this is consistent with Einstein’s equations, if something like negative mass is ever discovered or invented. NASA has even made modifications to the idea to make it more efficient, but it would take massive amounts of energy to run and isn’t anywhere near feasible yet. Similarly, wormholes could be future possibilities. They’re also known as Einstein-Rosen bridges and are tunnels that connect spacetime in two areas by forming a shortcut through two black holes. This could potentially make a trip that would normally take a million years traversable in only a few minutes. Our technology has a long way to go before we can even consider this a possibility, however. 

Just as humanity began exploring every inch of the ocean once boats were invented, it’s likely only a matter of time before we move on to exploring the stars. Since space flight is a relatively new development, we still lack the technology and capability to make space flight cheap and efficient. With companies opening up space tourism and the potential to profit from it, however, more money is likely to go towards making this process as cost efficient as possible. We may find ion thrusters and space elevators to be in the not so distant future, or we could be surprised with a new form of space travel that we haven’t even considered yet.

So, what do you think? How do you picture life for future human beings? Can we move past Kardashev Type One? Will cybernetic enhancements change our bodies forever? And could next generation space travel finally take us to new worlds?

Given the pace of progress today, we might even expect a lot of these changes to happen in our own lifetimes. Are you excited or fearful? Impressed or unconvinced? The future is always just over the horizon, and it could be very different indeed!