Credit: Wyss Institute, Harvard
Twenty-second century, here we come.
Recently, we published an article on the top five emerging technologies that are getting the attention of everyone across the world. Today we will be looking at five more that are hoping to land on the top five list in the very near future.
Utility-Scale Storage of Renewable Energy
With the world’s energy production rapidly shifting from carbon-based sources to renewable means, there are some concerns about the access to renewable resources. They are hard to get a hold of when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing, so what are some alternatives? Lithium-ion batteries are picking up popularity in energy renewable storage alongside hydrogen fuel cells and flow batteries.
DNA-Based Data Storage
In the year 2020, it is expected that 418 zettabytes of data will be created and stored in data centers across the world. The current data storage systems that we have will not be able to handle this. The hope is that DNA-based data storage technologies will be able to take care of this problem. Scientists at Harvard believe that all the world’s data generated in one year could be stored in a cube of DNA. That’s a lot of information for such a small structure!
Safer Nuclear Reactors
It is no secret how scary nuclear reactors could be. Commercial nuclear reactors don’t emit carbon, which makes it an extremely clean source. Many companies, however, are working on accident tolerant fuels that are less likely to overheat. But the point is that even if they do overheat, they will produce very little hydrogen, which decreases the risk for an explosion.
Advanced Food Tracking and Packaging
With over 600 million people a year suffering from food poisoning, over 400,000 of which may die, something needs to be done. The hope is that with Blockchain technology and advanced sensors in packaging, food waste and food poisoning could be quickly detected. This technology would be able to trace the origin of any contaminated items within seconds.
Collaborative Telepresence
With the use of technology, people have been able to communicate in ways never seen before. Video calling and gaming programs have brought people from all over the world closer together. 5G, augmented reality, and virtual reality have changed the playing field even more with their ability to simulate different experiences for people. This kind of technology is expected to advance even more over the next several years.
