10 Massive Questions About Future Civilizations | Unveiled XL Original

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10 Massive Questions About Future Civilizations</h4>

When you imagine the future world, what do you see? How do you envisage humankind taking its place over the coming decades and centuries? And what do you think will prove to be the greatest challenge of all? In our new series, we strive to analyze the biggest and most significant unknowns surrounding the key issues of science, technology, life, and everything. 

This is Unveiled, and today we’re taking a closer look at ten massive questions about future civilizations.

How Far Can We Spread?

In the twentieth century, space travel emerged as arguably the most futuristic technology imaginable. In many ways that’s now changed, as we’ll see in this video, but still space travel remains a key ambition for humanity, with huge amounts of money spent worldwide on space technology. And, naturally, if our future selves do manage to become space-faring, then that will have huge ramifications for the rest of our unfolding story.

As of yet, humans haven’t ventured beyond the Moon. However, with agencies like NASA planning missions to Mars and private companies such as SpaceX developing technologies for long-duration spaceflight, it is conceivable that within this century we will establish a presence on other planets, at least within our solar system. Coming space innovations are likely to include the development of advanced propulsion systems such as ion drives, nuclear thermal propulsion, or even fusion-based engines. These should all provide much faster travel times between celestial bodies compared to the conventional chemical rockets of today. 

As well as speedier transit, however, sustainable life support systems will be crucial for enabling long-term habitation in space or on other worlds. With regard to living on a different planet, one popular, proposed strategy is terraforming; altering another planet or moon’s environment to make it more Earth-like. A seemingly simpler tactic would be to build self-sustaining habitats or biomes to provide scattered oases in alien environments. 

Immediately, the challenges of powering spaceships and supporting space colonies are the most fundamental for any future group. Get it right, though, and we could (perhaps quickly) begin to build networks across space, such as by constructing launch facilities on off-Earth locations… or by connecting spaceports as checkpoints throughout the void. This would then be one way to increase our spread, particularly if we target asteroids as well - which could double up as stopping-off points, but also would offer immense mining opportunities. Indeed, asteroid mining is increasingly billed as being a crucial next step, as the raw materials in space rock should then power further expansion.

Given enough time - and barring existential threats - humanity could potentially spread throughout our own galaxy by employing generation ships: large spacecraft designed for journeys lasting hundreds or thousands of years where successive generations live and die aboard the ship before reaching their destination. Alternatively, if breakthroughs were made in physics allowing practical faster-than-light travel - a concept currently beyond our scientific understanding - the scope becomes nearly limitless.

Will Technology Change Our Bodies?

The field of transhumanism explores the potential for technology to enhance and even fundamentally change the human body. While there are predictions for a future where it will improve us, there are also concerns about how far these alterations could go. Nevertheless, for many, it’s the inevitable direction along which our species will (and must) travel to survive.

One aspect of transhumanism involves the use of technological implants or prosthetics to enhance our physical abilities. Already, we’ve seen exciting advancements in areas such as bionic limbs that can restore mobility and sensory perception to those who’ve lost them. But, in the future, it’s predicted that these technologies will become even more sophisticated and widespread, allowing individuals not only to regain lost abilities… but also to surpass “traditional” human skill sets.

For example, neural implants - otherwise known as brain chips - could soon enhance cognitive functions by improving memory recall or information processing speed. Custom-built exoskeletons could soon provide enhanced strength and endurance for physically demanding tasks. Genetic engineering at the cellular level might one day allow us to eliminate certain hereditary diseases. All of these potentials could fall under the transhuman future; all designed to better the human body beyond its current limitations.

However, it’s feared that there may also come a point at which these enhancements could lead us into uncharted territory; where technology changes our bodies beyond recognition. Some futurists envision a time where humans fully merge with machines through processes like mind uploading or via super-advanced brain-computer interfaces (or BCIs). It’s thought that such technologies will allow us to transfer our consciousness into digital form or to directly connect our brains via computer systems. Again, the potential benefits are vast, but it’s an area that also raises profound ethical questions around human identity.

Perhaps the concerns are currently never more debated than in the growing field of genetic engineering. CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing techniques already offer promising possibilities for modifying DNA and potentially eradicating genetic diseases. That last part is certainly good news, but the wider potential to rewrite DNA isn’t quite so straightforward. In the future, it may be possible to manipulate our genes to enhance physical characteristics such as strength, intelligence, or appearance, even without any other, more outwardly technological add-ons. And this, in turn, leads some to fear that transhuman systems will be easily hacked or abused.

Overall, it appears a question of balance for future civilizations. On the one hand, coming technology could turn everyone super; it could ensure that all of humankind lives better. But, on the other, there are warnings of potential dangers, unintended consequences, and of the loss of vital human qualities.

Will AI Run the World?

For decades it was predicted by science fiction and now it’s finally here. Artificial intelligence has already changed the world we live in, but how is it set to impact the future? And what will the coming generations encounter?

The question of whether AI will "run the world" is a complex one, shrouded in both optimism for technological advancement and concern for potential dystopian outcomes. In general, AI is expected to be deeply integrated into future society, influencing all aspects of daily life, be that industry, governance, education, personal decision-making or personal relationships.

Still, the integration could well follow an evolutionary path rather than it being a revolutionary takeover. The most likely realities include AI continuing to automate routine tasks across industries like manufacturing (with self-running factories), transportation (with self-driving vehicles), in healthcare (through diagnostic aids and personalized medicine), in finance (via algorithmic trading and AI-enabled fraud detection), and in customer service (via fully artificial chatbots). The difficult balance is by now well known. On one side, efficiency; on the other, job displacement and even the redundancy of humans.

To truly “run the world”, however, perhaps AI needs to get into politics. And many predict that it will… if, indeed, it hasn’t already. In the realm of governance and public policy, future AI could enable more sophisticated analysis of data to inform decisions on things like urban planning, environmental conservation efforts, resource management, and emergency response strategies. However, while again having the potential to be super efficient, there are ethical questions around AI safety and surveillance. The problem of potential AI biases is also particularly felt when looked at through the prism of politics.

Elsewhere, and future education systems may adapt with personalized learning AIs. Such hypothesized systems would track progress meticulously and adjust teaching methods accordingly… but must also ensure that they don’t reinforce existing educational inequalities. There are similar concerns in healthcare where, beyond diagnostics and tailored AI treatments, there’s again the potential for entrenched inequality. Meanwhile, there are various predictions toward even complex surgery one day being fully automated, without the need for a human hand. It would bring a level of precision that could save countless lives… but might it also see AI assume too much power over humanity?

Regardless, the AI hospitals of the future would likely be just one, small aspect of wider AI cities. Over just the last few decades we’ve seen the emergence of smart cities, but the AI hubs will be smarter still. Urban environments equipped with sensors collecting data on everything from traffic patterns to pollution levels to crime hotspots, and all managed by AIs. In agriculture, perhaps drones surveying crops, using machine learning algorithms to optimize irrigation schedules leading to better yields - and probably all in high-rise farm buildings rather than across vast and inefficient fields. In energy management, maybe entire grids that are controlled by AI, leading to zero waste.

Meanwhile, and on a more personal level, there are predictions for advanced care AIs; physical AI companions to assist anyone in need, for whatever reason, and to combat loneliness. It’s easy to envisage digital assistants evolving far beyond the likes of Siri or Alexa, as well. Such fully-fledged virtual beings may manage our schedules in the future, acting as personal advisors and perhaps even forming emotional bonds with us over time, through deep learning about our preferences, opinions, enjoyments and behaviors.

It’s another manifold question, then, but clearly it’s an unavoidable topic as we move ever more quickly into the future. On a social and personal level, AI has the potential to do it all… but should it? Or, perhaps more pressingly, does (and will) humankind even have a choice?

What Will Climate Change Change?

Climate change has long been the subject of headlines, but cast yourself into the future, even just one or two generations removed, and what’s actually going to happen?

For one, it’s predicted that there will be an increase in extreme weather events. This has, actually, already started, and in the future is reportedly set to get worse. Intense and more frequent heat waves will pose greater risks to human health, worsen drought conditions, hasten water shortages and crop failures, and spark more and more wildfires. Rising sea levels are another consequence of climate change caused by melting polar ice caps and glaciers as well as by the thermal expansion of seawater. Coastal cities around the world therefore face major flood threats today and increasingly in the future. Scientists have predicted that places like Miami in the US or Dhaka in Bangladesh, for instance, could see significant portions of their once thriving cities submerged within decades, if current trends continue. When and if this happens, it will displace millions of people globally, creating waves of climate refugees seeking new homes inland or across borders. Indeed, one of the most crucial aspects of climate change is that it is projected to affect everyone, either directly or indirectly.

Ocean acidification is another less visible but equally concerning aspect. As oceans absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, their chemistry changes, which then dramatically harms marine life such as corals, that will then no longer be able to form crucial habitats for fish and other ocean species. Which then, indirectly, will affect fishing industries, too. But food availability, in general, is widely tipped to become one of the most difficult challenges triggered by climate change, with land farming also hit hard. Not only by heat waves, but also by a potential increase in pests and diseases that thrive under warmer conditions. Staple, worldwide crops like wheat, rice, and maize may all suffer massively reduced yields if the worst predictions prove true. And this at a time when continued population growth demands more food production, not less.

While there may be an increase in pests, however, as well as a predicted proliferation of certain bacteria due to changing conditions, general biodiversity will likely continue to fall into the future. Scientists have already seen how changing climates have pushed species out of their traditional habitats faster than they can adapt or migrate. But this is only set to accelerate as time goes on. Iconic animals like polar bears are losing their hunting grounds… but it isn’t only these more widely recognized species. From leaping gazelle to tropical frogs, climate change is forcing everything to adapt… and leading many to the brink of extinction.

Human health faces direct threats from climate change, too, however, through our species’ increased exposure to heat stress which can, for one, worsen existing heart conditions. Vector-borne diseases such as malaria are also likely to spread into new areas where warming allows mosquitoes carrying the disease a greater range. And, although still more the subject of science fiction than fact at this stage, there are also theories that certain fungi could quickly take over ecosystems in the future, leading again to an enforced and major need for change.

Economically speaking, all sectors - from agriculture through to insurance - will feel the impact. While, socially speaking, there's mounting potential for increased conflict over resources like water or arable land, and political instability triggered by climate change is widely predicted.

So, what will climate change actually "change"? Virtually everything. It’s set to impact how we live our lives on a day-to-day basis, but also how society is shaped and how the natural world evolves. For many, of all the questions facing future civilizations, those around climate change could be the most important of all.

How Real Will Reality Be?

If time changes everything, then you might at least expect reality to remain something that can be relied upon. But no. Because, in fact, even everyday experience at the most fundamental level could be about to be thrown out. Today, emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) continue to advance. In the future, our perception of what’s real may become increasingly blurred as these digital layers become more integrated into our daily lives. So, what’s in store for future generations?

In short, Virtual Reality immerses users in a completely artificial digital realm. It requires headsets that can transport wearers to entirely different worlds, from fantasy landscapes to simulated training environments. And, as VR technology improves, we can expect it to become more lifelike with higher resolution visuals, more responsive controls, and even haptic feedback systems that allow us to feel virtual objects.

Augmented Reality overlays digital information onto the real world. Through devices like AR glasses, users can view additional information about their real life surroundings - such as directions superimposed over your view of an unknown street. AR has massive potential in education and industry, then. Students might witness historical events reenacted on their desks; mechanics might receive an overlay of maintenance instructions when looking at an engine.

Finally, Mixed Reality is an extension of AR where users can interact with both physical and virtual items within a combined space. MR devices recognize objects and spaces around you and allow digital content to react accordingly. So, imagine playing a video game that spills out onto your living room furniture; or conducting an architectural review with holographic models that are overlaid onto a real world construction site.

Combined, it’s easy to see how all three could have a profound impact on future civilizations. In education it extends beyond re-seeing the past in history class. Immersive VR experiences will also revolutionize the teaching of biology, chemistry, medicine, surgery, and geography. In healthcare, beyond training applications, VR therapies could one day treat conditions like PTSD; AR might guide surgeons through complex operations in real-time.

More generally, the workforce, and especially remote work, could be transformed through VR spaces that replicate office environments; likewise, MR could facilitate collaborative projects among global teams by allowing shared interaction with virtual models. Similarly “unreal” spaces could also become social spaces; venues for people to meet and interact in, using avatars. In retail, augmented apps could allow consumers to visualize and even test products in their home, before they buy. In real estate, entire buildings could be virtually “built” before even a brick is laid. In sports and media, VR could transport you to the stadium; AR might overlay your view with stats and instant replays; MR might allow you to hail a nearby hotdog vendor.

Again, though, in all of this, and as fun and seemingly beneficial as it may appear, there are ongoing and imminent ethical concerns. Not least about the authenticity of interactions and relationships that might one day be formed without a physical presence. And the potential for psychological problems, when it becomes difficult to distinguish between what’s real and what’s not.

Will Security Destroy Privacy?

This is a question that arguably underpins all other questions when it comes to visualizing life in the future. How secure will future groups be? How private will they be? Or are the two destined to cancel one another out?

In general, security measures are designed to protect individuals, organizations, and nations from various threats - from cyberattacks to physical crime. However, we know that protective measures can sometimes come at the expense of individual privacy. The tools used to safeguard can also be employed to surveil - whether it's through monitoring emails for potential scams or using facial recognition software to identify criminals. Something has to be given up for security to be given a chance.

Consider one hypothesized future technology, in particular, though, and the challenge goes into hyperdrive. The hivemind is a proposed, interconnected consciousness that’s shared among individuals, in groups of any size, and potentially also connected with AI entities. In theory, it’s an incredible tool for uniting humanity, bettering our chances by pooling our collective knowledge, and ensuring absolute efficiency throughout society. But clearly, with the hive mind, there are unprecedented risks for privacy. 

A hive mind could theoretically allow for the seamless sharing of thoughts and experiences among its members. Perhaps among friends or colleagues. Or potentially among those from the same town, city, or country. But, in all cases, it would leave little room for personal thoughts or for the chance of some solitude. Every thought or memory in the hive mind is accessible by others in the network; your thoughts really are no longer your own.

What’s more, such a system would raise significant concerns regarding autonomy and consent. Who decides what information is shared? How do you ensure that sensitive personal data isn't exploited? There's also the risk of collective bias being amplified across the hive mind if it isn’t carefully managed. When privacy is no more, then might prejudice reign? When your thoughts are governed, then could it ever really get any more totalitarian?

Of course, the hive mind is a purely hypothetical construct, at present. It features almost universally in all predictions for far future, advanced societies, but it isn’t yet a concern that’s on our proverbial doorstep. With computing, and quantum computing, in general, however, similar questions are already being asked. Broadly, quantum computers promise to solve immeasurably complex problems at super speed. But, one offshoot of all this power is that it could include breaking all the many encryption algorithms that currently protect our most sensitive data online - from financial transactions to personal communications.

When quantum computing becomes widespread enough to crack these codes easily (a scenario referred to as "quantum supremacy") then our existing security infrastructure will fail and will become obsolete overnight. We may not be at the hive mind quite yet, but the path is laid for the ongoing battle between privacy and security; and it’s a battle set to rage long into the future.

Can We Unite?

The future of war on Earth is shaped, among other things, by technological advancements, shifting power dynamics, and emerging (often unforeseen) global challenges. As such, it’s extremely difficult to predict when, where and why conflicts might one day erupt. However, when and if they do, the nature of war in future times is sure to be unlike anything before.

As has historically been proven, technology is set to redefine the battleground again. Cyber warfare tactics will likely become increasingly prevalent as rivals exploit digital vulnerabilities to disrupt their adversaries' infrastructure, perhaps even without engaging in traditional combat. According to some forecasts, autonomous, AI weapons systems may even replace human soldiers, leading to less death, yes… but also to ethical debates around accountability and decision-making in life-or-death scenarios.

Space is likely to be a new frontier for military competition in the future, as nations seek to protect their satellites… or potentially to deploy weapons beyond Earth's atmosphere. Currently there’s legislation in place to protect against this, although most of it was first written up in the 1960s. Experts fear that it will not hold for much longer. And, of course, given the scale of weapon that is now widely available to warring states, if any kind of physical conflict were to unfold, then it would likely be very destructive very quickly.

Against this backdrop, international diplomacy will need to adapt. As a result, diplomatic efforts may increasingly focus on establishing laws and treaties for cyber operations and space conduct. With AI becoming integral to national security, as well, agreements on its use in both civilian life and military applications could prove pivotal. As could legislation around climate change and resource distribution.

Overall, then, it’s easy to envisage a future that’s increasingly fraught with tension. A time when war is always on the cards; when war could always kill us all within moments; and when rivals are in a constant state of distrust. Even at the best of times, the question of whether humankind could ever unite as one entity confronts deep-seated differences across cultures, ideologies, and national interests - all of which have historically more often led to division rather than unity. And yet, perhaps the future can offer a hope of our civilization working together. With confirmed, shared existential threats like climate change on the horizon, there will be a need for greater global collaboration. And then, of course, there’s also what could happen in the hypothetical scenario in which an alien force is discovered, and humanity joins up beneath it.

In imagining a united humanity under one government or system - an idea often explored in science fiction - it's important not only to consider what brings us together but also what keeps us apart. Language barriers, cultural traditions, economic disparities; all are among many factors that would need to be reconciled for a truly unified world to emerge. But, with the unparalleled threat of future wars looming large, perhaps global unity is what should really be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

How Long Will We Live?

It’s a look into the future that encompasses a range of things; advances in medical science, public health, and biotechnology. And, while precise predictions are challenging due to the complex interplay of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors, there is an agreement among scientists that the potential lifespan of humans could increase significantly in the coming decades.

Presently, average global life expectancy has been on a steady incline due to improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition. However, this trend towards longer life must be considered alongside issues such as overpopulation. As people live longer, there’s a growing concern about how our planet can sustain an ever-increasing number of people. It could lead to resource depletion, environmental degradation and heightened competition for food, water and living space. However, some feel that technology will work it out, and that concerns are overblown.

But, no matter how history unfolds, another pressing (and related) concern is antimicrobial resistance (or AMR). As the overuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of drug-resistant pathogens, it could be that for future generations common infections become far harder to treat. If not addressed through better practices, breakthroughs in new antibiotic development or alternative treatments… AMR poses a serious threat to public health and could reverse any gains made in life expectancy. Particularly when you consider that there will be more people in the future to fall ill, and potentially more to die.

And yet, the predictions toward immortality are almost universally optimistic. For decades science has dreamed of enabling us to live forever, but we’ve arguably never been closer to actually achieving it. In the future, a range of avenues may have borne fruit. Genetic engineering holds promise for correcting the mutations that cause age-related diseases. Or it may even directly slow down the aging process itself, by targeting the key genes involved with longevity. 

Elsewhere, and early studies into telomere extension therapies appear to show that human cells can be kept youthful, and that lifespans may in turn be lengthened. Regenerative medicine offers another route towards increased longevity by directly repairing damaged cells, tissues and organs that may have otherwise worsened due to age. And then, it’s thought that wholly artificial organ technology could similarly provide replacement body parts in the future, again for failing biological systems traditionally blighted by old age.

All of the above should at least drastically extend lifespans, which in turn should give more people more time alive in which to eventually reach true immortality. That said, undisputed immortality does still remain science fiction. And, one of the greatest questions facing future groups is; can they ever translate it from fiction to reality? And, if they do, how will they cope with a species that literally never dies?

Will We Have the Energy?

Of course, at the heart of any successfully advanced civilization has to be the energy to power it. It’s one reason why science tends to view humankind as not an especially advanced group, because we’re still stuck predominantly on fossil fuels and we’re still wholly tethered to just our own planet. In future times that’s all set to change. As resource depletion is sure to become an increasingly significant issue, something’s gotta give. And there are many options envisaged, but also many problems that need to be solved.

In short, the energy demands for future civilizations will likely skyrocket. The Kardashev Scale, created by the astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev in 1964, categorizes civilizations based on their energy consumption and technological advancement: Type One can use all available resources on its home planet; Type Two can harness the entire output of its star; and Type Three can control power at the scale of its galaxy.

For a civilization approaching or achieving a Type One status, renewable energies like solar, wind, and geothermal are likely stepping stones. However, these sources may not suffice for growing energy appetites. Nuclear fusion could be the game-changer - a virtually limitless source of clean energy that mimics the sun's power-generating process. While still experimental today, future advancements could make fusion reactors safe and economically viable.

But for societies advancing towards Kardashev Type Two - capable of utilizing all the energy from their host star - the building of megastructures like Dyson Spheres or Swarms would represent a dramatic leap forward. These hypothetical constructs would encompass a star entirely (or partially) to capture most (or all) of its power output directly, before translating it into usable energy. As well as that, there’s another less widely discussed possibility; converting antimatter into an energy source. Annihilation reactions between matter and antimatter should again release huge amounts of energy, so if future groups could produce, capture and contain that… then they’d have another perhaps limitless well to go to.

For those aiming even higher - Type Three and beyond - they’ll need to tap into galactic-scale resources. This could mean harnessing the energy of black holes. What’s known as the Penrose Process is perhaps our best, currently theorized method to do this; involving the propulsion of a body to the very edges of a black hole, at just the right speed and angle, in order to leech some black hole energy before catapulting back out into space. Although, suffice to say, in general, such advanced technologies are immensely difficult to predict at present.

Nevertheless, and however grandiose these prospects seem now, they are all grounded in the laws of physics. Given enough time and technological evolution, it isn’t unreasonable to expect that they should be possible. And from there, with such huge amounts of energy in the tank, the options are far, wide and immensely powerful for any future group.

Will We Still Be Human?

When you picture future worlds, and you imagine all of the changes that might take place between now and then, it’s only natural to view them - in your dreams - through the eyes of a human being as we currently know humans to be. But, ultimately, will those who actually experience such future times still be human, in today’s sense?

Broadly, the question of identity weaves through all other predictions, concerns and enthusiasms for what the future might hold. As technology continuously reshapes our boundaries, as society forever alters and transforms around us, could we become lost to time?

The integration of future technologies into daily life will undoubtedly alter our perceptions and experiences of what it means to be human. Biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and cybernetic enhancements stand at the forefront of this transformation. Genetic editing tools offer the potential for designer babies; AI systems will inevitably surpass human intelligence; cybernetic body parts are sure to exceed natural capabilities. And, as these technologies converge, we face a possible future where humanity transcends its biological roots entirely. The transhuman era.

But, what about with the less physical aspects of our species? What could fate hold in store for our thoughts, feelings, and relationships? So many theorized futures lead us toward the realization that even they might one day be made and stored less than biologically. Proposals for mind uploading and digital consciousnesses are mostly science fiction right now, but will become topics for serious and urgent debate in the future.

Ultimately, it’s in how these debates will play out, as to how ‘human’ future humans will be. Despite the profound changes on the horizon - or perhaps because of them - it's conceivable that coming civilizations will maintain a humanness by adhering firmly to values such as empathy, community, cultural expression, artistry, moral and social responsibility, and the enduring value of individuality. However, as it seems that across the board civilization strives for another set of ideals, as well - including efficiency, security, intelligence and survival - the key is in how everything is matched together.

For now, our emerging ethical frameworks and ideas will need constant updating as we grapple with issues. Issues like the need (or lack of) for human control when integrating AI into any part of society; the delivery of equal access to all enhancement technologies, on a global scale; and the laws around weapons, fighting and warfare across a fast-moving technological plane. 

Overall, it’s a sure bet that future humans will differ significantly from today's version of our species. But, then again, we differ in many ways from those who lived hundreds of thousands of years before us. And yet, in many ways we’ve remained the same. If you were to somehow meet a descendant 100, 1,000 or even one million years from now, perhaps there’d be so many changes that you’d struggle to even recognise each other. Or, then again maybe, deep down, you wouldn’t be so different at all.

So, what do you think? Which of the topics covered in this video do you believe is the most urgent right now? Or will become the most urgent over time? Clearly, there are infinite paths that could be taken… but those are ten massive questions about future civilizations.