Evolving Technologies: The next 10, 50 and 100 years...

It's a tad bit difficult to make such preditions... for example fifty years ago they couldn't have foreseen the Internet or the incredible development of electronics in general. But '50s people would surely be disappointed to see how little the automotive industry has improved, for example. The next fifty years are a huge unknown for all of us, since many viable and practical development will surely be twisted by political means. For example, "genic" therapies and stem cells cultures hold enormous promises for the future. These tecniques could wipe out cancer, heal birth defects, etc but there are enormous political and economic obstacles stacked against them. Also, the so called "hydrogen economy" is still wrapped in the shrouds: while the promises of a "pollution free" enviroment appeal to many people, there are still many unaswered questions. How will we solve the enormous technical issues preventing large-scale exploitation of seawater? How will we solve the practical issues of recombining oxygen and hydrogen? How will the oil companies and the oil states react? If hydrogen production and usage become cheap and safe, they'll be bankrupted overnight. Also, what will become of nuclear power? While the latest trend is for a decline in power output, the latest world events, coupled with increased energy demand and the powerplants' capabilities of churning out immense power outputs, is becoming appealing once again. I expect nuclear power to make a definite comeback: Germany's decision to extend her nuclear power program beyond the 2015 deadline is a clear step in this direction. The main advancements will center around waste management and increasing the turbines' efficiency. Another issue is air trasport: today's airliners are cheaper to run and have a better range than their linear ancestor, the Boeing 707. But that's where the improvements stop. Cruise speed is only marginally faster and airframes still use pretty much the same layout. All attempts at higher cruising speeds (Concorde and Tupolev 144 supersonic, Tupolev 154 transonic airliner) have failed, more for political reasons than for technical issues. Our cars maybe much faster than our fathers', but our planes still take the same time to take you from New York to Paris... no it actually takes more because of new "safety" procedures and longer check-in times. So, unless something drastical is done (like introducing the latest militery technology) our sosn will still have a long time to kill while on a transatlantic flight...