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The Emerging Technologies of Our New Era: How Innovation Will Transform the Human Ecosystem

Chuck Brooks

Humanity is about to enter a new technological era that has the potential to drastically alter civilization, much like the Industrial Revolution, the discovery of electricity, and the development of the internet. However, unlike earlier times of change, the advancements of today are not happening on their own. The convergence of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, advanced materials, robotics, space systems, and next-generation communications is producing capabilities that were remarkably difficult to envision just a generation ago.

The outcome is more than just a set of novel technologies. It is a developing ecosystem where humans, biological systems, intelligent machines, and interconnected infrastructure will interact in ever-more complex ways. Technological advancement brings both remarkable opportunities and consequential risks throughout my writing on cybersecurity and emerging technologies, including my book “Inside Cyber: How AI, 5G, IoT, and Quantum Computing Will Transform Privacy and Our Security.”

Next Science (@NextScience) on X

Next Science on X: ⏳ Scientists have proposed a strange new state of matter that behaves like a liquid—but through time.

What if matter could maintain a rhythm without staying perfectly synchronized?

Physicists have proposed a fascinating concept called a discrete time liquid. Ordinary crystals have repeating patterns in space, while time crystals display repeating patterns in their behaviour over time.

First patient undergoes pioneering stem-cell treatment for Parkinson’s

A patient has undergone pioneering stem-cell therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease, the Japanese drugmaker behind the treatment said on Friday, in a world first following its conditional approval in the country.

Sumitomo Pharma’s treatment involves transplanting millions of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which have the potential to develop into any cell in the body, into a patient’s brain.

Japanese regulators approved the therapy in March, following a successful clinical trial.

Futurist.COM Founder Glen Hiemstra on 40 Years of Futurism: The Future is Something We Do

“The future creates the present.”

Glen Hiemstra said that to me in 2020, after almost 40 years working as a #futurist. At the time, I took it as a good line. Six years later, it reads more like a warning.

Glen never cared much about forecasting the probable future. He points out that some of futurism’s biggest failures, the collapse of the USSR among them, came from staring too hard at what seemed likely. For decades he pushed his clients to do something harder. Decide what future you actually prefer, then go build it.

Now listen to how we talk about #AI. It’s almost all inevitability: it’s coming, adapt or get left behind. Hardly anyone asks what we want.

Glen also told me what he sees as the single biggest problem humanity faces. His answer surprised me in 2020. In 2026 it looks obvious.

Over two hours, we also got into genius and stupidity as roommates, the McDonald’s Theory of Peace, and why science gives us comfortable lives while the #humanities give us something to live for.