25 Things You Need to Know About the Future [Kindle Edition]

Christopher Barnatt (Author)

Book Description

The essential book for understanding the challenges and technologies that will shape the next few decades.

How will we live in the future? And what will the human race become? Will we nurture designer babies, be served by intelligent robots, have personal 3D printers, and grow products on the vine using synthetic biology? Or will shortages of oil, fresh water and other natural resources constrain our lifestyles and lead to industrial decline?

In this fascinating guide, futurist Christopher Barnatt examines 25 known challenges and technologies that will help shape the next few decades. From Peak Water to vertical farms, nanotechnology to augmented reality, and electric cars to space travel, a startling picture is painted of future possibilities that no individual or business will be able to ignore.

Highlighting life-changing research and innovation from over 250 companies, universities and non-profit organizations around the globe, 25 Things You Need to Know About the Future is a startling, frightening and powerful blueprint for anybody who wants to future gaze or future shape.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christopher Barnatt is Associate Professor of Computing & Future Studies at Nottingham University Business School, and is the creator of ExplainingTheFuture.com and ExplainingComputers.com and their associated YouTube channels. He has written six previous books on future studies and computing and gives regular lectures and media appearances.

Product Details

• File Size: 1077 KB
• Print Length: 417 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1849016976
• Publisher: Constable (January 19, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005RYLX46
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #437,015 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great book! October 22, 2012

By Khorosho

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

It really makes you look forward to parts of our future, but also worry about others. You can't help but worry about shortages in the future. Hopefully some of the ideas brought forth in this book will help us deal with the drastic changes we are bound to see

4.0 out of 5 stars A good look at the near future. November 28, 2012

By Mr. Phiilip W. Berrie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was a long, but a good read. Not a lot here that I didn't already know, but it contains lots of nice references that I'll probably use when I get around to working on that near future science fiction story I'm planning to write.

Speaking of which, I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to write near future science fiction based on the real world.

Also, it would be a good read for someone who's interested in what the near future might bring.

5.0 out of 5 stars solid and inspiring April 23, 2012

By Marcel Bullinga

Format:Kindle Edition

Christopher Barnatt has managed to write a book that contains all of the usual suspects of the future, from bioprinting to personal robots and electric vehicles. Yet, as a reader, you don't feel not lost in a flood of examples. Barnatt's clear vision links all the different topics to each other. He balances quite well between the optimist Age of Plenty and the pessimist Age of Scarcity; there are arguments for both scenario's.

Barnatt is a UK Professor of Computing and Future Studies. I first met him online when I visited his site Explaining the Future. There, he explains difficult topics in well designed video's in clear language. The book is a great help to see the bigger picture behind the video's and to get in touch with the latest research. Being a futurist myself (and not a scientist), I rely heavily on solid scientific research for my work, and Barnatt definitely provides it.

PS If you like the book, you like the tweets as well: @ChrisBarnatt

More About the Author

Christopher Barnatt has been a professional futurist for over 20 years. He is Associate Professor of Computing & Future Studies in Nottingham University Business School, and the author of ExplainingTheFuture.com, ExplainingComputers.com and their associated YouTube channels. To date he has written nine books on future studies and computing, a well as having contributed to a wide range of other print publications, websites, radio programmes and TV shows.