If you could travel back in time five centuries, you’d encounter a thriving Aztec empire in Central Mexico, a freshly painted “Mona Lisa” in Renaissance Europe and cooler temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere. This was a world in the midst of the Little Ice Age (A.D. 1300 to 1850) and a period of vast European exploration now known as the Age of Discovery.
Our world today is almost unrecognizable from a century ago, so what can we expect jumping a century ahead?
But what if we could look 500 years into the future and glimpse the Earth of the 26th century? Would the world seem as different to us as the 21st century would have seemed to residents of the 16th century?
The Samsung Future Living Report was compiled by a group of scientists, architects and urban planners who have some great insight into what our world will look like in 100 years.
A new report authored by scientists, architects and urbanists in the UK has tried to paint a picture of Western human society in the year 2116 — a picture that includes underwater bubble cities, origami furniture and no more sick days.
From giant skyscrapers to giant drones, according to the Smart Things Future Living Report, the next hundred years will be big.
As the global population continues to balloon and cities become more crowded, buildings will climb to unprecedented heights.
Technology has improved exponentially since the 1500s, and this pace will likely continue in the centuries to come. Physicist Stephen Hawking proposes that by the year 2600, this growth would see 10 new theoretical physics papers published every 10 seconds. If Moore’s Law holds true and both computer speed and complexity double every 18 months, then some of these studies may be the work of highly intelligent machines.
Drone technology
Drone technology has become a favorite for governments and consumers alike in recent years, and it sounds like they’re only going to get bigger.
So big in fact, that the report suggests enormous drones will be strong enough to carry entire homes around the world when the wealthy among us fancy a holiday. The rest of us will have to settle for our own personal drone, which will replace cars as the common mode of transport.
Or you could just take a vacation to the moon or Mars, as colonization throughout space begins close to home and expands outward as capabilities increase.
Underwater Cities
Many marine biologists are enthusiastic about the possibility of being able to live underwater.
There are those who see underwater living as a way of preserving our species in the event of an apocalyptic catastrophe. In the event of a disaster that put paid to human life, communities could perform reverse versions of Noah’s ark. With that in mind, Philip Pauley, a futurist and the founder of the London-based visual communications consultancy Pauley, designed the self-sustaining habitat Sub-Biosphere 2. His design includes circular structures that could be floated out to sea and then sunk, creating a haven for 50 to 100 lucky people.
The report also predicts the creation of underwater cities that use the water to foster breathable atmospheres.
Travel in the Skyways
Travel will have revolutionized too, and roads will be a thing of the past when everyone travels the skyways in their own personal drones.
Future Skyscapers
Our cities will have completely transformed with towering mega structures that will “dwarf today’s skyscrapers” and earth structures that tunnel 25 stories underground.
Himalaya Water Tower.
Building the skyscraper in the Himalayas has its benefits: during rainy season, the long pipes can collect water and store it for future use. This will help regulate the flow of water all year round for the residents.
Image Source: eVolo
Future Food
The report — which basically extrapolates current forms of technology — also carves out a large place for 3D printing technologies in the future, including for our culinary needs.
“We will be downloading dishes from famous chefs that we will tailor to our personal needs. We will be able to 3D-print a banquet or a favourite cake in minutes,” it says. That’s right, actually cooking food will be considered retro.
Far less surprising is the claim that a majority of our furniture will be produced by 3D printing, including origami furniture that will easily fold away.
Interior design of the future
Interior design will be completely dependent on your mood, thanks to customizable smart walls that can change on a whim (think old school “Smart House” style)
Health of the future