Future Now

Exinction Risks Underestimated -- NATURE

Jamais Cascio — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:46:26 -0700

A new article in Nature argues that current models for estimating extinction risks underestimate the impact of forces beyond birth-death ratio and environment. As a result, biologists may be missing potentially significant extinction threats.

From the Nature summary:

Ten-Year Forecast

Global networks for remote clusters

Anthony Townsend — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:18:58 -0700

This article from Research Policy provides an excellent analysis of the particular problems of trying to create globally-competitive clusters in geographically isolated areas, using the biotech industry in Melbourne, Australia as its case study.

Science and Innovation Pathways

Courageous or Cheating? Prosthetics in Sports

Jamais Cascio — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:25:53 -0700

The Boston Globe has a profile of MIT's Hugh Herr, a specialist in the development of prosthetic limbs. As is typical for current articles about prosthetics, sprint Oskar Pistorius makes an appearance. Herr makes an astute observation about the cultural tension regarding prosthetics and the potential for super-enabled disabled:

Ten-Year Forecast

Anglican Schism

Jamais Cascio — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:15:22 -0700

The Anglican Church -- generally known as the Episcopal church in the US, and the Church of England in, well, England -- faces a growing likelihood of a full-blown schism between modernists and traditionalists over the subject of ordainment of female and gay ministers, and a broader acceptance of homosexuality.A gathering last week in Jerusalem of over a thousand representatives of Anglican churches denounced the gay-acceptant policies of the Anglican leadership, and sought to create a new "power bloc" within th

Ten-Year Forecast

Creation Care: Evangelicals Embrace Environmentalism

Anthony Townsend — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:49:02 -0700

The Sundance Channel aired an interesting new documentary last night called "The Great Warming". What's interesting about it is that it examines how people are coping with forecasts and realities of global warming around the world - in London, in Bangladesh, etc. It's not about polar bears dying off or the Earth in pain... it's about real people suffering and being scared out of their wits. Powerful stuff.

Ten-Year Forecast

Suburbia During the Crash

Anthony Townsend — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:20:40 -0700

Maybe it's the rain in New York today, but I'm gloomy. So while China collapses, it looks like the mobility-land use solution embodied in many of America's newer suburbs seems to be unravelling due to high oil prices.

The IHT reports:

Ten-Year Forecast

The China Slowdown

Anthony Townsend — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:15:06 -0700

The World Bank's East Asia and Pacific blog has a good update on the most recent China quarterly forecast. The Bank's official forecast for 2008 China GDP growth is now 9.8 percent, a full 2 points below 2007 growth. Elsewhere, we've been hearing about high fuel prices and the cheap dollar putting the squeeze on Chinese manufacturing export platforms.

Ten-Year Forecast

Simian Rights

Jamais Cascio — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:56:55 -0700

This week, the Spanish Parliament approved resolutions calling on the executive to comply with the Great Ape Project, which seeks to extend many human rights to Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Orangutans and Gorillas.

Ten-Year Forecast

Do Not Taunt Massive Quake Ball

Jamais Cascio — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:44:25 -0700

As anyone who has built a tower out of blocks or LEGO knows, as they get taller, the more small movements at the base can be magnified into catastrophic motion at the top. This is just as true for skyscrapers, increasingly so as we get closer to building kilometer-high towers.

Ten-Year Forecast

Revolution Health's health?

Vivian Distler — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:06:25 -0700

Just as I was starting to look for something to blog about today, I got an e-mail from a client asking what I know about whether Revolution Health is going under or merging or otherwise transforming itself. Launched officially in April 2007, Revolution Health was intended by its chairman/CEO, AOL co-founder Steve Case, to . . .well, revolutionize health care by providing health-related online tools and content from a variety of trusted sources and enabling individuals to take greater control of their health management.

Health Horizons