2012: No-Space Odyssey

Year 2012 has started. We can definitely say that science-fiction predictions have failed. It's even worse - we regressed since the Space Race between Russia and USA. We still send new spy satellites, telescopes, and other galaxy scanners, but human species is unlikely to colonize planets, not even the Moon. Crewed space programmes are expensive, time-consuming, and fruitless from a short-term political perspective. World's super-empires prioritise development of new-breed tanks, spy drones and cyber-soliders. Economic crisis has hit space industry heavily - NASA shuts down space shuttle programme, Russia screwed up most of the recent attempts to put satellites up in the Earth orbit (three failures in six months!) and European Union don't have money anyway. China will most likely send a super-laser into a near-orbit, rather then human crew to set up base on the Mars. Virgin Galactic will most likely send rich tourists into a near-orbit, to experience 5 minutes of weightlessness for £250,000.

Priceless? Not really. Let's face it - our generation lost the space revolution, and the future of space industry is bleak. It is the Cyberpunk vision that becomes increasingly real - the egocentric revolution of virtual reality, cybernetic body modifications and organ growing. Lack of natural resources, ultra-interactive (pop) entertainment, heavy militarised border security. Extreme liberalisation contrasting with extreme policing. Extreme capitalism - no social benefits, no free health care, no subsidised education, no aid for developing countries.

Yes, we will probably increase our lifespan, through trangenetically growth liver, second heart and stem cell theraphy. Yes, we will probably be able to plug silicon based microchips into the brain to expand our senses, perception, boost memory and reading time, skill learning and information processing. Yes, we will probably beat cancer, AIDS, swine flu, and create hundred deadly viruses in the process. Yes, we will probably find a way to get energy from fusion, create self-steering electric cars and grow a strawberry that cures hangover. Finally, we will probably get Facebook status displayed directly to our visual cortex with the face matching and personality analysis on every person we pass on the street. But is that it?

Welcome to 2012 - happy new year and hope we can still dream of science-fiction.

Image source: NASA