The Earth... but Not as We Know It — and Other Surprising Predictions for the Future of Our Planet

Some futurologists in the past said that we would have flying cars by 2000 or that we’d use whales as forms of transportation. Even if such unlikely predictions ever came true, there are many others that did. For example, video chatting services were actually predicted at the end of the nineteenth century.

We at Bright Side are curious about what will happen in the future and decided to have a look at some astounding things that may take place within our lifetime.

1. Your dermatologist will be able to check your skin...from your bathroom mirror.

Some scientists predict that in the near future we will be able to use gadgets that can help us diagnose diseases very early. Such an invention could be an intelligent mirror that can detect skin problems from the comfort of our homes.

2. Bionic limbs will be controlled by our brains.

There are already some inventions that allow people to control prosthetic arms with their thoughts. In a few years, such technology could be more widely available, replacing the current artificial limbs that are in use.

3. We’ll be able to communicate with our thoughts.

One of the most shocking predictions for our future states that we will be able to communicate telepathically with each other. This means the need for phone calls would disappear, although it’s still uncertain what technology we will use to do this.

4. Your fridge will restock itself.

We can already order food and have it delivered to our houses. But some futurologists say that we won’t even need to bother with this, as our fridges could be placing orders for us in a few years.

5. You’ll charge your phone with the power of plants.

Plant-powered mobile phones could be the norm in the future. There’s already an invention that allows you to charge your phone up to 3 times per day using energy from a single potted plant.

6. Manually driving a car will be considered unsafe.

You will be able to relax and enjoy the ride while your car does all the driving. Self-driving cars still have a lot to improve upon in order to fully allow this, but in the near future, we can expect to spend our road trips reading a book or sleeping.

7. Everyone will have a twin, well, virtually.

Virtual twins can offer us many new possibilities. Our digital twins will have all our characteristics and even our personalities. We can even organize meetings between our virtual selves. They can become our personal assistants or even perform some of our job tasks on their own.

8. Firefighters won’t need to use water anymore.

It turns out that sound can be just as, or even more, effective at extinguishing fires. Something like a ’’flying saucer’’ could perform well at putting out forest fires. And although most of the technology it requires already exists, we’re still waiting for someone to create this invention.

9. Your future doctor might not be human.

By 2050, our doctors might become robots, or at least AI and other technology, and will assist human medical professionals in a lot more ways than they currently do. As per a survey done on the topic, 40% of healthcare workers would recommend that people get surgeries done by robots when this becomes possible, of course.

10. Earth will have rings just like Saturn.

Although many predictions for the future will bring positive changes and new possibilities, some are less desirable. With our space exploration and frequent use of satellites, some researchers predict that Earth will have rings surrounding it. Our planet might look like Saturn in the future, but unfortunately, its rings will be made of space trash floating around the planet.

Do you think scientists’ predictions of the future are accurate? Which of these technologies would you like to use?