Stretch your mind and peer into the future

So this morning I put up a post about how the Internet is the "big thing" right now. And I do believe that.

But if history has taught us anything, it's that the biggest things in the future probably aren't even on our radar yet.

So what will our world look like in the future? What kind of breakthroughs are on the horizon? Will we even be around in 50 years?

As part of it's 50th anniversary celebration, the good folks at the New Scientist magazine asked a bunch of leading scientists to peer into the future and talk about what's to come in the next 50 years:

What will be the biggest breakthrough of the next 50 years? As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations we asked over 70 of the world's most brilliant scientists for their ideas.

In coming decades will we: discover that we are not alone in the universe? Unravel the physiological basis for consciousness? Routinely have false memories implanted in our minds? Begin to evolve in new directions? And will physicists finally hit upon a universal theory of everything? In fact, if the revelations of the last 50 years are anything to go on - the internet and the human genome for example - we probably have not even thought up the exciting advances that lay ahead of us.
Delve into those visions of the future by author in the story list of this special report...

There's some fascinating articles in here from a lot of brilliant minds that I've never heard of. They cover topics all over the map and the scope is breathtaking. Set aside some time this weekend and curl up with your computer. Or, if you're so inclined, pick up a copy of the Special Report at your favourite magazine stand.

Thanks to the folks at Boing, Boing for pointing me to this story.