Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100

First, I was a tour guide in several countries, traveling the world. It was a wonderful life. Tourism is such a huge industry, with plenty of jobs. But later, I wanted to do something more relevant. So I became a lawyer, defending cases and people I cared about. And then, I decided to indulge my artistic side and started my Web design company. And you know something? I’m proud to say I never used a robot. No robot can be a personal tour guide, win a case in court, or produce beautiful artwork.”
    Time will tell, you think to yourself.
    “And are you planning a fourth career?” you ask.
    “Well, maybe if something better comes along.” She smiles at you.
    “Karen,” you finally say, “if we stop aging, then how do you know when the best time is for, you know, well, getting married, having kids, and raising a family? The biological clock went out the window decades ago. So I was thinking, maybe it’s time to settle down and have a family.”
    “You mean have children?” Karen says, a bit surprised. “That’s something that I haven’t considered seriously. Well, until now, that is. It all depends on if the right man comes along,” she says, as she smiles mischievously at you.
    Later, you and Karen discuss marriage, and what name you might choose for a kid, and also what genes you want the kid to have.
    You go to the wall screen and say, “Molly, can you give me the list of the latest genes that have been approved by the government?” As you scan the list, you see the various genes for hair color, eye color, height, build, and even some personality traits that are now being offered. The list seems togrow every year. You also see the long list of hereditary diseases that can be cured. Since cystic fibrosis has run in your family for centuries, it is a relief not to have to worry about that anymore.
    Scanning the list of approved genes, you feel that you are not just a future parent, but some sort of god, creating a child to order in your image.
    Then Molly says, “There is a program that can analyze a baby’s DNA and then give a reasonable approximation of its future face, body shape, and personality. Do you want to download this program and see what your child might look like in the future?”
    “No,” you say. “Some things should be left as a mystery.”
    A YEAR LATER
    Karen is now pregnant, but her doctors reassure her that there is no danger in taking a ride on the space elevator, which is now open to tourists.
    “You know,” you admit to Karen, “as a kid, I always wanted to go into outer space. You know, do the astronaut thing. But one day I thought about sitting on top of millions of gallons of volatile rocket fuel that could explode with a single spark. Then my enthusiasm for space travel began to cool a bit. But the space elevator is different. Clean, safe, with no mess. That’s the way to go.”
    As you and Karen get into the elevator, you see the operator push what looks like the Up button. You half expect to see the lingerie department. Instead, you feel yourself soaring into outer space. You feel the slow acceleration as you rapidly rise into the air. The gauge on the elevator reads, “10 miles, 20 miles, 30 miles …”
    Outside, you see the scenery changing, second by second. One moment, you are staring at fluffy clouds passing by as you soar into the atmosphere. Then the sky changes from blue to purple to a deep black, and finally you see the stars surrounding you in all their splendor. You begin to make out the constellations as you have never seen them before, blazing away in the distance. The stars are not twinkling, as they appear from the earth, but staring brightly, as they have for billions of years.
    The elevator slowly comes to a stop about 100 miles from the surface of the earth. From space, you see a dazzling sight that you previously saw only in pictures.
    Looking down, you suddenly see the earth in an entirely new light. Yousee the oceans, the continents, and the lights of megacities that shine into outer space.
    From space, the earth appears so serene that it’s hard to believe people once spilled blood fighting wars over silly borders. These nations still exist, but they seem so quaint, less relevant today, in an age when communication is instantaneous and ubiquitous.
    As Karen puts her head on your shoulder, you begin to realize that you are witnessing the birth of a new planetary civilization. And your kid will be among the first citizens of this new