These 12 technologies will drive our economic future (electric, format, compare)

[phoenixmike11]

These 12 technologies will drive our economic future

Interesting potential look into the future

[jtur88]

The big question is how much of that global impact will land on the US, and how much on other economies. It will depend on how much each country's economy is willing to invest in its place on the ladder or the ground floor, and sadly, the US is probably going to harvest a very small share of this.

It would be interesting to see comparative figures on how much R&D capital for these areas is coming from US wealth, compared to other economies.

[Joke Insurance]

Why do you guys think Renewable Energy is at the bottom of the list?

[davebarnes]

http://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKi...t_May2013.ashx

PDF

[Josseppie]

My thoughts are this study is flawed. I think they are making the same mistakes most people make. Making future predictions using linear not exponential growth projections for information technology. I think that is why they under estimate some technologies.

[Chango]

It's the same old game of thinking that we'll just refine and improve what we've already got in the future. Then the internal combustion engine or silicone microchip comes along and takes us to completely new places instead.

In my opinion, Nanotech will be the biggest thing to drive our economic future. It has the potential to completely revolutionize how we make things, will result in batteries that can actually hold a decent amount of energy and recharge instantly (actually making electric cars better than gas) and completely reinventing medicine... thanks to nanotech it won't be long before popping a pill that fills our entire bodies with chemicals seems as ridiculous and archaic as bleeding or trephination.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Chango

It's the same old game of thinking that we'll just refine and improve what we've already got in the future. Then the internal combustion engine or silicone microchip comes along and takes us to completely new places instead.

In my opinion, Nanotech will be the biggest thing to drive our economic future. It has the potential to completely revolutionize how we make things, will result in batteries that can actually hold a decent amount of energy and recharge instantly (actually making electric cars better than gas) and completely reinventing medicine... thanks to nanotech it won't be long before popping a pill that fills our entire bodies with chemicals seems as ridiculous and archaic as bleeding or trephination.

I agree with this 100%!!!!!

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Joke Insurance

Why do you guys think Renewable Energy is at the bottom of the list?

Because it's based on the year 2025, like it or not fossil fuel will be with us for many decades to come. As far as the renewables go my money is on geo thermal.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Because it's based on the year 2025, like it or not fossil fuel will be with us for many decades to come. As far as the renewables go my money is on geo thermal.

It might seem that way today but its not. Look at this article.

Current estimates suggest that solar might be as cheap as coal by the end of the decade, and half the cost of coal by the end of the next decade:

The link:When Solar Becomes Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels | azizonomics

[texdav]

Personally I think new methods of getting cheap crude and natural gas will drive the future. Why because cheap energy makes so many thing possible in being competitive and it even change the global politics like nothing we have seen for decades. I can remember seeing prediction of new energy sources for decades in the past years even now Wood still remains the closest to 1% of all. Then of course we have to replace 13K other essential products form crude alone. Being 65 I can tell you don't put your eggs in what is predicted because the world today is nothing like predicted even in the 50's.