Last thread for awhile I promise. Testing the limits of science

[Maximum77]

What would be a great future invention in each of these fields of science? Be creative and out of the box for each. Something I haven't thought of yet

1.) Astrophysics

2.) Biochemistry

3.) Botany

4.) Geology

5.) Medicine

6.) Physics

7.) Psychology

8.) Computers

9.) Anthropology

10.) Biology

[Khedrac]

What would be a great future invention in each of these fields of science? Be creative and out of the box for each. Something I haven't thought of yet
One advantage of asking this question is that, to a certain extent, we don't need to make it particulalrly plausible...

1.) Astrophysics
How to make wormholes that we can control and use (i.e. practical interstellar travel) - or simply revolutionalise travel around earth.

2.) Biochemistry
How to make oragnisms extract specific elements (or isotopes) and isolate and concetrate them - cheap mining of anything that is actually present in minute amounts and the cleaning up of polluted land.

3.) Botany
Customisation of plants to do what we need - in addition to solving world hunger it gives such things as organic scaffolding that can be grown as required and then decays away when not (more resilient than steel).

4.) Geology
Control of the upper mantle/lower crust (and continental drift) - no more earthquakes unless we want them, practially unlimited power and the ability to raise and lower land as needed.

5.) Medicine
Full control of the human body - so tune the metabolism to keep us all fit and healthy.

6.) Physics
Elemental transmutation.

7.) Psychology
Understanding the mind so as to be able to support all humans to live the lives they desire without negatively impacting others.

8.) Computers
Interfaces (mental vocal or whatever) that understand our meaning as opposed to simply processing the content (so slang, accents, colloquisms etc.).

9.) Anthropology
How to work out where human society is going and what will happen if certain things are done (i.e. psychohistory from Asimov's Foundation books).

10.) Biology
Working out how to balance ecologies so that all the species can thrive without any becoming over-dominant (especially control of invasive species).
This also would enable agriculture without use of potentially dangerous levels of toxic chemicals.

One thing I think to avoid, especially for Psychology is theworkign out (and control) of what individuals will do. (The problem with being able to make nearly accurate predictions is it leads to the limiting of what someone can do based on what you think they will do when you may get it wrong; along with advertising targetted at this level is turns into self-fullfilling prophecy as the individuals are not given the options to be anythign else...)

[Telok]

For computers: A generation of programmers brought up on non-binary programming languages.

A true optical chip comparable in capability to current silicon chips.

True indeliable, reliable, >petabyte mass data storage that has no moving parts and reasonable i/o speeds.

[Lord Joeltion]

Most of these are probably "short term" goals (in the grand scheme of human advancement, that is) that would allow and exponential growth of other technologies.

1.) Astrophysics
Dyson Spheres, since most of the limits of technology are related to access to "limitless" sources of energy.

2.) Biochemistry
Synthesis of meat in laboratories. That would not only solve most of our dietary/moral concerns, it will also allow us to focus on the development of GMO's other than simply grow food from soil.

3.) Botany
The development of terraforming GMO's.

4.) Geology
I will support previous answer: Geothermal and seismic control will probably solve most of planetary economic issues (no earthquakes + free energy).

5.) Medicine
Either the development of a Regenerative Machine (a machine that would basically use stem cells to replace ALL of the tissues in your body, not only rejuvenating yourself, but also curing you from genetic defects and aberrations like cancer); or... if that's simply not possible, the development of (safe) cybernetic enhancement.

6.) Physics
Anti-gravity. Because I want my goddam Hovering Board, dammit!

7.) Psychology
An empirical solution to the self-awareness problem, so we can tell for sure if an AI has a relevant level of autonomy or not. That way we can shut them down before the machine raise against us. (yes, I been watching the last season of Agents of SHIELD recently)

8.) Computers
I think quantum computers will be ok for now. A safe AI would be fine, but still poses many risks for us as species/society (whether they trigger an apocalypse or not).

9.) Anthropology
More like Sociology, but the faster we find the perfect model of government for all the people on Earth, the better. Probably one where we can elect our leaders safer and more objectively than plain Democracy (probably implausible, but one can dream)

10.) Biology
Mutant powers (?)

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Seriously, you're not helping yourself with all the new threads. You have good answers in many of these topics, yet you start a new one because you want it reformatted. You can easily do that yourself, you can even add it to earlier threads, just showing how you categorized everyone's suggestions per field, or per how far away or how complex it seems etc.

Or maybe even better, do start new topics but share what you got from the previous ones. You're asking for stuff you haven't thought of yet here, so maybe take the results from the extremely similar holy grails thread to show the stuff people have thought of for you already. Maybe merge some of the others in there as well. You're asking people to spend time to help you, and to spend more time because you're not using the help you already got.

[Plus one]

1.) Astrophysics
Folding space. Let's miss out the journey and vehicles and just be there.
2.) Biochemistry
Weird things like the whole jelly fish reverse ageing I saw on a documentary. Add it to humans, Adults never needing to feel their age. I wonder the effects of exotic particles in brain function. Boson = see the future?
3.) Botany
Advanced plant based cures. Find the plant for what ails you and have a salad or add it to a sandwich or curry etc. Manipulation of thermal updrafts by humans.
4.) Geology
Advanced geothermal energy production. If it can also negate volcanic eruptions it's a bonus.
I'm sure between this and botany this can effect some weather patterns.
5.) Medicine
Should be a sub section of a few other disciplines. Teleport based organ transplants. Botany based cures.
6.) Physics
Manipulation of the Higgs Boson in circuits.
7.) Psychology
Rewrite brains. Like a computer bug check and defragmentation etc.
8.) Computers
(See 6) temporal computers. Everything done instantly. So long as the computer can eventually do it. Power reduction.
9.) Anthropology
Understanding. Seriously, know more do less. No big discovery, just general advancement through out.
10.) Biology
Correct and full understanding of all earth located genetics.

[Peelee]

Seriously, you're not helping yourself with all the new threads. You have good answers in many of these topics, yet you start a new one because you want it reformatted. You can easily do that yourself, you can even add it to earlier threads, just showing how you categorized everyone's suggestions per field, or per how far away or how complex it seems etc.

Or maybe even better, do start new topics but share what you got from the previous ones. You're asking for stuff you haven't thought of yet here, so maybe take the results from the extremely similar holy grails thread to show the stuff people have thought of for you already. Maybe merge some of the others in there as well. You're asking people to spend time to help you, and to spend more time because you're not using the help you already got.

To expand on this, OP, what exactly are you hoping to accomplish here? Do you think that new and exciting future technologies haven't been invented because nobody has thought of them yet? Because a lot of things that have been proposed in most of your threads as "great future inventions" are simply impossible, or aren't feasible with our level of technology, or are based on principles we don't even know about yet. Wild speculation without research - and I don't mean actually researching the sciences to invent things, I mean finding out what is currently being researched in these fields - is not fruitful. I could propose a wonderful invention called the Peelee Machine. It teleports people to any range, as well as cures the diseases of anyone teleported. That's a wonderful invention. If you get sick, then just go somewhere and get healed. Doesn't matter where, you could teleport to the kitchen if you want, and you're still cured. Plus, now you're in the kitchen, so you can make lunch. Or if you want to go to Paris, and don't know about your cancer. Well, soon as you go, it's cured, so you never even had to worry about it. But it's pure fantasy. There's no real point to imagining it. Same goes for anything that's not actually being researched.

Plus, a lot of things have come about by accident. Safety glass is an amazing idea in auto safety, but nobody up and thought of making glass that completely shatters without sharp edges. Some guy noticed that his beaker reacted that way after he dropped it, and then figured out a use for it. A lot of things happen less because people say, "we need to invent a fix for that problem," but rather, "hey, i bet this thing that I already have could also be used to fix that problem."

I'm not saying you can't do what you're looking to do. I am saying that if you want to do it, your best bet is to do a lot of research yourself, which is going to be a good amount of work, and find out what emerging technologies or theoretical solutions are being worked on, for instance. Or maybe you could find out what are some big obstacles we have to overcome, and see what the best ideas are to overcome said obstacles, and outline the pros and cons of each (which, again, would require a lot of work researching it). It's not something that can be done by going on a message board and asking for ideas you haven't thought of yet. That's a great tactic for casual conversation, or figuring out how to make a better dungeon for your dragons, or imagining a setting for a sci-fi book and how it all works. It's a terrible tactic for a non-fiction book that wants to talk about future technologies seriously.

[Fri]

this isn't his fault this time. This is really old thread necromanced by a pixie

[Peelee]

this isn't his fault this time. This is really old thread necromanced by a pixie

Well don't I look silly now.

[Khedrac]

this isn't his fault this time. This is really old thread necromanced by a pixie

Less than 1 month does not make for a necromancer's work - the original post in this thread is less than one month old...

[Tvtyrant]

The invention that has frustrated me by its lack most is artificial/implanted gills. Water makes for a much better environmen than air does in many ways, including in space and other planet habitats where it deposits oxygen, wards off radiation and reduces the effects of low gravity with a single stroke.

The ability to consume oxygen through water would also make diving much deeper and safer, and really open oceamic exploration up.

I haven't heard of a single effort to bypass the lungs for oxygen supply in exploration despite the obvious benefits and relative ease compared to many other hypothetical advancements.

[Peelee]

The invention that has frustrated me by its lack most is artificial/implanted gills. Water makes for a much better environmen than air does in many ways, including in space and other planet habitats where it deposits oxygen, wards off radiation and reduces the effects of low gravity with a single stroke.

The ability to consume oxygen through water would also make diving much deeper and safer, and really open oceamic exploration up.

I haven't heard of a single effort to bypass the lungs for oxygen supply in exploration despite the obvious benefits and relative ease compared to many other hypothetical advancements.

So I'm not big on biology at all, and could be really wrong here, but don't gills just extract the oxygen that's dissolved in the water? Like, you're not getting the O in H2O, you're getting the air that's in the water. So if a different planet had water, but a non-oxygenated environment, wouldn't gilled creatures still not be able to breathe?

Or do I have it all wrong?

[Tvtyrant]

So I'm not big on biology at all, and could be really wrong here, but don't gills just extract the oxygen that's dissolved in the water? Like, you're not getting the O in H2O, you're getting the air that's in the water. So if a different planet had water, but a non-oxygenated environment, wouldn't gilled creatures still not be able to breathe?

Or do I have it all wrong?

You are correct. The benefit for space travel is that water pressure and friction can offset muscle lossed to gravity reduction, water is one of, if not the best anti-radiation shields, and is less prone to disasters than pressurized air.

[Peelee]

You are correct. The benefit for space travel is that water pressure and friction can offset muscle lost to gravity reduction, water is one of, if not the best anti-radiation shields, and is less prone to disasters than pressurized air.

I getcha now. Thanks!

Counterpoint: Water is also really heavy. Getting fuel-efficient space travel seems like it would be higher priority than artificial gills.

I got nothing on the atrophy aspect.

[Tvtyrant]

I getcha now. Thanks!

Counterpoint: Water is also really heavy. Getting fuel-efficient space travel seems like it would be higher priority than artificial gills.

I got nothing on the atrophy aspect.

Yeah, I don't disagree with that. But moon and mars bases would be much safer once filled with water, and people won't be stranded there afterwards.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

So I'm not big on biology at all, and could be really wrong here, but don't gills just extract the oxygen that's dissolved in the water? Like, you're not getting the O in H2O, you're getting the air that's in the water. So if a different planet had water, but a non-oxygenated environment, wouldn't gilled creatures still not be able to breathe?

Or do I have it all wrong?

You have it right, with the added detail that waterborne stuff like algae can also produce oxygen, the water is where oxygen producing life started after all. Or you could use some artificial solution.

I think a big problem with artificial gills is that you'd need a really large surface area with a good water flow all over it to get the water outside and the air inside to exchange enough oxygen for a person to breath. People have thought of it, it's just really hard to turn into a sensible device that could actually be used.

If I were going to invent a set for a science fiction book I'd hook them directly into either the blood or the lung fluid. Have that exchange oxygen with the water, skip the air step in between.

[Tvtyrant]

I think a big problem with artificial gills is that you'd need a really large surface area with a good water flow all over it to get the water outside and the air inside to exchange enough oxygen for a person to breath. People have thought of it, it's just really hard to turn into a sensible device that could actually be used.

If I were going to invent a set for a science fiction book I'd hook them directly into either the blood or the lung fluid. Have that exchange oxygen with the water, skip the air step in between.

The latter is what I am interested in. Even if it requires a double gill for health reasons (water exchanges with a solution, solution exchanges with blood) it is the elimination of air which would provide the most benefits as water is less impacted by pressure (so deep sea diving becomes possible).

The largest gilled animals were 50-60 ft long, so human size isn't a limitation.