Wild Cards contributed by Nicholas John
Vegetarianism becomes a mass worldwide movement with huge implications for the food industry and the global economy
Super-efficient power lines with almost zero resistance
Future breakthrough in high-temperature superconductors or carbon nanotubes (CNT) enable loss-less transmission of electrical power. Carbon nanotubes exhibit so-called "ballistic conductivity", which is effectively similar to s...
Advances in automation, robotics and ICT renders most human work unnecessary, with major economic and social consequences. Unemployment becomes a norm.
Unexpected environmental change due to nano-tech
Nanosensors designed to detect trace concentrations of biochemicals lead to absorption of nanoparticles into the body and environment, concentrating in water and soil, and eventually linking with natural organisms, causing unkn...
Owing to the proven harmful health impacts of eating meat and the inefficiencies involved in the production of eggs, milk and so on, all animal-based products are illegalised
Future parents are able to select a huge range of genetic characteristics for their unborn children
Reading and writing are no longer considered fundamental to children's education. New visual forms of communication combined with ubiquitous touch screens replace reading and writing.
The idea of a group mind, or hive mind, is popular in science fiction, and refers to the ability of a group of discrete individuals to communicate – either telepathically or through hardware. This means that each individual k...
Outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD)
A new strain of FMD crosses into Europe from a neighbouring country and decimates cattle herds
The nuclear fusion facility ITER is destroyed either by a natural disaster (earthquake? fire?) or in a terrorist attack, setting back European nuclear fusion research by decades
Alternative centres of excellence
India or China emerge as the global centre for scientific excellence (i.e., ERA becomes irrelevant)
The west disavows all responsibility for the problems of the world’s weaker countries, focusing its resources only on European countries
An energy crisis makes air travel prohibitively expensive thus preventing researchers from European and third countries from travelling for research purposes
Cold War style blocs of countries emerge with Iron Curtains between them thereby halting and even reversing trends to global integration
Clean, green machines: The advent of the carbon-lite economy
Breakthroughs in alternative energy sources may end fossil fuel dependence. Likely candidates to replace fossil fuel include nuclear (fusion and fission), hydrogen, biomass and other renewables and increased energy efficiency.
Active Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine
Research on active biomaterials for implantation in the human body leads to in-situ repair and regeneration of damaged tissue
After decades of growing life expectancy, it starts to come down. Given that Europe's long-term planning is predicated on an ageing society, this would have a huge impact throughout the EU and the world.
Scientists finds a way for controlling the weather
Some scientists contend that influencing the weather may be possible if we can sufficiently improve our current ability to observe, predict, and make changes to the atmosphere. There has been some theoretical research on the we...
Underground explosives for remote detonation
Explosives are buried deep underground in massive quantities for remote activation and full ground control
Nano-electrodes are shaped as needles which can be coated with various materials/poisons as anti-human weapons
Remote control sensors for identifying targeted materials
Remote control sensors for identifying targeted materials such as poisons, etc., with remote manipulation.
The disappearance of male chauvinism
Male chauvinism and "machismo" disappear. The majority of world leaders (including heads of state) are women. Even in religious establishments women become more powerful and dominant. This has a high impact on the changing worl...
Nano-based materials that are a strong as metal
Constructions that are as stiff as metal are based on nano technologies
Drugs are de-criminalised or legalised. This has important social implications and a tremendous impact on the security and economy of many countries.
Spirituality is disconnected from religion
There is a massive disengagement of people from established religions, and a movement towards spiritual expression outside religion. This includes spiritual attitudes to issues such as environment protection and climate change,...
Economic crisis and the unsustainable levels of debt in some countries brings about the paralysis or even disintegration of the EU
Drastic reduction in investment in research in Europe
Owing to a lack of interest in science, the goal of spending 3% of the GNP on research is dropped.
Cessation of Xinjiang and Tibet and the breakdown of China
The cessation of Xinjiang and Tibet causes the breakdown of China
The coming of "technological singularity"
The “technological singularity” is a concept advocated by Ray Kurzweil and other futurists (it was first introduced by the mathematician and Science Fiction writer Vernor Vinge). The basic idea is that due to the exponentia...
