The Challenges of Rapid Technological and Scientific Advancement

Science and technology has built the modern world. Within a century modes of transportation, communication, and access to knowledge have vastly increased. The rapid advancement of science and technology that occurred in the 20th century will continue into the next, but there are some unintended consequences that come with such a change. Some changes may even be potential threats or dangerous. Human civilization has reached a point that it can manipulate the environment, produce substances that do not occur in nature, and even alter its own biology. Science and technology has provided multiple benefits to society, there has been negative repercussions from its misuse. The development of weapons of war, environmental destruction, and the possibility of eugenic transhumanism are the products of the abuse of scientific knowledge. What should be the march of progress may become a dystopian science fiction nightmare. Only with proper regulation and understanding of science and technology can prevent such a negative outcomes . The public requires a greater comprehension of  technology and the scientific fields to better navigate a constantly changing world. The entire globe has been transformed by discoveries related to physics, biology, astronomy, and engineering. Knowledge progresses so fast along with computing power, that artificial intelligence is in reach. What must be prevented is humanity inducing its own demise through the power it has amassed from technological advancement. The challenges of scientific and technological advancement are the ethics of use, the negative impact of rapid change in society, and the possible use of scientism for nefarious purposes.  

      Engineering has produced many marvels . The applied science also created more lethal weapons. Nuclear weapons and there  proliferation has been a global problem. The only time nuclear weapons were used in combat was in World War II. Japan's cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki sustained the world's first nuclear attacks. Seeing the devastation these weapons caused made other countries want to acquire them.   The Cold War was period in which the likelihood of nuclear war was high. Even though it was avoided and the Soviet Union collapsed nations still seek to expand arsenals. The United States, Russia, the UK, France, India , Pakistan, Israel, North Korea , and China   have them. The technology is so powerful that they were only used twice so far in human history. Nuclear power was beneficial to civilization. This was an efficient way of providing power to cities and towns. Nuclear weapons created another threat to survival. Testing caused more long term damage to environments and public health. Radiation and fallout from nuclear blasts last longer than the actual detonation. People close to testing zones got cancer or some form of radiation sickness. The environment can be damaged by radioactive pollution of the atmosphere. Underground nuclear testing can cause further damage to an ecosystem. Oceans can also be effected by radioactive pollution. 

There are few weapons that can match the destructive power of a massive  nuclear arsenal. The arms race comes at a cost. Precious resources are redirected to war instead of useful research. Fusion reactors could meet the world's power needs , however progress is lacking. Public trust has also been eroded, because nuclear power has been give a negative connotation. The advancement of nuclear physics and the discovery of the mass energy equivalence  ushered in the atomic age. The nations of the world have not used nuclear power responsibly, even with the assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Nuclear weapons will not go away unless every country agrees to their gradual abolition. 

       Information technology has radically changed commerce, the distribution of knowledge,  and entertainment. The birth of the internet, more powerful computers, and social media have altered the way people obtain information. The development of quantum computers will allow greater transfer ad storage of human knowledge.  The problems that emerged were unforeseen consequences. Cybercrime,  government surveillance , and  hacking would not have been possible without computers. Censorship has gotten a new medium to invade with numerous tech companies instituting rules that make them appear as if they are publishers. What could have been a potential for promotion of free speech and open exchange of ideas is now under attack. Cybercrime is a more serious problem than misinformation or mendacious claims written over the internet. Identity theft , phising, and other types of scams have become more common. The exchange of personal information without the consent of users on numerous platforms continues. Some regulation may be required to prevent abuse or exploitation. 

The more terrifying development is the use of information technology for mass surveillance. Governments around the world both democratic and authoritarian spy on their citizens. Communication over e-mails or cell phone calls. The violation of privacy and basic rights can happen without a person even being aware of it. No government has the right to spy on its citizens. Mass surveillance will only get worse, because more advanced technology makes it possible.  Facebook and Twitter accounts may be subject to mass surveillance in the distant future. Artificial intelligence  and automation poses challenges related to economics. There could be job loss from both skilled and unskilled workers due to automation. Theoretically, a robot that can produce more than a human being on an assembly line. Robots would build other robots. If machines become too self aware, they might challenge organ life for supremacy. This scenario may seen like an idea of of science fiction, but could happen at the end of the century. Robots could be utilized for military combat or policing. Using robots or information technology for war or control will only have lugubrious effects on society. 

     There have been predictions that at some point humankind and machine will merge. Transhumanism describes the concept  in which people will use technology to enhance human physiology and biology. Humankind may be able to control and guide its own evolution. Medicine, surgery, and contraception are examples of how people are controlling or manipulating their own biology. Genetic engineering opens up possibilities related to life extension and advancement of health science. Genetically  inherited diseases could be cured. Humanity would have more cures for diseases, rather than a series of treatments. The issue is not about combating disease, rather it is the problem of people enhancing themselves biologically  for the sake of it. 

The merger of information technology combined with genetic manipulation will create a class of biologically enhanced human beings. Such enhancements biological or physiological could be mass marketed to the public. The fear is that this will become a new type of eugenics, in which people are subject to selective breeding. However, this would be a step further than cosmetic surgery. Humans could changes themselves so much they are an entirely different species. The world may come close to resembling that of  A Brave New World and Frankenstein . There remains a risk attempting to manipulate genes and biology. The rise CRISPR ( clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats )  technology indicates that humanity will at some stage be able to guide its own biological evolution. What CRISPR  technology does is enables the location of a specific section of DNA inside the cell. This makes gene editing more efficient . Biology, genetics, medicine, and health science is unlocking the full potential of human bodies. The intention should not be to turn people into science experiments. 

       The ethics of use must be considered when creating and introducing new technology to the public. The myth is that science and technology changed human society for the worst. The negative consequences came about through abuse of knowledge and power. The misuse of scientific knowledge involves  utilizing  it for avarice or malicious intent. Nuclear weapons were made for the purpose of annihilating an enemy. Nuclear power provides electricity. The difference related to use is one contributes to a functioning civilization. The ethics of use of science and technology must follow certain guidelines. The knowledge and technology developed must contribute to human welfare. It should assist in well being, prosperity, and general health. The scientific and technological knowledge should benefit the majority of the world's population. Too often a wealthy elite have the majority of benefits before everyone else. A separation between science and warfare must occur. Technology and scientific information used for war endangers human existence. The goal should be to ensure civilization's survival not its destruction. Educating the public about technology and science should be a priority. Showing how to use technology and scientific knowledge in an ethical manner can be a means of preventing future abuse.  The ethics of use provides a pathway to manage the unknown consequences of  technological and scientific advancement. 

     Rapid change can have serious  repercussions. Air pollution, climate change, reliance  on fossil fuels, plastic and toxic waste are the consequences of humanity's fast technological advancement. The environment and Earth's ecosystems suffered as a result. Various species of animals and plants are at risk. Overtime, deforestation and desertification can threaten human populations. Carbon emissions generated from human activity exacerbate the green house effect, which causes dramatic change in climate. More floods, the gradual melting of the Polar ice caps, lethal heatwaves, and more extreme weather events are linked to climate change. Fossil fuels create hostility between nations. Oil has in particular caused much conflict and environmental damage from off shore drilling. Plastic production has made it so that unused parts of the material are discarded on various lands. Hazardous waste becomes more difficult to store. The more people consume the more waste is produced. Landfills may not be enough to ensure public health and safety.  Technological advancement came so quick, that few anticipated the aftermath. The industrial revolution set human history on the path of  mass production and technology based societies. The environmental conditions only worsened  gradually. Solutions do exist to the challenge of rapid change induced by scientific advancement. New innovations can confront environmental degradation  . Solar and wind power can contribute to the world's energy needs. Electric cars can help with the reliance on fossil fuels. A combination of recycling or waste to energy methods could be used to deal with more hazardous waste. 

       Technological and scientific advancement could create a situation in which scientism can be  used for malevolent intent. Scientism is not an extremist   ideology, however it has the potential to be molded into one. The term has occasionally been used in a pejorative connotation.  If human civilization has mastered so much knowledge, then it could apply it rigidly  to everyday life. What could emerge is a technocratic bureaucracy that governs in which others have little input. Experts would not be challenged or debated in this system.  The promotion of science  and technology should be lauded, but there should be no attempts to make it into another religion. The mistake is thinking one subject or idea has all the answers. Science just like any other academic discipline can be prone to error. This is why the scientific method is used to verify facts. Theories must be tested rigorously to be considered true. The aim should be for science to be objective. The problem is that people naturally  have certain biases, which influence their thought. Being zealously  devoted to a single belief or  ideology  can result in dogmatic thought. Science was not immune from such behavior. The concepts such as epicycles,  the theory of ether, and  the theory of humors had scientists devoted to them, even when they were proven wrong. There exists no academic subject that was completely error free. The best way to solve this issue is to promote critical thinking. People should be encouraged to question the information or knowledge they are presented. Science thrives on questioning natural phenomena . Only when people have a greater understanding of technology and science can the challenges that come from development be managed. 

The Technological Apex

Technology has radically changed society. Transportation, communication, and economic services have become more efficient at any point in human history. Science continues to make advances in astronomy, physics, biology, medicine, and computer science. At some stage in evolution of technological advancement there will be an apex. This means that civilization will have reached such a mastery of science and technology that it cannot advance any further. Disease will not be an issue to public health, space travel will be a part of daily life, and quantum computers could be in every household. These notions may seem exaggerated, but what was once science fiction has become reality. Airplanes, spacecraft, automobiles, and super computers have become a part of human society. If the world decides to put emphasis on rationality and progress the future could be a better place. There is a possibility that such advancement to civilization could be lost to warfare, civil unrest, or severe climate change. History has demonstrated that not only ideas, but technology has changed society to an enormous degree. The turning points were the rise of philosophy, which evolved into modern science, and from there applied science. The industrial revolution, modern medicine, mathematical theory, physics, biology, and chemistry allowed for the modern marvels of the contemporary era. This vast knowledge  could easily be lost, which has occurred during periods of instability.    If this can be avoided, then civilization will reach a technological apex. The rise of the technological apex will be the most significant development in human history. World civilizations at that stage will be able to control the environment, resources, and even the very nature of life itself.
   Transportation has become more prevalent. Air planes, automobiles, trains, and space craft move humankind everywhere. The last and final step in the revolution of transport will be space travel. So far humankind has been able to the reach the Moon. The year 1969 was the time in which humanity went into space. The next destination, with enough effort will be Mars. There are technical challenges. Traveling beyond our Solar System could be extremely perilous. Radiation levels and lack of  gravitation on a spacecraft could effect the body. Long term health effects are still unknown. This must be understood if humanity is to travel long distances in space. Besides merely traveling, there should be plans for possible terraforming. The Moon and Mars could provide a great testing area for such experiments. Astronomers have discovered that there are Earth like exoplanets beyond our Solar System. If spacecraft becomes more advanced, these areas could be colonized. The long distance traveling space craft would have to be efficient in fuel and durable in structure. Traveling to areas that are thousands of light-years away would take many lifetimes. The possible method for fast travel would be to either manipulate traversable  wormholes or produce a ship with high speeds. Until these astrophysical barriers are  circumvented, astronomers have to depend on satellites and powerful telescopes. While space travel is still in a prototypical phase, the automobile industry will undergo a revolution.

Cars reliant on oil and gasoline will become obsolete. Electric cars and other means of fuel requirements will replace it. The only problem is that the automobile industry does not want to invest in it. Fossil fuels are a finite resource, so it is only logical that change will happen. This leads to other possibilities. Hover cars may be made available. They may not reach high altitudes, but enough to not require wheels. Hover boards could be made, yet there are some technical obstacles. Electric cars will be the cars of the future and be more efficient compared to fossil fuel vehicles. This type of car may be easier to maintain and have more durability. The fear is that consumers would stop buying more cars, if they lasted longer. Such a claim is not true, because a car to some people is a status symbol. Consumerism will never end and the public's appetite for new technology is always growing. Self driving cars are in the early stages of development. It will not be unusual to see drivers having their own cars drive without their hands on the wheel. The computer systems of such cars would have to be ensured that it cannot be hacked. To an extent this does pose a safety and security risk. As long as the drive has the ability to gain steering and brake control when they see fit, it should be fine for consumers. 

There will at some point be more high speed rail for land transport. The locomotive will not become obsolete. Instead more trains will be maglev rather than metal rails. There are only a few maglev trains that are active in some countries of the world. They will eventually become the standard. Japan and South Korea seem to be more open to the technology, while countries like Germany, Canada, and the UK have had them at various periods. The United States if it wants to reach a technological apex must invest in this technology. Trains that are maglev move more smoothly and this could reduce the risk of accidents. Subway systems could be constructed to meet the technological needs of such trains. Ultimately, this will reduce costs in terms of maintenance of transport systems. Maglev trains will be faster and more efficient than the traditional wheel and rail trains of the past. This will also impact commerce making shipping less of a burden. 

Aircraft will also undergo a revolution in design and capability. Fighter jets are becoming more sophisticated in terms of speed and mobility. The development should not focus solely on military purposes, but on commercial transport. The majority of research aviation technology is directed to that purpose, yet there should be more emphasis on safer  and fuel efficient planes. There are many engineers who are designing planes that appear like something out of science fiction. Humanity has conquered the sky and land in a short period of time. The march of technological advancement started with the development of simple machines, the tools of the Paleolithic and Neolithic era, and the creativity of the human mind. Yet, one should not jump to rapid conclusions or predictions about the future. While futurology is an exciting field, it tends to predict events that are either outrageous or exaggerated. The technological apex is not a prediction, rather a teleological narrative about where this technology might lead humanity. Relative to transportation, people will be more mobile than ever before. Migration is nothing new to humanity. Our australopithecine ancestors traveled by foot from Africa later to spread across the world. There has been a desire to move and settle. Humanity has mastered the skies and land, but the sea floor still seems like unexplored territory. There are many species of marine life that could be unknown. Submarines and submersible craft can only go so far due to the intense ocean pressure. Mastering full transport of land, air, sea, and the final frontier of space will take human civilization to another level. 

      Biomedical science has progress to a rapid degree. Organ transplants, safe surgery, and the understanding of health science. These advancement will eventually lead to life extension. This has happened to a degree, with more people living into old age. Stem cell research will lead to an efficient method of producing new organs without a donor. Genetic engineering will become more prevalent. Genetically modified organisms are already present in society. Plants and various sustenance are considered  genetically modified organisms. There remains a fear that with the power of genetic engineering a transhumanist future will take over. This is not about enhancing humanity with unnecessary modifications, but conquering disease. Genetically inherited diseases could be eliminated through genetic engineering. This could also lead to possible cures or better treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease can be cured through advances in cytology. If medicine progresses so far humankind may find the key to life. There holds the possibility that death can be transcended. If the physical and mental decline of senescence could be reversed life may not end. The problem is that this could cause social and political issues. Achieving immortality or eternal youth seems more like stories of legend and myth. From a point of biological evolution, physiology, and health science immortality would be impossible for humanity to achieve.Age and death are a part of the biological life cycle. Disease may not be completely subdued, however it can be reduced. Antibiotic resistant bacteria has increased in number causing major health concerns. Mental illness from a neuroanatomical   perspective is still a mystery. Brain scans such as computer axial tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography have discovered an immense about of information about the human brain. This exploration into the human brain and mind is a significant development. Understanding the most complex organic computer will finally answer the question what it means to be human. This has been a question of philosophy and religion; only recently has this question been answered in a scientific context. 

  

The more that is learned about human evolution, the more humankind understands itself. Advances in genetics can help us understand the past. Medicine will be better with few side effects and tailored better to a person's health condition. If new technologies are used responsibly they can improve the human condition. 

     The subatomic world also is a realm that needs further exploration. It is only a matter of time before the nature of various particles are fully comprehended. As a result the way societies consume energy will change. Solar and wind power are going to be a new part of energy production. However, fusion reactors will replace fission reactors. This means nuclear power could be made safer and meltdowns will no longer be a threat. A combination of  both wind and solar power including fusion reactors with meet the energy needs of a rapidly growing global population. Fossil fuel dependency no longer will hold back nations. Although the fusion rector is in a phase of development Germany and the UK have been doing research into such power generation. Besides mere power generation the discovery of the nature of matter sparks more wonder and curiosity. The higgs boson explains why matter has mass, but that is only a part of a much larger puzzle. Particle accelerators allow physicists to confirm various particles, even without mathematics to indirectly prove their existence. Theoretical physics will no longer just be hypothetical in nature; it will be fully experimental. The standard model could see expansion. There is a diminutive world of quarks, muons, leptons, taus, and neutrinos. Understanding such a small world allows for  the advancement of nanotechnology. 

   Machines that are nanometers in size could have various applications. The possibilities could range from surgery, construction, or manufacturing. This is more efficient than drilling for oil or mining coal. These fuel sources are finite and are near depletion. The political and international consequences of this could be devastating, unless action is taken. Investment in new forms of energy and the development of new technologies is the only rational solution. Harnessing the power of the sun could sustain human populations. The wind and solar cycle can be used to the world's advantage. For now the type 2 G star sustains the Earth. These technologies at some point could become prevalent. There still remains a level skepticism about their effectiveness and the business interests devoted to fossil fuel.

     Computers and information technology has come to dominate daily life. Video games, virtual reality, and the internet have created an entire industry of electronic entertainment. Another element to the rise of cyberspace is how it has changed culture. Communication has become more rapid and the average person has more exposure to knowledge. Mass amounts of information can be transferred to people in seconds. Computers went from being the size of an entire room, to the size of a phone. Computer power has increased rapidly, but the evolution will not stop. The next impressive milestone in computing will be the rise of the quantum computer. Currently the quantum computer is in its development stage. They are not like electronic computers that are reliant on transistors. Companies such as Google are already making such machines. This new type of computing manipulates quantum mechanical phenomena, which will perform operations in regards to data. This functions on measurements of qubits. Commercialization will follow and the public may have even faster and more powerful  computers. Mathematics as will gain from this in terms of theoretical research. Calculations of complex theorems or problems will be simple for a computer of this power. If computers are increasing their power, then artificial intelligence may follow. Robotics are a part of industry, yet they do not have the ability to learn. Learning, memory, and problem solving are attributes of intelligence. 

    

There could be in the future androids that are human like with intelligence . They could even have self awareness and sentience. What may seem like a fantasy, becomes more real as technology advances. The economic and political impacts could have some negative repercussions. The labor of robots could replace the work of man. There could be the possibility of revolt among the conscious robots against their creators. Automation poses problems for the workforce, but not the financial elite. These issues would have to be addressed before such technology is introduced. Regulation and certain laws would have to be enforced to ensure no abused would occur. While technology does improve life to an extent, the prospect of abuse becomes higher. 

      The technological apex is not a prediction of the future. It cannot be said the the future will look Bladerunner  or Startrek . These fictional representations show what the creators think the future might be like. However, invention would not be possible without imagination or creativity. Too often it is forgotten that ideas for technology had to thought of through a long process. Early versions of machines and their prototypes either were failures and required multiple attempts. Sometimes discoveries are pure accidents. The technological apex describes how far human civilization can go in terms of  the manipulation of technology and scientific discovery. Once it is reached, there may be nothing left to create. Human civilization may not even reach this level of development for a number of reasons. While there is advancement in science, the world is backward in many regards. Warfare, racism, and religious fundamentalism are a demonstration of  this backwardness.Before any of this level of technological advancement can be reached ideological and philosophical convictions must be changed. The new wave of anti-science sentiment must also be challenged. Ignoring facts such as climate change, human evolution, or environmental science can no longer be acceptable. The public and the wider society must learn to distinguish fact from fiction and most importantly be critical thinkers. A society that is too dogmatic and closed minded will never reach higher levels. The public has a suspicion about science that stems from either fear or lack of understanding. Technology generates this same emotion. Technology is a tool that can either be used for positive or nefarious purposes. It is a choice that people make and the societies in which they live make. The only way the technological apex can be reached is if humanity uses it to improve the human condition. Technology has become ubiquitous in world civilization and it will continue to spread. If humankind can survive it will reach a point of vast knowledge and power.