We live in a world full of amazing new technology. Things are evolving so quickly that we often take for granted just how powerful these developments are. There’s no better example than the smartphone, which most people carry around as a source of communication, news, navigation, recreation, and more. Even the simplest of these functions were the stuff of science fiction a generation ago.

The advances have come in many different fields, all of which can have a meaningful impact on our daily lives. Here is just a small sample of what we take for granted today that was a dream just a few years back, and how it is making our daily lives better.

Medical Improvements

The field of medicine has certainly not missed the boat with technology. A profession that was really as much art as science at one time is now so technologically advanced that it is astounding. A tiny ligament or tendon torn in an athlete’s knee can now be imaged on a computer monitor with high definition and incredible detail, permitting a specialist to develop the optimum course of treatment before even touching a scalpel.

And while we typically think of these medical upgrades as being confined to the tests and treatments we receive at a doctor’s office or in a hospital, there have been equally impressive advances made in the things that follow us home. Terms like “bedfast” are rapidly fading from the vocabulary as more and more accommodations are developed to help people move around despite injuries and ailments. For instance Quingo is helping elderly people who would have once needed constant assistance with a wheelchair to get around safely and effectively in their homes, in the outdoors, and everywhere else they need to go.

Genetic Improvements

While many people shudder at the thought of genetic engineering, the fact is that it’s been going on for centuries. Ranchers remove the inferior animals from the herd and breed only those with the best traits. Nurseries cross the best apple trees to develop and perfect new varieties.

So while genetic engineering may sound intimidating, it’s nothing but an accelerated version of the artificial selection that has gone on since agriculture has existed. The result is a more nimble agricultural world, one that can react more quickly to new diseases and avoid disasters like the Irish potato famine. It can circumvent the massive cost of constant experimentation and selection, getting the best-yielding, best-tasting, and safest products on the market in a tiny fraction of the time it once took–all to the advantage of not just those who sell the food, but also those who eat it.

Travel Improvements

Perhaps the greatest barrier to a better world is distance. The further we are from other people, the more difficult it is to understand them and avoid international conflict. The more expense associated with going elsewhere for an education, the less likely we are to pursue it.

From the time that rail travel necessitated the assignment of time zones, technology has been helping us cover the miles more quickly. It may seem that jet travel is the acme of this progression, but the prospects for faster local travel are still very promising. Magnetic rail travel can permit trains to achieve amazing speeds with smooth movement, making a 30-minute commute from DC to NYC a reality. And technology is improving air travel management, making it more efficient to fly by reducing layovers, avoiding bad weather, and overseeing aircraft maintenance.

With each passing year, it appears that the horizon of science is a little further away. Each step we take to try to discover everything shows us that there is still much more to discover. The potential that exists in this world and beyond it is limitless, and we are confined only by the size of our desire to pursue new knowledge.

Shift Frequency © 2017 – In Science, the Future is Now