From World War III to human extinction, from interactive houses to self-driven cars, from a cure for cancer to moving to Mars, your life in 2050 is likely to be drastically different than it is today. And believe me, I do not think the world is ready for it. The following list is divided into 3 subsections: Drastic Worldwide Effects, Social Issues and Social Impacts, and Technological Advancements/Discoveries. There is something of interest for everyone; after all, more than half of all people alive today will be alive in 2050, and who doesn't want to know the future before it happens?
Drastic Worldwide Effects in 2050
1. World Population Increases by 41%
By 2050, the U.N. estimates that the world population will reach 8.9 billion people.
2. Triple the Consumption of Resources
The drastic increase in human population could mean that, even if we use our resources more efficiently, we may still see them begin to dwindle.
According to the U.N., if radical measures are not taken soon, consumption of resources worldwide will be 141 billion tons per year by 2050.
3. More Humans = More Meat Consumption
It's no secret that we Americans love our meat. World Watch warns that even if most Americans consume 20 percent less meat in 2050 than they did in 2000, which doesn't seem likely, the meat consumption within the U.S. will still increase by 5 million tons. To see why this is significant, look at the figures on number 4.
4. More Meat Consumption = Further Environmental Issues
According to a report published by the Worldwatch Institute, 51 percent or more of global greenhouse-gas emissions are a result of animal agriculture. The creation of a single hamburger is the equivalent of driving a small car 20 miles in terms of the fossil fuel used. Over ⅓ of the raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S. are for raising animals for us to eat. So, when the world’s population increases 41% by 2050, I guess we better hope those next billion or so people are vegetarians, eh?
5. Food Shortages and Soaring Prices
According to the U.N., 825 million people are undernourished.
And as stated by The Guardian, a report by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank implies 25 million more children will go hungry by mid-century. If global warming is left alone, we will all be affected by climate change in the form of food shortages and soaring prices in all regions of the world.
6. There's a Way to Reduce World Hunger, Though
The inability to feed our growing population by 2050 could potentially be solved through equal rights to women. As one source illustrates, 60-80 percent of agricultural workers worldwide are women, however, many are underpaid and provided with fewer resources to improve their harvests. If the opposite were the case, the number of hungry people worldwide would reduce by 12-17%.
7. So, What Will We Eat?
With food shortages, increasing prices, a majority of agricultural workers lacking the resources they need, an ever increasing population, and our favorite source of energy being detrimental to the environment, it looks like we will have to reconsider our traditional views of what a meal consists of.
As a supplement or alternative to meat, we may have to get creative and consume bugs instead. Trust me, I'm not thrilled about it either. According to this source, though, bugs are a good source of low-fat protein. Oh, joy.
Other things that may soon be on the menu include weeds, environmentally friendly cultured beef created in a laboratory, and seaweed. Can't wait.
8. You Might Be Poor
In today's world, 2.8 billion people on the planet struggle to survive on less than $2 a day.
According to a 2013 United Nations Human Development Report, if there are not any significant changes made to deal with climate change and environmental disasters, as many as 3.1 billion people on Earth could be in extreme poverty by 2050.
9. Inadequate Water Supply By 2040
More than one billion people lack reasonable access to safe drinking water.
To put this into perspective, Pokemon Go (the new app craze) has about 21 million daily active users. I'm sure you've seen people playing the app everywhere, but imagine approximately 47 times as many people who can't even get access to fresh water. That's the reality of the current world we live in.
Yet, according to Seametrics, five times as much land is likely to have “extreme drought” by 2050. Furthermore, 1 in 5 developing countries will face water shortages. If water consumption is continued at the rate it is today, there will not be enough water by 2040 for the entire world population.
10. Is It Getting Hot In Here? Or Is It Just All That Fossil Fuel We’re Burning?
Here in the United States, though we have less than 5 % of the global population, we use about a quarter of the world’s fossil fuel resources, according to World Watch. This equates to approximately 25 % of the coal, 26 % of the oil, and 27 % of the world’s natural gas.
Unless changes are made, the world is still going to rely on fossil fuels for 85% of its energy needs in 2050 which will result in 50% more greenhouse gas emissions than today.
“Because of such dependence on fossil fuels, carbon dioxide emissions from energy use are expected to grow by 70 percent, the O.E.C.D. said, which will help drive up the global average temperature by 3 to 6 degrees Celsius by 2100 — exceeding the warming limit of within 2 degrees agreed to by international bodies.” - New York Times
11. But There’s No Excuse; 80% Of That Could Be Renewable Sources
According to a U.N. report, 80% of the world’s energy demand could be supplied by renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydropower by 2050 if the right policies were implemented.
12. Rises In Sea Level And Floods
Sea levels could rise up to 19 inches by 2050, according to a PBS article
about a report published in the journal Environment Research Letters. Global warming could cause storms that affect 3.7 million U.S. residents with flooding. The states with the largest populations in regions susceptible to flooding are Florida, Louisiana, California, New York and New Jersey.
13. Living Beyond Our Planet’s Bio-Capacity
The planet has available 1.9 hectares of biologically productive land per person to provide them with resources and absorb waste but the average person on Earth already uses 2.3 hectares worth. The average American claims 9.7 hectares.
To make matters worse, according to World Centric, the ecological footprint available to each person will be 1.5 by 2050 if the population continues to grow at the rate that it is. We are already living beyond our planet’s bio-capacity to sustain us and it will only worsen by 2050.
14. Colonize Second Planet
A study by the World Wildlife Fund warns that we are consuming our planet’s resources at a rate greater than it is capable of sustaining life. If this continues at this rate, we will need a second habitable planet by the year 2050. Happen to have a spare planet we can borrow?
Click on the link in the paragraph above to see just how quickly we are destroying our home.
15. World War III in 2050?
A geopolitical scientist by the name of George Friedman predicted that within this century, a World War III may erupt, with the United States initially on one side and Japan And Turkey on the other. He states that as these two countries become significant maritime powers, hostility may rise between them and the United States, which currently controls the oceans.
As he puts it, "...There may be other players, it may not happen in 2050- but every century has a war. The 21st century is not going to be the first century without major warfare."
Social Issues and Social Impacts in 2050
16. Obesity On The Rise
Obesity in the U.S. leads to an annual loss of 300,000 lives and cost at least $117 billion in health care costs in 1999.
According to a 2010 study jointly published by Harvard and MIT, 42 percent of the U.S. population could be overweight or obese by 2050.
17. 70% of World Will Live In Cities
By 2050, 50-75% of India and China will be living in urban areas, each one reaching about a billion people living in cities in just their country alone, states one source. The United States has had more than 75% of its population living in urban regions since the 1990s. This was followed later by France, Spain, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Australia, and Brazil. This trend is will continue. In 2050, 70% of the world will live in cities.
18. Homophobia: Is There Hope?
This article states every Muslim-majority country in the Middle East has anti-gay laws, Iran executes gay people, and homosexuality is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia. Beatings and murders are common in much of Africa and in some Muslim countries, and African gangs use "corrective rape" as a means of attempting to change the sexuality of lesbians. Nigeria has passed anti-gay laws and Russia, in addition to a few other countries, has restricted the “promotion” of homosexuality.
There is some hope for the future, though, since urbanization may help. According to the Economist, "As people move to cities, old traditions lose their grip..." By 2050, when some of the citizens of the world migrate to cities, maybe they will have left their prejudices behind.
19. 310 Million Child Brides in Africa Alone
According to the U.N., the dramatic population increase by 2050 is going to consist of growth mainly in developing countries, and more than half in Africa. Nigeria’s population is expected to surpass that of the United States before 2050.
UNICEF explains that because Africa’s population is expected to surge from 275 million to 465 million by 2050, the total number of child brides in Africa could double to 310 million by 2050.
20. A Cure For AIDS
Since the emergence of AIDS in the 1980s, around 30 million people have died from the disease, says one source.
The 2008 Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine, Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, was a part of the team that discovered the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. She believes AIDS could be cured by 2050, as long as people have access to the treatment they need and the stigma doesn't prevent them from seeking help.
21. Longer Average Lifespan
Statistics demonstrate that a quarter of the anticipated 9.2 billion global population in 2050 will be due to the fact that the number of people ages 60 and over will almost triple.
Worldwide, life expectancy is anticipated to reach 76 years in the period 2045-2050.
2 billion people worldwide, ages 60 and over, is too large a number of people to place in nursing homes, don't you think?
22. Mental Illness
NCBI predicts that by 2050, 46 million American adults will be diagnosed with a depressive disorder. The increase will be most significant in adults ages 65 and older.
23. Illicit Drug Use Will Increase
Approximately 230 million people took illicit drugs at least once in 2010, according to The Guardian.
Deaths from misuse of prescription painkillers in the U.S. have quadrupled since 1999. In what the White House called an epidemic, the deaths now outnumber those involving heroin and cocaine combined.
Illicit drug use is anticipated to grow by 25% by 2050.
24. Cigarette Use Diminishing, May Stop Altogether
Cigarette taxes have increased around the U.S. and polls demonstrate that smoking is not considered normal behavior anymore, says
The adult smoking rate in America could drop to 5% or lower by 2050.25. So Long, White Majority!
The U.S. government predicts that whites will become a minority in the country by 2055 and the National Geographic states the average American will look like the woman in the above picture by mid-century.
Following suit, the number of ethnic minorities in the UK will essentially double by 2050, reaching as much as 30% of UK's population.
Does this mean that racism will decrease as minorities gradually become majorities? Or will racism rise out of fear of change? Only time will tell.
26. Most Popular Religions
The Pew Research Center conducted a study called “The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050." They predict that in 2050, Christianity will remain the religion with the most followers but Islam will experience the greatest amount of growth. There will be 2.9 billion Christians, 2.8 billion Muslims, 1.2 billion people who don't identify with a faith, and 16.1 million Jews. The number of Buddhists will remain similar in numbers and Hinduism will increase by 34%.
27. Smuggling of Banned Products
Due to many new regulations that will likely be introduced as a result of climate change and rapid population growth, there are many products we consider normal today that could be banned by 2050. Wikistrat brainstormed that some of these may include independent honey products, non-GMO seeds, and DNA. They hypothesized these products may be banned and emerge on the black market if there is a global collapse of bee colonies, if farmers and customers seek more organic food, or if people are aiming to use DNA to create clones or certain traits they desire.
28. Changes in the Workplace
According to Business Insider, we could see many changes in the workplace by 2050. Among them, artificial intelligence could replace humans for some jobs, retirement could disappear altogether since the average lifespan will lengthen and cost of living keeps increasing, workplaces could begin hiring "freelancers" instead of full-time employees, and it could become the norm to change careers throughout life based on current passions rather than sticking to one path for life.
29. Prison in 2050
According to Sharon Dolovich, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law and an expert on the law and theory of prisons and punishment, the state of prisons may not improve by 2050. Though she states that decreasing the number of people incarcerated for drug crimes may make prisons more safe since they "would be running at a reasonable capacity", she doesn't seem to find it likely that reform will happen by 2050. As she puts it, the chances are, "Slim to none, but one never knows. Social change comes when there are urgent problems that force themselves onto the public agenda."
30. Credit Card Debt Galore
World Watch says 61% of credit card users in the U.S. in 2002 had a monthly balance that averaged at $12,000 with 16% interest. Yikes.
In 2012, total U.S. credit card debt rose $36.7 billion, then by $38.8 billion in 2013, and by $57 billion in 2014, according to the Washington Times.
Today, the average American holds 52% more debt than they did a decade ago, states this article. Just imagine how much the debt could increase in the more than three decades we have left until 2050.
If the American credit card debt were to increase steadily by $57 billion every year until 2050, the overall debt would increase by one trillion nine hundred thirty-eight billion.
31. A New University on The Horizons
According to Forbes, University may be different for the college students of 2050. For example, students may watch lectures of top professors in class even if the professor doesn't teach at their school. This would be an attempt to ensure all students are receiving the best education they can. It is possible too, that the technology of the future may spice up education for students. Surveys show that most college students are not interested in learning.They spend 13 hours a week studying, as compared to the 40 hours a week of students in the 1920s. Hopefully, the education of the future will involve a little more creativity and fun so America can regain its lost love of learning.
Maybe it's a stretch, but could that reformed education come without a spike in tuition? That'd be great, thanks.
32. Income Inequality Could Have Consequences
A report mentioned by the Huffington Post warns that worldwide income inequality jeopardizes the current economic order, that movements like Occupy Wall Street could gain power, and that backlash due to increasing inequality is a possibility. As Willem H. Buiter says in the report, "It's going to be a tougher playing field for the rich."
33. Which Countries Will Be The Richest?
In 2050, Singapore will be the richest country in the world, followed by Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, according to the Huffington Post. The United States will slip from third place to fifth and Canada will rise from ninth place to seventh.
Technological Advancements/ Discoveries in 2050
34. Higher Buildings, Even a Space Elevator
Graphene, a material discovered by Konstantin Novoselow and Andre Geim at the University of Manchester in 2004, could drastically increase battery life, create electronics that are very thin and even flexible, be used for solar power on any surface, could mean higher buildings, and possibly even lead to the creation of a space elevator, says this article.
35. A Cure For Cancer
The UK is making ground in the research on treatments for cancer. They predict that by 2050, anyone with cancer under the age of 80 will be curable.
36. Environmentally Friendly Vehicles
As of 2003, The U.S. had more personal cars than licensed drivers in 2003, according to a World Watch article. Guess which were among the best-selling. The not so fuel efficient sport utility vehicles, of course.
Thankfully, in 2050, it is likely that we will travel in electric vehicles without a combustion engine. However, for longer trips that last beyond a 500-mile range, “a small, turbo-charged, rotary engine might serve as a range extender – used only a few days a year, but good to have on board”, according to a BBC article.
37. But Wait, You Won’t Be Driving in 2050
According to Scientific American, "...in October 1995 an experimental vehicle called Navlab V crossed the U.S. from Washington D.C. to San Diego, driving itself more than 95% of the time." That was the technology available the year I was born, so imagine the technology we will have when I am 55 in 2050.
According to BBC, the vehicles of the year 2050 will be self-driven. There are many technologies that could be implemented in the cars of the future. For example, they could have a Super Cruise which controls the car on long stretches of highway, a Traffic Jam Assistant which moves cars together through an area congested with traffic, or even implement a Road Train where one professional controls a vehicle that leads other virtually connected vehicles.
As a result, driving in 2050 may be much more efficient and safe than it is today, and you may be able to nap or get work done during the time you spend traveling.
38. The Homes of the Future
Even though U.S. Households generally had fewer people per home in 2002 than in 1975, the new homes were still 38% larger.
According to Forum For The Future, most of the homes of 2050 have already been built, but on the interior, they will be much different “with everything from floor to ceiling retrofitted to inject some intelligence, efficiency, and adaptability into the old shell.”
Sensors may automatically accomplish things for us, such as switching lights on and off, and ensure that everything in the home is running at full efficiency. Homes will become interactive and even be capable of changing to fit our needs. Instead of paint on the walls, there may be screens designed to change appearance based on your preference. To see a video on what this may be like, click here.
39. New Planes in 2050?
Changes in aircraft will be a necessity considering that there will be 7 times as much air traffic by 2050 and 4 times more greenhouse gas emissions.
According to this source, “The crucial next step towards ensuring the aircraft industry becomes greener is the full electrification of commercial aircraft.” Unfortunately, as of now, the technology for that is limited. But once batteries are capable of producing 400 Watt-hours per kilogram, with a ratio of power cell to overall mass of between 0.7-0.8, these aircraft may be possible.
40. Virtual Reality Will Transform Entertainment
It is likely that in 2050 entertainment as we know it today will be outdated, according to this article. Video games and television may no longer be trapped behind a screen. Through means of virtual reality, we may be able to participate in our entertainment as if it is real. Furthermore, technology may advance to the point where we can virtually be in the same room as our friends or family, even if they are thousands of miles away.
41. Floating Cities
As discussed earlier in this article, many coastal cities will experience increased flooding in 2050. In fact, some islands will even become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels. One article suggests there may be a solution, though.
The Seasteading Institute is a non-profit organization that wants to help establish floating cities. This could be the means of combatting rising sea levels in the future.
42. "Green" Buildings
Architecture in the future will likely be covered in trees and plants. The buildings may include solar panels to power the building and recycled water for the vegetation. A single building could have 11,000 plants, 5,000 shrubs, and over 700 trees, according to this source.
43. Trains that Levitate
Japan's JR Central created a magnetic levitation train powered by electromagnets. It can travel up to 310 miles per hour while levitating 10 cm above the track, says Tech Radar.
44. Humans Falling in Love With Robots...
Think same-sex marriage sparked a huge debate? Just wait for 2050, when robot to human relations become the new talk of the town. No, I'm not kidding.
There is already speculation that within the next couple of decades, humans may become intimate with robots and some may even begin to fall in love with them.
Scientific American suggests that by 2040, we will have robots capable of the intellectual capability of humans.
Furthermore, another source implies that robots will be capable of emotion, personality, and humans will be marrying them by 2050.
45. Becoming Cyborgs
Though there is much agreeance by experts that it will happen, there is a lot of disagreement on when. Yuval Noah Harari, a historian and author from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, believes we could be "God-like cyborgs" within 200 years. Yet, Live Science demonstrates that brain implants are already being developed in order to allow people to move prosthetic limbs using only their thoughts or even to restore vision. If technology progresses fast enough, the human race could become a mix of man and machine by mid-century. Well, at least the portion that could afford it.
46. Our Pets Will Talk To Us?!
It won't end with human upgrades; this technology will be used to give our pets new abilities too. One futurologist by the name of Ian Pearson predicts that by 2050 we will be able to communicate with our pets.This is great news for those of us who already have one-sided conversations with our beloved animals on a daily basis. We will now finally know what brand of dog food our puppies prefer and whether cats really are in a constant state of annoyance.
47. Artificial Intelligence Surpasses Human Intelligence
They already released a movie about this called "Transcendence" in which Johnny Depp starred. But as this source states, the movie is not based in fiction, but something that could one day become reality. The foundation for this film is the concept of singularity, or the instant when technology surpasses humanity.
This is a frightening thought for the human race because it means that reality, as we know, could drastically change. All we have ever known is control, using our intelligence to outwit and dominate the other forms of life on our planet. So, when we no longer have that competitive advantage, what comes next? Do we implement number 28 to ensure that our creations do not surpass our own abilities? Or do we become slaves to the technology we ourselves created?
Well, according to this site, many of us may know within our lifetime. As it predicts, "So the earliest that it can occur is 2050, and the latest is 2075, with the highest probability of occurrence in 2060-65. There is virtually no statistical probability that it can occur outside of the 2050-75 range."
48. Living on Mars
President and Chief Engineer of Planetary Resources Chris Lewicki stated in this interview, "I think certainly by 2050 we’ll be well beyond just finding asteroids, we’ll be on the surface of the Moon, we’ll have colonies and habitats on the surface of Mars, and we’ll really be able not only to develop resources of the asteroids but resources of the rest of space. We’ll look back in time just as we do with aviation today and wonder how the world got along before that happened."
49. Discover Aliens by 2050
Actually, probably sooner.
Astronomers are predicting that by 2031, we could find life on other planets, as demonstrated in this Live Science article. For example, Russian astronomer Andrei Finkelstein believes extraterrestrials definitely exist. He pointed out that more than 1000 planets orbiting stars other than our own have been found. Finkelstein states that if there is water on these planets, there will be life.
50. Human Race Goes Extinct
Unfortunately, the majority of the 49 points mentioned before will be irrelevant if the following predictions by scientists come true.
Peace legacy predicts the human race could be extinct by 2050. It cites a book called "Six Degrees" in which Mark Lynas says, "If the global warming is 6 degrees centigrade, we humans go extinct." This could cause famine and methane fuel-air explosions.
The human race won't last more than 100 years according to Professor Frank Fenner, an Australian scientist who helped to eliminate smallpox. He predicts that the damage humans caused through environmental destruction and climate change is irreversible, and that overpopulation of Earth will only further our problems. Lack of resources is one of the main things he believes will lead to our ultimate extinction, comparing the state of Earth with what happened to Easter Island. He states that wars over food are likely to increase, according to Phys.
To sum up these 50 facts and predictions in one word: frightening. Yes, our world is taking some steps towards progress such as creating safer and more environmentally friendly vehicles/buildings, and still, it’s not enough. We can't figure out how to take care of our own planet. By midcentury, we will need a replacement Earth, we are running out of water and natural resources, and we could be extinct within a century. If there’s anything to take away from this article, it’s that all of us have the wrong priorities and a false sense of security. We are concerned with all the wrong things.
