Webosphere

A bit of a change, and who'd have thought it.

"It's 2075 and even the odd skeptic, inured to the spectacular increases in global weather unpredictability, has been forced to have their patterns uploaded and blasted out into the depths of space; between the Arks heading towards 6185-2.

During the last decade, earth's glaciers have all gone. Desert areas have more than trebled. There has been a 20 fold increase in earthquake and volcanic activity, along with ferocious raging seas.

Food is at a premium. Oil, gas and coal reserves depleted, and time has run out for their replacements.

The last of the worlds democracies has been brought to its knees, from a wave of suicide Nismits, that have over the past couple of years brought the world crashing back down to the brink of hunter gatherer status. For the majority, all thoughts or ability of arresting and reversing climate change is forever lost.

For a very small lucky few, huge stellar ships blast away from a spaceport island. As in the distance another explosion rips into the sky and Washington is gone.

Recording through reinforced e-screens the sky is full of biogen, nuclear, chemical globes of death hurtling to all points across the dying earth..."

First Nanoskein Murder in Second Life

"First Nanoskein Murder in Second Life to be investigated by the LAPD!"

Yes a fictional news headline. It could however be a plausible scenario in the not too distant future!

The science behind immersive technologies are moving forwards at a whirlwind pace. With soon to be retailed headsets that can literally read your thoughts or at the very least the many billions of neurons firing away in our soggy cranial matter. Paper thin displays and clothing replete with embedded technology, could (shoppers willing) be with us, for general use, in the next five to ten years.

Imagine all the sensations of been, for example, on a battlefield! Crawling through hedges or jumping into a muddy field. Having someone caress and stroke you, all within the peaceful surroundings of your own home, cocooned in a virtual nirvana!

To some the above will sound like some Orwellian nightmare. After all what about the human touch? The human aspect of existence?

But there are already people who are ostracising themselves from the ills and troubles that plague so many of their fellow species; hiding behind walled and gated compounds in the developing world, let alone the developed.

So where does it go? Will legislature ensure such things don't happen, are not legally allowed?

Well they've so far not had much luck in the outlawing of drugs or for that matter, anything illicit that a fair groundswell of people wish to acquire.

So we can safely say it will happen. Now just have to wait for that rainbow to come this way!