Future Tense

Scientists in the UK have developed a form of artificial intelligence that mimics the brain functions of a honeybee. The results promise to make drones and other flying craft far more manoeuvrable and crash-proof. Also, the dream of a “female internet”; and why mathematician, Hannah Fry, thinks all technologists should take a Hippocratic oath.

Stories like opinions have become a necessity of modern life.  Everybody is encouraged to have an opinion and everybody – in the vernacular of countless motivation speakers – is encouraged to be the “hero of their own story”. But are we in danger of making too much of them? If the story becomes the central device for much of our communication, do we risk losing our sense of objective reality? 

Angela Kamine, a former Oxford academic and author, Duncan McCann from the New Economics Foundation, and Andrew Bower from the Natural Resource Governance Institute dive into the complexities of sovereign wealth funds. They discuss Norway's successful management of its $1.4 trillion fund and contrast it with the strategies of countries like China. The conversation highlights governance issues, the importance of transparency, and the need for citizen involvement. They also explore how these funds can safeguard wealth and influence economic resilience, especially in times of crisis.

Imagine if you could use your own body heat to recharge your smart phone? That’s just one of the ways scientists are trying to decentralise energy production. They also have an eye on new means of power distribution, including using laser beams instead of lines and poles.

There’s a serious campaign underway to have 30 per cent of the Earth designated as a giant conservation zone. The target date is 2030.The eventual aim is to lock down half the planet. It’s about protecting habitats and biodiversity.But, in so doing, what are the risks for indigenous communities and the poor?  

How many private details are you revealing online – and how valuable is that information? And more importantly what steps can you take to protect your data?

Agromining is a new process for extracting large quantities of metals such as cobalt and nickel from the sap and leaves of rare plants known as hyperaccumulators. Australian scientists have already established a test farm in Malaysia and it’s hoped the technology will one day provide poor communities with a new source of income, while also helping to rehabilitate former mining sites. Also, why do some people get sick after using Virtual Reality and is that holding back the technology? And a new approach to data storage and processing called Edge Computing.

As the global aviation industry is slowly coming out of its enforced hibernation, all aspects of the business are up for a rethink - from international routes, to aircraft size, even the design and function of passenger terminals. Some analysts see a unique opportunity to reset the way we travel, and to bring the industry into the 21st century. But there are strong headwinds to navigate.

The “catch-up and surpass” trope now dominates discussion about Chinese technology. It’s very black and white - China is rising and the rest (mainly the US and the West) are falling behind. It’s all painted as an inevitability. But the reality is much more complicated. Propaganda isn’t strategy. Chinese technology firms are beginning to lead the way in certain social media areas, but they’re also coming up against cultural and manufacturing limits more broadly.

It’s estimated illegal fishing now accounts for the capture of one in every five fish worldwide. It’s a massive problem. But the biggest threat to fish stocks comes not from illegal activity, but from mainstream fishing industries. In particular, the large national fishing fleets that traverse our oceans. A major international study of marine species has found over 33 per cent of fish species are being over-exploited. 60 per cent are being fished to their maximum level. So, can we bring over-fishing under control, before the oceans are emptied of marine life?