Future World

Though mankind has traded tangible goods for millennia, recent technology has changed the fundamentals of trade, in both legitimate and illegal economies. In the past three decades, the most advanced forms of illicit trade have broken with all historical precedents and, as Dark Commerce tells, now operate as if on steroids, tied to computers and social media. Author Louise Shelley examines how new technology, communications, and globalization fuel the exponential growth of dangerous forms of illegal trade and considers diverse ways of responding to this increasing challenge.

The rapid convergence of computing and telecommunications technologies into products, better known as the Internet of Things, coupled with strong human behavioral change has created the emergence of a technological discontinuity that is disrupting all industries as we know them. Information once "trapped" in products is being unleashed, creating a flow of Product in Use Data that is becoming the basis of new services, new business models, and new ecosystems leading to the substitution of traditional product and service companies and the total disruption of industries. During this merging of...

After a day at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, time-traveler Ariel returns to her 2015 Vermont rental cabin only to discover an intruder from her future has captured two of her friends. The ransom he demands is that she plays a temporal game of cat and mouse with him. If SHE wins, he returns her friends and departs for the 24th Century. If HE wins, she must return as his Queen to his corrupted future where he rules the world. Ariel has only two weeks to defeat her stalker from the future.

We are entering a new technological age in which artificial intelligence and immersive media will transform society at all levels. If managed well, this could unleash a new age of abundance. If managed poorly, this technological revolution could easily go astray, deeply compromising our privacy, autonomy, agency, and even our humanity. In Our Next Reality, two industry veterans provide a data-driven debate on whether the new world we're creating will be a technological utopia or an AI-powered dystopia and gives guidance on how to aim for the best future we can.

The Cold War seemingly ended in a decisive victory for the West. But now, Noah Feldman argues, we are entering an era of renewed global struggle: the era of Cool War. Just as the Cold War matched the planet’s reigning superpowers in a contest for geopolitical supremacy, so this new age will pit the United States against a rising China in a contest for dominance, alliances, and resources. Already visible in Asia, the conflict will extend to the Middle East (U.S.-backed Israel versus Chinese-backed Iran), Africa, and beyond.

Discover a groundbreaking exploration of virtual realities and their profound philosophical implications in "Beyond Pixels: Probing the Depths of Virtual Realities." This insightful book delves into the fascinating intersection of technology and philosophy, offering a unique perspective on the virtual experiences that are increasingly becoming part of our daily lives. What's Inside: The Digital Frontier: Understand the emergence of virtual realities and their significance in modern philosophy. Existence in Virtual Worlds: Explore the nature of existence, identity, and self in digital spaces...

A unique tour around the world in search of the great thinkers of our time and their next big ideas. With the world at the threshold of profound changes, the questions become: Where are the philosophers? Where are the great thinkers of today? Where is the next Jefferson, Curie, or Mandela? Which technologies and changes in the nature of life will they harness, embrace, or be inspired by?

Five billion people, two-thirds of the world's mega-cities, one-third of the global economy, two-thirds of global economic growth, 30 of the Fortune 100, six of the 10 largest banks, eight of the 10 largest armies, five nuclear powers, massive technological innovation, the newest crop of top-ranked universities. Asia is also the world's most ethnically, linguistically and culturally diverse region of the planet, eluding any remotely meaningful generalisation beyond the geographic label itself. Even for Asians, Asia is dizzying to navigate.

The Future – as the richest people on the planet have discovered – is where the money is. The Future is a few billionaires leading the world to destruction while safeguarding their own survival with lavish bunkers. The Future is private weather, technological prophecy and highly deniable weapons. The Future is a handful of friends—the daughter of a cult leader, a non-binary hacker, an ousted Silicon Valley visionary, the concerned wife of a dangerous CEO, and an internet-famous survivalist—hatching a daring plan. It could be the greatest heist ever. Or the cataclysmic end of civilization.

There are three types of people when it comes to the future: those who will watch what happens, those who will make it happen, and those who will wonder what happened. Which will you be? Our society has widespread and unprecedented access to information, but what do we do with it all? Who do we trust to accurately track our societal trends, interpret them, and see possibilities for the future - and how can we help to shape that future? The answers lie in Futurecast, an insider glimpse of today’s world - and tomorrow’s.

Do you know what the metaverse is? Do you know that there are many ways to make money with it?It is a network of virtual worlds that is connected to each other and where the vast majority of online experiences will take place, but it will also be related to the real world. Applications of all kinds, high-level companies and enterprises, NFT, blockchains or cryptocurrencies, leisure or work... everything will take place in this virtual 3D reality. Lately you hear about the Metaverse everywhere. Even the most powerful companies in history and the US government are joining the new movement. If...

In 'Domes of Destiny,' Dr. Victor Thorne's visionary quest to shield humanity from a cataclysmic event, unfolds against a backdrop of personal strife and global turmoil. As he wrestles with his obsession to construct protective force field domes, his marriage crumbles and society teeters on the brink of chaos. Despite ridicule and setbacks, Thorne's unwavering determination leads to the creation of sanctuaries amid impending doom. However, when unforeseen challenges jeopardize their safety, Thorne and his allies must confront not only the physical threats but also the fractures in human ...

In a utopian future hundreds of years from now, where function reigns supreme over artistic flair, these adolescents are the stars of the show. They just don’t know it. Dane, a cautious yet curious soul, finds himself abruptly transferred to The Hall, an environment immersed in the art of music. A mysterious note sparks a flame that will alter the course of his existence. Roc, an unstoppable force of energy and competitiveness, finds himself thrust into The Arena, a sports haven perfectly suited to his dynamic nature. In this fast-paced arena, he must navigate the fine line between ...

Unsupervised examines the fast-emerging technologies and tools that are already starting to completely revolutionize our world. Beyond that, the book takes an in-depth look at how we have arrived at this dizzying point in our history, who holds the reins of these formidable technologies, mostly without any supervision. It explains why we as business leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, educators, lawmakers, investors or users and all responsible citizens must act now to influence and help oversee the future of a technological world.

Sixteen thought-provoking short tales that will make you question everything. Take a trip through alternate realities and into many possible futures. Your view of the world will never be the same again.

Our world is constantly buffeted by new and dramatic changes we can't fully grasp. No one is fully prepared for the challenges, crises, and risks that lie ahead. The Extreme Future is a blueprint for what's next and how to navigate these changes.

What if material gain could be married to emotional gain? With newly developed technology, it will be possible to benefit financially simply by spending quality time with those you love. We just have to decide if it's worth it. Currently, technology threatens to leave many behind and irreparably damage our communities, turning our future into a dystopia. But there is a solution.

It was a Roman historian and writer, St. Augustine, who coined the phrase "City of God" in a book of the very same title. But the city of God that Augustine was referring to was not in Jerusalem. When Augustine wrote his book, it was hundreds of years after the Jewish city of Jerusalem had been overrun and destroyed by the Roman legions; he was writing of Rome as the city of God and the center of the Roman Catholic faith.

“No one’s privacy is sacred, no one is free from mind manipulation, or the constant barrage of consumerism. The Return is thought-provoking, prescient and, with the advent of artificial intelligence, we should all be fearful of such a future world.” Connie di Marco, author of the Zodiac Mysteries Aiden Baylor loves the forest surrounding his small mountain town. Alone amidst nature, wondrous ideas fill his head—fantasies and words of wisdom. His neighbors think he's crazy. In the near-future world, entirely dependent on automation and artificial intelligence, people have lost all ...

Paul A. Pagnato has tapped into an incredible brain trust of world-renowned experts from a diverse set of challenging disciplines, each having encountered the intersection of exponential growth and transparency. Their honest assessment for turning challenges into opportunities is inspirational. Their work is changing the world, and now through the prism of transparency, the wave of the future is upon us.