Uproxx knows that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines are driving the future of this planet forward. Every day, we see new ideas, fresh innovations, and bold trailblazers in these fields. Follow us this month as we highlight how STEM is shaping the culture of NOW.
We were promised jet packs. We were promised hoverboards, and teleporters, and flying cars. We were promised self-lacing shoes, robotic servants, and smart houses. And tickets to space. We were promised a cozy new home on Mars. And yet, here we are in 2017, still tethered to the earth and not getting any younger. Even Lance Bass, the man who was supposed to bring celebrity into orbit, hasn’t left the stratosphere.
So what do we have? Beer made out of pee. That’s it. Okay, we also have heart tissue made out of spinach and biobags that could soon allow for babies to grow outside the womb. And we have the Apple Watch, which is useless for most things but can now tell if you’re suffering from heart disease. So maybe the future isn’t all bad, but it’s certainly not as exciting as the movies told us it would be. And just in case any scientists are out here reading pop culture websites to get an idea of what they should work on next, we’ve put together this list of things we were promised (at least by the TV) and where they are in development. Cross your fingers for teleporters.
Teleporters
You know what most of us would pay for more readily than a Lyft? What we’d open our wallets for faster than you can say “cheap airfare?” Teleporters. Think how great things would be if we could say goodbye to all of that “journey is the destination” nonsense and just get to where we want to faster than you can say “Beam me right to the office, Scotty.” No more running for the bus! No more airport delays! More importantly: How great would a vacation be if you could have fun all day and still sleep at home at night? Just say a command and suddenly you’re in your own bed, ready for another night of completely uneventful slumber.
The good news is that researchers are working on teleportation. In 2016, in fact, scientists at The University of Calgary teleported a particle of light six kilometers! Could humans be next? Well, maybe not yet. First, researchers were only (only, we’re talking about teleportation here) able to beam the light in a straight line; second, the project, while exciting, mostly has implications in the internet security sector as it’s one step closer to truly secure distance communication.
So what about us? According to Discover Magazine, teleportation of humans probably won’t be ready for generations (if ever). That’s partly because there’s just so much of us — we’re much more complicated than a few beams of light and no one has sent that much information before — and partly because in order to teleport a full human, scientists would need to find a way to completely disintegrate all of your atoms at the point of entry (yes, you’d die) and completely recreate you on the other side. Since even a slight disturbance could alter everything (ominous music plays), you probably shouldn’t sign on for teleportations if it becomes available during your lifetime. At least not until it’s been tested thousands of times and we’ve made sure that no one’s developing strange side effects — an arm out of place, some terrible disease, a second head — as a result of the human longing to save time.
While you may not be able to beam from one place to another in real life, Discover points out that we could soon be able to control robotic bodies in places where physically being present would be dangerous or impossible. Like Avatar! If you’re excited about this concept, check out NASA’s Human Exploration Telerobotics research, which is making it possible for astronauts to control robots hundreds and thousands of miles away.
Smart Houses
How great would it be to roll into your house and have all the things you need ready for you? Pretty awesome! And while the internet of things is getting closer and closer to over-engineering everything from juicers to combs that collect data based on the sound of your brushing to virtual assistants that help you dress better and tell you they miss you, we’re still nowhere near a house that will make you pancakes with chocolate chips for breakfast or run itself even in the event of a nuclear apocalypse.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been progress. If you thought that having a “smart home” meant replacing all your appliances, a new device created at Carnegie Mellon will surprise you. It’s a sensor that allows a machine to read all the processes going on in your house and send you information about the data it collects. Not only can it tell when the stove is on or when the water’s running, but it can also tell you how many paper towels you’ve used and even track your consumption so you can be more aware of how much water and electricity you’re using. The best part? The sensor doesn’t require that you purchase “smart” products, so you can forget about having to buy a certain type of fridge or showerhead just because it’s connected.
Today, it’s just collecting data; tomorrow? This device could run your house!
Invisibility
After teleportation and flight (we’ll get into that in a second), invisibility is one of those superpowers most of us wish we could have, and not just because it would allow us to sneak into places, steal things we can’t afford, and eavesdrop on others. Can you imagine how much easier your life would be if you could render yourself transparent to avoid an awkward interaction? We can, and it feels glorious. No more running into your exes or terrible co-workers at social events!
Are we there yet? Well, we’re a little closer than you might think. Because making something invisible has nothing to do with magic spells and enchanted cloaks and everything to do with “how light reacts when it hits an object.” Researchers at UC Berkley have already created an invisibility cloak that can turn 3D objects into flat ones. Of course, The Week reports that the cloak would have to be “tuned” to its surrounding environment in order for it to work, which means that you wouldn’t actually be able to wander around laughing at people who couldn’t see you, but it’s a start.
Unfortunately, we don’t expect anyone to tell the general public if scientists actually do create a full-on invisibility solution; imagine the ethical questions that would raise!
Flying cars
Here’s the good news: Flying cars are here. It’s just that they’re not as spectacular as Back to the Future made them seem. But real life is not a movie, so we’ll take what we can get. And there’s a lot to get. Airbus, for instance, has created a vehicle (now in the concept stage, but they’re looking to get it up and running within a decade) that runs on the road and can be picked up by quadcopter when you need it. Then there’s the Kitty Hawk Flyer, which is financed by Google co-founder Larry Page and can take to the air over water. And there’s Aeromobil, which says it’s bringing its gas/electric hybrid to the market this year.
Just in case you don’t think that flying cars are the next big thing, here’s some more evidence: Uber recently released a statement that revealed the company’s mission to launch flying cars by 2020. And they’re already in talks with both NASA and The National Air Traffic Control Association to make it all happen. Don’t worry, though, Uber won’t be building the aircraft themselves. Instead, they’ll work in partnership with companies including Pipistrel Aircraft and Bell Helicopter to turn our dream of flying to work into a reality. Just don’t spend the entire time looking at your phone as you’re hurtling through the air. And also maybe wait until 2022 to book yourself a rideshare in the sky.
Life on Mars
Remember when you were in grade school and your teacher promised that one day you — yes, you — would probably enjoy a home on the red planet? We remember and we’re still trying to decide if it’s an abuse of Facebook’s TOS to look up the liars and ask why none of us are chilling in space and enjoying a drink with our alien friends right now. They might not have an answer (they expected you to forget!) but scientists and astronauts do. And it’s not looking like you’ll be enjoying Martian delights anytime soon. (Well, unless you’re Evghenia) because humans can’t breathe on it, the temperatures are brutal, and even the dust is toxic. Never fear, though: Humans are still planning to go check it out for themselves by 2030 and the International Potato Center (a real place!) has created a spud that could survive Martian conditions.
And there’s more hope, too: NASA has recently discovered seven new planets, all of them earth-like, and some probably habitable. So move over Mars, TRAPPIST-1 is where it’s at!