The world is an uncertain place, which is why the future and the unknown absolutely fascinate us. Veteran television journalist Mike Wallace asked the question "What will life be like 50 years from now?" to sixty of the world's greatest minds. Their responses offer a fascinating glimpse into the cultural, scientific, political, and spiritual moods of the times. Edited and with an introduction by Mike Wallace, this book provides an imaginative and thought-provoking look into our collective soul and the critical issues that underlie our hopes, prayers, fears, and dreams for life in the 21st century.

Contributors include former presidents, leading scientists, noted writers and artists, respected religious leaders, and current political figures, including: Vint Cerf, Vice President of Google; known as a "Father of the Internet"Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., a geneticist who led the Human Genome ProjectDr. Wanda Jones, Director of the Office on Women's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesRay Kurzweil, an inventor whose developments include the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind and the first text-to-speech synthesizerGeneral James E. Cartwright, Commander of United States Strategic CommandKim Dae-jung, the former President of the Republic of KoreaRonald Noble, Secretary General of InterpolNorman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize winner; called "the father of the Green Revolution"Carol Bellamy, former Executive Director UNICEF, first former volunteer to serve as director of Peace Corp, and current president and CEO of World LearningGerardus 't Hooft, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Utrecht University in the Netherlands; Nobel Prize in Physics Craig Newmark, Internet pioneer and founder of craigslist

Here is the spine-tingling, true story of that first American blast into the realm of the stars, of the men who underwent rigorous training for that epic mission, and of the one man who made the safe journey. This is the factual account of the history of rocketry, its triumphs and its failures, our shame in the neglect of it, and our pride in its later accomplishments.

Here, too, is a glimpse into the future, as only science fiction writer Robert Silverberg could foresee: orbiting space stations, a man on the moon, and more!

It is difficult to imagine a world without the car, and yet that is exactly what Dennis and Urry set out to do in this provocative new book. They argue that the days of the car are numbered: powerful forces around the world are undermining the car system and will usher in a new transport system sometime in the next few decades. Specifically, the book examines how several major processes are shaping the future of how we travel, including: * Global warming and its many global consequences * Peaking of oil supplies * Increased digitisation of many aspects of economic and social life * Massive global population increases The authors look at changes in technology, policy, economy and society, and make a convincing argument for a future where, by necessity, the present car system will be re-designed and re-engineered. Yet the book also suggests that there are some hugely bleak dilemmas facing the twenty first century. The authors lay out what they consider to be possible 'post-car' future scenarios. These they describe as 'local sustainability', 'regional warlordism' and 'digital networks of control'. After The Car will be of great interest to planners, policy makers, social scientists, futurologists, those working in industry, as well as general readers. Some have described the 20th Century as the century of the car. Now that century has come to a close - and things are about to change.

An extremely important philosophical and political book which concerned people throughout the world, include world leaders, should pay attention to. Wells was a visionary and genius who knew the strengths and weaknesses of men's minds and the proclivities of human nature. He could see where the world needed to be going immediately after the devastation of World War I and, in effect, where it still needs to be going today in order to thrive. He predicts for the future how a political reorganization must take place with the world as a unity, and how the general masses lack any will whatsoever to make it happen. Chapters include The Probable Future of Mankind, The Project of a World State, The Bible of Civilization, The Schooling of the World, and more.

It is difficult to imagine a world without the car, and yet that is exactly what Dennis and Urry set out to do in this provocative new book. They argue that the days of the car are numbered: powerful forces around the world are undermining the car system and will usher in a new transport system sometime in the next few decades. Specifically, the book examines how several major processes are shaping the future of how we travel, including:
- Global warming and its many global consequences
- Peaking of oil supplies
- Increased digitisation of many aspects of economic and social life
- Massive global population increases
The authors look at changes in technology, policy, economy and society, and make a convincing argument for a future where, by necessity, the present car system will be re-designed and re-engineered.

Yet the book also suggests that there are some hugely bleak dilemmas facing the twenty first century. The authors lay out what they consider to be possible 'post-car' future scenarios. These they describe as 'local sustainability', 'regional warlordism' and 'digital networks of control'.

"After The Car" will be of great interest to planners, policy makers, social scientists, futurologists, those working in industry, as well as general readers.

Some have described the 20th Century as the century of the car. Now that century has come to a close - and things are about to change.

From the world-renowned trendspotting duo who has predicted everything from metrosexuality to the growth of global brands comes a new, enlightening look at the future. Based on intensive research and interviews as well as the authors' real-world and business experience in locations across the globe, this book yields surprising conclusions about everything from work (the end of permanent full-time employment) to sex (disappearing gender boundaries) to business (the emergence of true one-to-one marketing and the birth of 'Chindia'). It is essential reading for managers, marketers, and just about everyone else.

Humanity is on the cusp of an exciting longevity revolution. The first person to live to 150 years has probably already been born. What will your life look like when you live to be over 100? Will the world become overpopulated? How will living longer affect your finances, your family life, and your views on religion and the afterlife? In 100 Plus , futurist Sonia Arrison brings together over a decade of experience researching and writing about cutting-edge advances in science and technology to paint a vivid picture of a future that only recently seemed like science fiction, but is now very real. The first book to give readers a comprehensive understanding of how life-extending discoveries will change our social and economic worlds, 100 Plus is an illuminating and indispensable text that will help us navigate the thrilling journey of life beyond 100 years.

Hiroshima. The Bomb. Madness. The Buried Dream of America. Quantum Physics. Buddhism. The Individual & The Universe. Reality. Mirrors. Delusion. Who Are We? Cause and Effect. Extraordinary Ordinary People. The Buddha. Spirits of the Land. War. The Real Battle. The Beginning and End of Time. The Roots of America. The Lotus Sutra. Electrons. Karma. Hibakusha. The Ceremony in the Air. Revolution. The Intent of the Universe. Happiness. You and I. The New Superpower. It's all here in this book. Come on in.

Throughout our history, humans have been fascinated by the possibility of improving the length and quality of life. In the past, this was the purview of poets and philosophers but increasingly this is becoming the hard targets for science and medicine. But what are the social, ethical and economic ramifications of extending life?

This book highlights debates between the country's top scientists, political experts, journalists and ethicists as the come face to face to share their futuristic, and often radical, predictions and views. At a time when our country's older population is increasing at an unprecedented rate, these experts cautiously contemplate the public policy consequences of advances in the science of aging.

These transcripts are the products of monthly debates and interviews hosted on SAGECrossroads.net, a unique web portal committed to shining a bright and often controversial spotlight on emerging issues surrounding aging research.

SAGE Crossroads is an initiative of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, SAGE KE, and the Alliance for Aging Research.

An extremely important philosophical and political book which concerned people throughout the world, include world leaders, should pay attention to. Wells was a visionary and genius who knew the strengths and weaknesses of men's minds and the proclivities of human nature. He could see where the world needed to be going immediately after the devastation of World War I and, in effect, where it still needs to be going today in order to thrive. He predicts for the future how a political reorganization must take place with the world as a unity, and how the general masses lack any will whatsoever to make it happen. Chapters include The Probable Future of Mankind, The Project of a World State, The Bible of Civilization, The Schooling of the World, and more.

This is a guidebook on world control and management, a program that Wells believed should be orchestrated (and would be successful) through what he called the "Open Conspiracy." This conspiracy is fully outlined in this work and is designed to be run by many separate organizations working together, as opposed to being run by just one group. Is this required reading for the world's most powerful people? Maybe it is. Or maybe it should be. Wells was a visionary and genius whose work should be paid attention to. Chapters include The Idea of the Open Conspiracy, We Have to Clear and Clean Up Our Minds, The Revolution in Education, Religion in the New World, What Mankind Has to Do, Modern Forces Antagonistic to the Open Conspiracy, The Resistances of the Less Industrialized Peoples to the Drive of the Open Conspiracy, The Open Conspiracy Begins as a Movement of Discussion, Explanation and Propaganda, Development of the Activities of the Open Conspiracy, Human Life in the Coming World Community, and more.

Mankind and societies throughout our planet during the next 100 years to well before the year 2400 are going to be faced with problems and impact events on a scale and magnitude never before experienced by the human race. Changes underway now regarding the environment, global temperature rise, glacial and polar ice melts, a 25-foot minimum rise in ocean mean tide levels, worldwide coastal flooding, erosion and permanent loss of arid cultivatable land, increased volcanic and earthquake activity, changing weather patterns, more violent storms, tornadoes and hurricanes, food and freshwater resource limitations, a world population of over 30 billion people within 200 years (currently 6.5 billion) and no way possible to feed that many. These are just a few of the problems mankind everywhere will start to face before the end of the 21st Century. The economic, financial, and societal impacts will be tremendous, let alone health, sanitation, transportation, energy requirements, housing, employment, and other services will all be considerably affected. By the year 2050, 88% of the world's population (12 to 13 billion people) will be living in the undeveloped and developing countries. Food riots, public disorder, wars over water and fishing rights will occur causing many governments to collapse, stressing others to their limits, which will only get worse in the years beyond. What needs to be done by the world leaders, governments, and the UN, all taking a more proactive role in solving these problems and issues beginning now before the solution options left necessitate severe and drastic measures is provided. We'll also visit our solar system, the Milky Way Galaxy, other galaxies and the universeitself in learning about what current dynamic events are happening and what the future holds for each. (Ex: The entire universe is presently expanding at an accelerating rate )

Eva McDonald Valesh was one of the Progressive Era's foremost labor publicists. Challenging the narrow confines placed on women, Valesh became a successful investigative journalist, organizer, and public speaker for labor reform.

Valesh was a compatriot of the labor leaders of her day and the "right-hand man" of Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor. Events she covered during her colorful, unconventional reporting career included the Populist revolt, the Cuban crisis of the 1890s, and the 1910 Shirtwaistmakers' uprising. She was described as bright, even "comet-like, " by her admirers, but her enemies saw her as "a pest" who took "all the benefit that her sex controls when in argument with a man."

Elizabeth Faue examines the pivotal events that transformed this outspoken daughter of a working-class Scotch-Irish family into a national political figure, interweaving the study of one woman's fascinating life with insightful analysis of the changing character of American labor reform during the period from 1880 to 1920. In her journey through the worlds of labor, journalism, and politics, Faue lays bare the underside of social reform and reveals how front-line workers in labor's political culture -- reporters, investigators, and lecturers -- provoked and informed American society by writing about social wrongs. Compelling, insightful, and at times humorous, Writing the Wrongs is a window on the Progressive Era, on social history and the new journalism, and on women's lives and the meanings of class and gender.

UN Contributions to Development Thinking and Practice is at once a history of the ideas and realities of international development, from the classical economists to the recent emphasis on human rights, and a history of the UN s role in shaping and implementing development paradigms over the last half century. The authors, all prominent in the field of development studies, argue that the UN s founding document, the UN Charter, is infused with the human values and human concerns that are at the center of the UN s thinking on economic and human development today. In the intervening period, the authors show how the UN s approach to development evolved from mainstream areas of economic development to include issues of employment, poverty reduction, fairer distribution of the benefits of growth, equality of men and women, child development, social justice, and environmental sustainability."

From the beginning of time, humans have been driven by both a fear of the unknown and a curiosity to know. We have always yearned to know what lies ahead, whether threat or safety, scarcity or abundance. Throughout human history, our forebears tried to create certainty in the unknown, by seeking to influence outcomes with sacrifices to gods, preparing for the unexpected with advice from oracles, and by reading the stars through astrology. As scientific methods improve and computer technology develops we become ever more confident of our capacity to predict and quantify the future by accumulating and interpreting patterns form the past, yet the truth is there is still no certainty to be had. In this Very Short Introduction Jennifer Gidley considers some of our most burning questions: What is "the future "?; Is the future a time yet to come?; Or is it a utopian place?; Does the future have a history?; Is there only one future or are there many possible futures? She asks if the future can ever be truly predicted or if we create our own futures - both hoped for and feared - by our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and concludes by analysing how we can learn to study the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Have you ever wanted to know why civilizations decay or why war has been a recurrent phenomena throughout history; what are the forces causing population explosions, and why it is very likely that the power balance between today's developed countries and the less-developed world will be altered in the decades to come?

Health Care in the New Millennium is written by futurist Ian Morrison-author of The Second Curve and Future Tense and one of our nation's foremost health care analysts.

In this provocative book, Morrison gives health care executives, doctors, and nurses a guided tour of what's in store for health care in the coming years and explains . . .
• Why our one-trillion dollar health care industry has so many unhappy stakeholders
• Why investor-owned health systems are failing
• Why so few market-based reforms work
• Why health care leaders need new visions of what is possible for the future

The world is changing fast. In this new edition of his much admired book, Patrick Dixon explores six major trends that we all need to adapt to: Fast--speed will be everything; Urban--how the emphasis on cities will intensify; Tribal--conflicts of culture and conscience, for example in Europe; Universal--the forces of globalism; Radical--the reaction against 20th century values; and Ethical--a new morality.

The inspired madness of America's apocalyptic and pre-millennial organizations may have reached a fever pitch with the turn of the twenty-first century, but intrepid cultural traveler Alex Heard spent a ten-year period witnessing the crescendo firsthand.  Heard's enthusiasm led him on errands as diverse as being a voyeur at a Republic of Texas militia standoff, accompanying an expectant UFO "greeting party" to a remote field in Minnesota, and enacting the grief of the California quail at an ad-hoc therapy group for fierce environmentalists who believe the earth is an actual living entity that's preparing to kill off its human population--and soon...or at least pretty soon.

Amazing as it may seem, however, throughout this trenchant subcultural travelogue, Heard never stoops to ridicule his subjects.  As one reviewer puts it, "Heard's real achievement may be that he makes us care--in a way that is more than voyeuristic--about the colorful characters he meets on the road to the new millennium.  He takes these people seriously, allows his assumptions to be challenged, and lets himself find that some of their beliefs and fears reflect his own" (San Jose Mercury News).

Apocalypse Pretty Soon will appeal to science fiction fans and students of subcultures, as well as anybody interested in way-out alternatives to the brave new world.


Amazing as it may seem, however, throughout this trenchant subcultural travelogue, Heard never stoops to ridicule his subjects. As one reviewer put it, "Heard's real achievement may be that he makes us care--in a way that is more than voyeuristic--about the colorful characters he meets on the road to the new millennium. He takes these people seriously, allows his assumptions to be challenged, and lets himself find that some of their beliefs and fears reflect his own" (San Jose Mercury News).

Now in paperback, this book will have an audience well beyond "millenniamania," from science fiction fans to students of subculture, and anybody interested in way-out alternatives to the brave new world. -->

In a highly engaging style, Rheingold tells the story of what he calls the patriarchs, pioneers, and infonauts of the computer, focusing in particular on such pioneers as J. C. R. Licklider, Doug Engelbart, Bob Taylor, and Alan Kay. The digital revolution did not begin with the teenage millionaires of Silicon Valley, claims Howard Rheingold, but with such early intellectual giants as Charles Babbage, George Boole, and John von Neumann. In a highly engaging style, Rheingold tells the story of what he calls the patriarchs, pioneers, and infonauts of the computer, focusing in particular on such pioneers as J. C. R. Licklider, Doug Engelbart, Bob Taylor, and Alan Kay. Taking the reader step by step from nineteenth-century mathematics to contemporary computing, he introduces a fascinating collection of eccentrics, mavericks, geniuses, and visionaries. The book was originally published in 1985, and Rheingold's attempt to envision computing in the 1990s turns out to have been remarkably prescient. This edition contains an afterword, in which Rheingold interviews some of the pioneers discussed in the book. As an exercise in what he calls "retrospective futurism," Rheingold also looks back at how he looked forward.