The world is becoming better, in a lot of ways

[Johnny5]

Here, here, Thunderian! I agree that Life in the 21st Century is full of good things and opprtunities to make life even better, for every human being on the planet.

Being as enthralled with history as I am, I can appreciate the differences that we modern guys and gals often take for granted, compared to those living even a couple of hundred years ago. Often times, when I am driving, I revel a ittle in the complexity and efficiency of our roadways, especially the flyovers that are three and four levels high. And skyscrapers and greenbelts and airports and giant hospitals and libraries and schools--they all make me feel like I'm living in the future. Because we kind of are. We are in the future our ancestors imagined for us. And people today are already working on the next steps in our collective evolution. And surprise, to all you negative nellies out there in VCland, it's not all bad!

There are young scientists and inventors coming up with new ways to make our habitats and metropolises more sustainable, with less ecological impact. Solar roads, buildings with enough plants in them to clean their own air, gadgets to filter the trash out of seawater, houses that can be unfolded, hand-held water purifiers, a laser that reduces a ton of garbage to a few ounces of ash. All of those things are a reality, and soon will be ubiquitous.

The internet, despite the PTB trying to clamp down on it and use it for their own ends, is still a powerful tool of the masses, for communication and educating themselves, exposing the wrongdoers, and fighting tyranny on every level. Those protests you are so quick to deem as a sign of things being worse now than in the past are, in fact, a sign that things are better. No longer can governments inflict their will upon a defenseless population, and not have eveyone else in the world know about it. From the Uighers and HK rebels in China, to the constant parade of African leaders willing to victimize their own peoples, awareness brings action, and sooner or later, these oppressors will fall. It is just a matter of time, and of we, the observers taking a stand against those doing the oppressing and saying, whether in economic or military terms, stop it or you will be punished.

It's true that the advent of digital tools and weapons being used by govts is a scary prospect. There are countless distopian imaginings, in book and tv and movie form, of what happens and how the people ensnared in it try to overcome. Some win (Terminator series), some lose (1984), some end up at an impasse (Matrix series). It's up to us to choose the battles we will fight, the strategies we use and the timing. If we actually ever get up out of our nice, comfortable bubbles, replete with delivered food, entertainment and trinkets.

Those of you who bemoan the current plight of the world are going to have to do more than type onto a forum if you want to create the changes you long to see. For example, did you know that if you type the word "volunteer" into your search engine, your marvelous computer will show you a list of hundreds of ways you can go out into the world and do something good for someone else. That's where we, all of us, need to start. Go clean a park or a beach, drop off those old clothes, buy a homeless person a cup of coffee, teach a kid to read, or do math, or tie their shoe. Every time you do something like that, you will get a little "high," and you won't so easily become overwhelmed by all of the Bad Stuff presented to us on the smorgasbord of our digital table.

Never forget, the evil ones in power WANT you to feel depressed, hopeless, defeated, and powerless to interfere with their nefarious aims. Why make it easy for them? Start small, such as with the suggestions I made above, or something similar that suits your own interests. Hug a freaking tree if you need to (sounds silly but I've done it and it works), feel the grass or sand or snow under your feet and reconnect with good old Mother Nature. With the various Winter Holidays upon us, take a shot at truly reconnecting with a person that you love. That's a great gift to give yourself. Just don't hide in your room/apartment and continue to let the bluelight and sadness fill your mind and soul.

I think this is the most insightful and inspiring post I have seen in all of the threads in these forums. Thank you sir or madam. Many best wishes to you and yours.

 

[UnderAlienControl]

 

[The Shadow Knows]

the presession of the equinoxes is a 24000 year cycle.
every 24000 years we are right here. my point being this is not the first time that we have been here.

 

[Sunshine]

the presession of the equinoxes is a 24000 year cycle.
every 24000 years we are right here. my point being this is not the first time that we have been here.View attachment 29844

That timeline is strikingly similar to the one we use here i the West, based on astrology. The full precessional cycle is 25,960 years, with each of the 12 hours or Houses being 2,160 years. As we leave the Age of Pisces and enter Aquarius (yes, like the cheesy song from the cheesy 70's musical--it's a real thing) our societies, bodies, and souls are undergoing great change. I have posted at lenght about the symbolism, meanings and portents of all this before on the VC site. I shall not repeat myself here.

But it's nice to now someone else sees those patterns, and that it has been discussed, preserved and taught about on the far side of the world. Thank you for posting.

 

[Lisa]

This person agrees with you @Thunderian

We’ve just had the best decade in human history. Seriously

We’ve just had the best decade in human history. Seriously | Spectator USA

Let nobody tell you that the second decade of the 21st century has been a bad time. Extreme poverty has fallen below 10 percent of the world’s population

spectator.us

 

[mhmdv]

I wish I was this naive.

 

[Maes17]

Opportunity for everyone is there.
Education or not, having the street smarts to utilize resources available is the key to success. Right now my only complaint is sometimes you have to give hours to get money to live comfortably.


Going on a personal rant. Lol. I’m just burnt out af.
Anywho. The world can be better depending which lenses you look through. For the most part, everyone here on VC see’s the good in stuff.

Blessings to all

 

[LadyEris]

the presession of the equinoxes is a 24000 year cycle.
every 24000 years we are right here. my point being this is not the first time that we have been here.View attachment 29844

This is accurate, definitely. We're at the bottom of the hill right now.

 

[Karlysymon]

There is something about the quality of life that has regressed or diminished. I can't properly articulate it but i'll try. True, the 20th and 21st centuries have come with many conveniences and opportunities but its a double edged sword because those same conveniences have eroded social bonds. Why make a stop ,on your drive, to ask for directions when you can use google maps or GPS? Modern life pushes isolationism in a myriad ways.

I think the quality of life has diminished and its become all about quantity. A belief which upholds the first world----third world paradigm. Having a bunch of stuff doesn't mean you have a good life. In other words, a person living in a mansion doesn't mean he leads a better existence than the one living in a hut. It is my belief that true wealth should be encompassing of so many things other than possessions. Everyone who has gone through any school system has been taught that; "Health is wealth". That should mean spiritual health, mental health, emotional health, etc. On the whole, i believe modern man isn't happy or healthy. He may have accumulated great possessions(growing middle classes) and "advanced" but is still poor in many respects and its that poverty that makes him unhappy or unwell.

If the world is becoming better in a lot of ways, especially because of tech advancements, then by extension one is making the argument that life in the next 50yrs or the 22nd century will be exponentially better than it is now. I mean, things are only getting better from here on, right? In that case, i wish everyone a good life in their Smart cities or living like the Jetsons.
[the previous century, with its many changes, saw massive rural-urban migration, so i trust people will prefer smart cities to "natural" environs in centuries to come because of ease/convinience. (Un)fortunately man's well being is very sensitive to his environs.]

Anyway, in so many ways, we who are alive today are living in the best age this world has ever seen.

Not to wax all religious in a non-religious thread, most often God doesn't see things the way we see them. So iam always baffled when i read a statement such as this one.

Spoiler

The metals (empires and ages they define) diminish in quality/value with each subsequent one. How superior is iron &clay to pure gold? There are a couple of Daniel threads if you wish to respond so that we don't ruin your good thread.

 

[Thunderian]

There is something about the quality of life that has regressed or diminished. I can't properly articulate it but i'll try. True, the 20th and 21st centuries have come with many conveniences and opportunities but its a double edged sword because those same conveniences have eroded social bonds. Why make a stop ,on your drive, to ask for directions when you can use google maps or GPS? Modern life pushes isolationism in a myriad ways.

I think the quality of life has diminished and its become all about quantity. A belief which upholds the first world----third world paradigm. Having a bunch of stuff doesn't mean you have a good life. In other words, a person living in a mansion doesn't mean he leads a better existence than the one living in a hut. It is my belief that true wealth should be encompassing of so many things other than possessions. Everyone who has gone through any school system has been taught that; "Health is wealth". That should mean spiritual health, mental health, emotional health, etc. On the whole, i believe modern man isn't happy or healthy. He may have accumulated great possessions(growing middle classes) and "advanced" but is still poor in many respects and its that poverty that makes him unhappy or unwell.

If the world is becoming better in a lot of ways, especially because of tech advancements, then by extension one is making the argument that life in the next 50yrs or the 22nd century will be exponentially better than it is now. I mean, things are only getting better from here on, right? In that case, i wish everyone a good life in their Smart cities or living like the Jetsons.
[the previous century, with its many changes, saw massive rural-urban migration, so i trust people will prefer smart cities to "natural" environs in centuries to come because of ease/convinience. (Un)fortunately man's well being is very sensitive to his environs.]


Not to wax all religious in a non-religious thread, most often God doesn't see things the way we see them. So iam always baffled when i read a statement such as this one.

Spoiler

The metals (empires and ages they define) diminish in quality/value with each subsequent one. How superior is iron &clay to pure gold? There are a couple of Daniel threads if you wish to respond so that we don't ruin your good thread. View attachment 30169

I’m not sure how anyone would get the idea I’m referring to mere possessions with little value for humanity — Playstations and microwaves, for instance — when I say the world has gotten better.

To clarify, I mean things that are life-saving and life-changing, like the recently developed Ebola vaccine, and the water reclamation technology that Israel is sending all over the world. There are more people on the earth than ever before, and each year, a higher percentage of us are surviving the things that used to kill us in great numbers. Deaths from disease, natural disaster, famine, and plain old poverty are all at record low levels, and getting lower all the time, because of advances made in the last 50 years.

That doesn’t mean the world is improving spiritually — for it’s clearly not — and there’s nothing like hardship to make people cry out for God, but unless you’re trying really hard, you can’t deny the positive progress that the world has made.

 

[Karlysymon]

There is something about the quality of life that has regressed or diminished. I can't properly articulate it but i'll try. True, the 20th and 21st centuries have come with many conveniences and opportunities but its a double edged sword because those same conveniences have eroded social bonds. Why make a stop ,on your drive, to ask for directions when you can use google maps or GPS? Modern life pushes isolationism in a myriad ways.

I think the quality of life has diminished and its become all about quantity. A belief which upholds the first world----third world paradigm. Having a bunch of stuff doesn't mean you have a good life. In other words, a person living in a mansion doesn't mean he leads a better existence than the one living in a hut. It is my belief that true wealth should be encompassing of so many things other than possessions. Everyone who has gone through any school system has been taught that; "Health is wealth". That should mean spiritual health, mental health, emotional health, etc. On the whole, i believe modern man isn't happy or healthy. He may have accumulated great possessions(growing middle classes) and "advanced" but is still poor in many respects and its that poverty that makes him unhappy or unwell.

If the world is becoming better in a lot of ways, especially because of tech advancements, then by extension one is making the argument that life in the next 50yrs or the 22nd century will be exponentially better than it is now. I mean, things are only getting better from here on, right? In that case, i wish everyone a good life in their Smart cities or living like the Jetsons.
[the previous century, with its many changes, saw massive rural-urban migration, so i trust people will prefer smart cities to "natural" environs in centuries to come because of ease/convinience. (Un)fortunately man's well being is very sensitive to his environs.]

This greatly helps with the articulation at which i failed.

 

[free2018]

It's funny I am not an optimist by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it's a 50/50 split. Some things are better and some things are worse. I am surprised I'm going to say this, but we're gonna be okay.

 

[Spades]

Geez, guys... I was really glad to hear something nice for once. There are monsters. They are killing us all slowly. But this is our only life and it's okay to just appreciate it once in awhile, even if the stats are off and the skies are raining down chemicals. Chin up, buttercup. Smile.

 

[Thunderian]

Glacier National Park to remove all 'glaciers will be gone by 2020' signs

Glacier National Park is removing signs that state all glaciers will be melted by 2020.

www.kpax.com

 

[sickgirl15]

I kind of thought that other thread was going to cover this topic, but it's something crazy that I don't understand at all.

Anyway, in so many ways, we who are alive today are living in the best age this world has ever seen. The majority of us live longer and better lives than anyone else in history has, with less work to be done, and more and more luxuries at our disposal. I'm not a rich man, but I am only a generation or two away from peasants who lived in dirt huts and were virtual slaves, and whose own previous generation would have viewed my car, accommodations, and electronics as insane luxury, if not witchcraft.

How are some ways our world today is a vast improvement on all the previous ages? Or even a few years ago?

For one thing, the global mortality rate for children under 5 has declined from 93.4 per 1,000 in 1990 to 40.8 in 2016. In America, the violent crime rate has dropped by roughly 75% since the early 1990's. Extreme poverty has fallen from 85% of the world's population 200 years ago, to about 12% today, and if that trend continues, extreme poverty will be virtually nonexistent in ten years. These are all good things, aren't they? Why don't we talk about them?

Thank you for your positive and uplifting post that focuses attention on your insight on how life has improved in general for us all in society! I read the news daily from several different and varied sources, and sometimes I feel as if I’m reading made up horror stories from the negative and disturbing content in a majority of the articles. News on the tv, internet, and radio always seem to draw attention to only the negative events that are happening in the world. I do feel it’s my responsibility to keep informed of what’s going on in this day and age by reading/watching the news, but negative incidents that are talked about, reported, and drawn attention to are overwhelmingly saddening and quite depressing. I think digesting all of this negative information by watching/reading the upsetting news collectively builds up and affects me. The world HAS gotten immensely better overall in numerous ways, and honestly, I am grateful to be alive in this day and age where it is more acceptable than ever to be openly LGBT! I am delighted and so happy about Ellen DeGeneres changing society by “coming out” publicly as being a lesbian, for example. She was so brave and risked losing her SO much for making the decision to be 100% authentic, including her career. I am an openly pansexual woman, and truly believe that every human being should have the right to enjoy the freedom to love and have intimate relationships with whomever they choose! Ellen DeGeneres was one of the first famous people to open the door for other “closeted” LGBT people who were essentially living a lie to find the bravery inside themselves to be true to who they really are, and (IF they choose to), just say “Yes, I’m gay, trans, bisexual, etc..So what)? I truly believe and support the belief that every human being on this planet should not have to worry about being judged, degraded, shamed, murdered, harassed, etc. by self-righteous “religious,” uppity, “holier than thou” heterosexual people who think they have the right to judge and look down on others who do not share the same “sexual preference” as they do! What goes on behind closed doors when two people choose to be intimate sexually is absolutely no one else’s business but theirs! As long as their encounter is consensual, then what they do should be no one else’s business or concern. We only live once, and I support many personal freedoms for all people regardless of ethnicity or gender. As long as people aren’t getting hurt for no reason, then all is cool in my opinion! I’m a woman, and am very very grateful to the brave, strong, and revolutionary Feminists in the 1960’s for fighting for the rights and freedoms I enjoy now in the year 2020 as a pansexual woman! I cannot realistically imagine what my experience of life would be for me in this day and age if the brave Feminists did not get fed up with being treated as second class citizens by the patriarchy, and start the women’s liberation revolution movement!! I, as a woman, am no longer LIMITED to being a homemaker, or an unpaid stay at home mother! I can choose any career path I desire, have a child (OR NOT, haha!), get married, be a single mother if I wish to, etc. etc! Us women used to be PROPERTY, were not “allowed” to vote, etc!! What a nightmarish thought that is for me! I am incredibly grateful to live in a Western culture in which society “allows” us women the freedoms we all enjoy today. (Using the word “allows” in this case feels very uncomfortable..) I honestly can’t believe that us women weren’t treated as equals from the very beginning of time. The American saying “all MEN are created EQUAL” is 100% bullshit!! I am EXTREMELY disappointed with the current president of my country (the USA), Mr. Donald J. Trump. I used to like to think that we as a country were a forward-thinking nation, and ridiculous and unnecessary limitations that have been placed on minorities, LGBT people, and women from the beginning of time would be destroyed and replaced with us all being able to enjoy equal personal freedoms (as Caucasian males get to do just for being born a white man in this society) as life on this planet progressed over time. The hideous and ugly reality that Trump is a misogynistic, racist, egotistical, ignorant, arrogant, cocky, uncultured, spoiled being and is the main representative of my country truly horrifies me. If all of us minorities, women, LGBT, etc. people (and our fabulous and supportive comrades) got together and worked to overcome the damage this backward-thinking, closed minded, and disgustingly sexist, racist (and homophobic) president stands for, I believe we could all succeed in keeping the world moving forward in a positive, progressive, and peaceful direction! Let’s keep it up and stay focused to stay strong in the “era of Trump;” Remember my friends: YOUR PERSONAL FREEDOM IS EVERYTHING!!!!

 

[Lisa]

I, as a woman, am no longer LIMITED to being a homemaker, or an unpaid stay at home mother! I can choose any career path I desire, have a child (OR NOT, haha!), get married, be a single mother if I wish to, etc. etc!

How is being a mother or a wife of a man a limit and not a privilege? The payment in this case is love and knowing you nurtured and took care of your family...it really is priceless. I guess it’s all in the way you view things.
And your view of things is the new woke view...even down to blaming white men and hating trump.. proud in your rebellion of all things that woman are supposed to be. There is nothing wrong with a woman getting married to a man and having children, the fallacy is there is.

 

[Thunderian]

I feel like this might be relevant. Some of the human progress milestones from 2017.

1. February 6: The age of the bionic body – from robot hands controlled by your mind to electronic eyeballs, experts reveal 6 medical marvels introduced by new technology.
2. February 6: Biologists help deaf mice hear again by inserting healthy genes into their ears – the work shows an ‘unprecedented recovery of inner ear function’ and could be used in humans.
3. February 10: Computers turn medical sleuths and identify skin cancer – algorithm works as reliably as board-certified dermatologists, study shows.
4. February 15: For the blind, an actual-reality headset – not just Star Trek fiction, a new visor from eSight is a lightweight, high-contrast vision system for legally blind people.
5. February 17: Wyoming man receives ‘miracle’ face transplant 10 years after suicide attempt.
6. February 18: Smartphones to become pocket doctors after scientists discover camera flash and microphone can be used to diagnose illness.
7. February 20: Hope for millions as scientists discover multiple sclerosis treatment that can slow its progression.
8. February 22: Life expectancy to break 90 barrier by 2030.
9. March 2: Teenager’s sickle cell reversed with world-first therapy.
10. March 3: Terminal cancer patients go into complete remission after groundbreaking gene therapy.
11. March 3: UTA professor invents breath monitor to detect flu.
12. March 6: Google’s artificial intelligence can diagnose cancer faster than human doctors – the system is able to scan samples to determine whether or not tissues are cancerous.
13. March 8: The robot will see you now! Chat-bots that monitor symptoms will become more accurate and quicker at spotting illness than doctors.
14. March 8: Scientists discover new state of matter called ‘Time Crystals’ – time crystals seemingly break the rules of normal time-keeping and potentially pave the way for quantum computers and quantum sensors.
15. March 10: Scientists make progress toward engineering synthetic yeast – the work brings to six the number of yeast chromosomes that now can be synthesized, according to new research.
16. March 13: More people could benefit from BRCA breast cancer drugs.
17. March 14: Swedish men on target to be first to completely stub out smoking.
18. March 15: Startup serves up chicken produced from cells in lab – ‘clean meat’ developers say it avoids towering costs of feeding, caring for livestock.
19. March 15: The next innovation in shipping – Wind Power; Maersk launches trial run of tanker using rotating cylinders that can function as high-tech sails.
20. March 18: An insect’s eye inspires a new camera for smartphones – a series of eyelets can make cameras much smaller.
21. March 23: New rotavirus vaccine could prevent thousands of childhood deaths.
22. March 24: Machines which detect cancer symptoms could be out in a year.
23. March 27: Can tech speed up emergency room care? A New York hospital system tests a new way to use telemedicine, where E.R. doctors examine patients without being in the same room.
24. April 2: Plastic-eating fungus may solve garbage problem.
25. April 6: To handle electronic waste, freeze it and pulverize it – scientists say a new technique can make it more profitable to harvest metals and other materials from circuit boards in old TVs, computers and more.
26. April 26: Artificial ‘brain in a dish’ is created in a world first: Breakthrough could shed light on conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
27. May 2: CRISPR eliminates HIV in live animals.
28. May 4: Scientists engineer baker’s yeast to produce penicillin molecules.
29. May 5: Iceland drills 4.7 km down into volcano to tap clean energy.
30. May 11: Scientists have created an exoskeleton to stop elderly people from falling.
31. May 11: HIV life expectancy ‘near normal’ thanks to new drugs.
32. May 17: Lab-grown blood stem cells produced at last – two research teams cook up recipe to make long-sought cells in mice and people.
33. May 18: Antibodies from a human survivor define sites of vulnerability for broad protection against ebola viruses.
34. May 18: Scientists look to skies to improve tsunami detection.
35. May 22: World’s largest aircraft completes successful test flight.
36. May 23: MIT researchers develop a moisture-responsive workout suit with live cells.
37. June 1: ‘Instantly rechargeable’ battery could change the future of electric and hybrid automobiles.
38. June 1: Extinct species of Galapagos giant tortoise may be resurrected.
39. June 3: SpaceX successfully launches reused Dragon spacecraft for ISS resupply.
40. June 3: ‘Liquid Biopsy’ passes early test in quest to find cancer in blood .
41. June 13: Live antibiotics use bacteria to kill bacteria.
42. July 3: This Silicon Valley company wants to ‘make better humans’ through biohacking.
43. July 6: DNA from sharks that can live up to 400 years could hold secret to a longer life.
44. July 6: Robot wars – knee surgery marks new battleground for companies.
45. July 9: Banks deploy AI to cut off terrorists’ funding.
46. July 11: Scientists design solar cell that captures nearly all energy of solar spectrum.
47. July 17: Bananas – scientists create vitamin A-rich fruit that could save hundreds of thousands of children’s lives.
48. July 22: This new material could let phones and electric cars charge in seconds.
49. July 26: New artificial spider silk: stronger than steel and 98 percent water.
50. July 28: Melanoma: – new, more effective drug steps closer.
51. July 28: Could stem cells reverse the aging process?
52. July 28: Juvenescence AI to develop first compounds generated by Insilico’s deep-learned drug discovery engines.
53. August 4: IBM storage breakthrough paves way for 330TB tape cartridges.
54. August 28: Anti-inflammatory drug ‘cuts heart attack risk’.
55. August 30: Trial raises Parkinson’s therapy hope.
56. August 30: FDA clears first gene-altering therapy — ‘a living drug’ — for childhood leukemia.
57. September 7: Shropshire farm completes harvest with nothing but robots; a world-first in automation.
58. September 12: U.S. middle-class incomes reached highest-ever level in 2016, Census Bureau says.
59. September 23: Newly engineered antibody could kill off 99 per cent of HIV strains.
60. September 28: DNA surgery on embryos removes disease.
61. October 9: Google is going to use experimental high-altitude balloons to provide internet in Puerto Rico.
62. October 18: Dyslexia link to eye spots confusing brain, say scientists.
63. October 29: Saudi Arabia to allow women into sports stadiums.
64. November 13: Brain implant boosts human memory by mimicking how we learn.
65. November 14: ‘Better than Concorde’ supersonic 1,687mph airliner to ‘revolutionize’ air travel by 2025.
66. November 15: The firm that can 3D print human body parts.
67. November 15: US scientists try 1st gene editing in the body.
68. November 15: US biotech unicorn steps up competition for BioNTech’s mRNA personalized cancer vaccine.
69. November 24: Cancer breakthrough: Potential cure could be ready as early as next year.
70. November 26: Diabetes drug ‘could be used to end agony of transplant rejection’.
71. November 29: Expanding DNA’s alphabet lets cells produce novel proteins.
72. November 30: Designer proteins—the new generation of HIV vaccines being put to the test
73. November 30: Trees are covering more of the land in rich countries – the spread of forests is not always popular. But it is sure to continue.
74. December 1: HIV breakthrough as cancer drug could hold secret to curing the virus.
75. December 1: In Rwanda, drones deliver medical supplies to remote areas – such services help people in isolated regions—and could yield lessons for making shipments elsewhere.
76. December 4: China rules aquaculture as fish output triples in decade.
77. December 7: Bumper crops boost global cereal supplies in 2017/18.
78. December 10: Democracy is far from dead – in 12 years, the share of the world’s people who live in ‘free’ countries has risen.
79. December 11: Huntington’s breakthrough may stop disease.
80. December 11: Tasmanian tigers aren’t extinct (or at least they won’t be for long!) – Scientists unlock mysterious creature’s DNA – and plan to clone it bring the beast back to Australia.
81. December 13: Streetlights could be replaced by glowing trees, after scientists make plants shine in the dark.
82. December 14: Haemophilia A trial results ‘mind-blowing’.

The world's getting better all the time - CapX

How has humankind advanced in 2017?

capx.co

 

[Lisa]

I feel like this might be relevant. Some of the human progress milestones from 2017.

1. February 6: The age of the bionic body – from robot hands controlled by your mind to electronic eyeballs, experts reveal 6 medical marvels introduced by new technology.
2. February 6: Biologists help deaf mice hear again by inserting healthy genes into their ears – the work shows an ‘unprecedented recovery of inner ear function’ and could be used in humans.
3. February 10: Computers turn medical sleuths and identify skin cancer – algorithm works as reliably as board-certified dermatologists, study shows.
4. February 15: For the blind, an actual-reality headset – not just Star Trek fiction, a new visor from eSight is a lightweight, high-contrast vision system for legally blind people.
5. February 17: Wyoming man receives ‘miracle’ face transplant 10 years after suicide attempt.
6. February 18: Smartphones to become pocket doctors after scientists discover camera flash and microphone can be used to diagnose illness.
7. February 20: Hope for millions as scientists discover multiple sclerosis treatment that can slow its progression.
8. February 22: Life expectancy to break 90 barrier by 2030.
9. March 2: Teenager’s sickle cell reversed with world-first therapy.
10. March 3: Terminal cancer patients go into complete remission after groundbreaking gene therapy.
11. March 3: UTA professor invents breath monitor to detect flu.
12. March 6: Google’s artificial intelligence can diagnose cancer faster than human doctors – the system is able to scan samples to determine whether or not tissues are cancerous.
13. March 8: The robot will see you now! Chat-bots that monitor symptoms will become more accurate and quicker at spotting illness than doctors.
14. March 8: Scientists discover new state of matter called ‘Time Crystals’ – time crystals seemingly break the rules of normal time-keeping and potentially pave the way for quantum computers and quantum sensors.
15. March 10: Scientists make progress toward engineering synthetic yeast – the work brings to six the number of yeast chromosomes that now can be synthesized, according to new research.
16. March 13: More people could benefit from BRCA breast cancer drugs.
17. March 14: Swedish men on target to be first to completely stub out smoking.
18. March 15: Startup serves up chicken produced from cells in lab – ‘clean meat’ developers say it avoids towering costs of feeding, caring for livestock.
19. March 15: The next innovation in shipping – Wind Power; Maersk launches trial run of tanker using rotating cylinders that can function as high-tech sails.
20. March 18: An insect’s eye inspires a new camera for smartphones – a series of eyelets can make cameras much smaller.
21. March 23: New rotavirus vaccine could prevent thousands of childhood deaths.
22. March 24: Machines which detect cancer symptoms could be out in a year.
23. March 27: Can tech speed up emergency room care? A New York hospital system tests a new way to use telemedicine, where E.R. doctors examine patients without being in the same room.
24. April 2: Plastic-eating fungus may solve garbage problem.
25. April 6: To handle electronic waste, freeze it and pulverize it – scientists say a new technique can make it more profitable to harvest metals and other materials from circuit boards in old TVs, computers and more.
26. April 26: Artificial ‘brain in a dish’ is created in a world first: Breakthrough could shed light on conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
27. May 2: CRISPR eliminates HIV in live animals.
28. May 4: Scientists engineer baker’s yeast to produce penicillin molecules.
29. May 5: Iceland drills 4.7 km down into volcano to tap clean energy.
30. May 11: Scientists have created an exoskeleton to stop elderly people from falling.
31. May 11: HIV life expectancy ‘near normal’ thanks to new drugs.
32. May 17: Lab-grown blood stem cells produced at last – two research teams cook up recipe to make long-sought cells in mice and people.
33. May 18: Antibodies from a human survivor define sites of vulnerability for broad protection against ebola viruses.
34. May 18: Scientists look to skies to improve tsunami detection.
35. May 22: World’s largest aircraft completes successful test flight.
36. May 23: MIT researchers develop a moisture-responsive workout suit with live cells.
37. June 1: ‘Instantly rechargeable’ battery could change the future of electric and hybrid automobiles.
38. June 1: Extinct species of Galapagos giant tortoise may be resurrected.
39. June 3: SpaceX successfully launches reused Dragon spacecraft for ISS resupply.
40. June 3: ‘Liquid Biopsy’ passes early test in quest to find cancer in blood .
41. June 13: Live antibiotics use bacteria to kill bacteria.
42. July 3: This Silicon Valley company wants to ‘make better humans’ through biohacking.
43. July 6: DNA from sharks that can live up to 400 years could hold secret to a longer life.
44. July 6: Robot wars – knee surgery marks new battleground for companies.
45. July 9: Banks deploy AI to cut off terrorists’ funding.
46. July 11: Scientists design solar cell that captures nearly all energy of solar spectrum.
47. July 17: Bananas – scientists create vitamin A-rich fruit that could save hundreds of thousands of children’s lives.
48. July 22: This new material could let phones and electric cars charge in seconds.
49. July 26: New artificial spider silk: stronger than steel and 98 percent water.
50. July 28: Melanoma: – new, more effective drug steps closer.
51. July 28: Could stem cells reverse the aging process?
52. July 28: Juvenescence AI to develop first compounds generated by Insilico’s deep-learned drug discovery engines.
53. August 4: IBM storage breakthrough paves way for 330TB tape cartridges.
54. August 28: Anti-inflammatory drug ‘cuts heart attack risk’.
55. August 30: Trial raises Parkinson’s therapy hope.
56. August 30: FDA clears first gene-altering therapy — ‘a living drug’ — for childhood leukemia.
57. September 7: Shropshire farm completes harvest with nothing but robots; a world-first in automation.
58. September 12: U.S. middle-class incomes reached highest-ever level in 2016, Census Bureau says.
59. September 23: Newly engineered antibody could kill off 99 per cent of HIV strains.
60. September 28: DNA surgery on embryos removes disease.
61. October 9: Google is going to use experimental high-altitude balloons to provide internet in Puerto Rico.
62. October 18: Dyslexia link to eye spots confusing brain, say scientists.
63. October 29: Saudi Arabia to allow women into sports stadiums.
64. November 13: Brain implant boosts human memory by mimicking how we learn.
65. November 14: ‘Better than Concorde’ supersonic 1,687mph airliner to ‘revolutionize’ air travel by 2025.
66. November 15: The firm that can 3D print human body parts.
67. November 15: US scientists try 1st gene editing in the body.
68. November 15: US biotech unicorn steps up competition for BioNTech’s mRNA personalized cancer vaccine.
69. November 24: Cancer breakthrough: Potential cure could be ready as early as next year.
70. November 26: Diabetes drug ‘could be used to end agony of transplant rejection’.
71. November 29: Expanding DNA’s alphabet lets cells produce novel proteins.
72. November 30: Designer proteins—the new generation of HIV vaccines being put to the test
73. November 30: Trees are covering more of the land in rich countries – the spread of forests is not always popular. But it is sure to continue.
74. December 1: HIV breakthrough as cancer drug could hold secret to curing the virus.
75. December 1: In Rwanda, drones deliver medical supplies to remote areas – such services help people in isolated regions—and could yield lessons for making shipments elsewhere.
76. December 4: China rules aquaculture as fish output triples in decade.
77. December 7: Bumper crops boost global cereal supplies in 2017/18.
78. December 10: Democracy is far from dead – in 12 years, the share of the world’s people who live in ‘free’ countries has risen.
79. December 11: Huntington’s breakthrough may stop disease.
80. December 11: Tasmanian tigers aren’t extinct (or at least they won’t be for long!) – Scientists unlock mysterious creature’s DNA – and plan to clone it bring the beast back to Australia.
81. December 13: Streetlights could be replaced by glowing trees, after scientists make plants shine in the dark.
82. December 14: Haemophilia A trial results ‘mind-blowing’.

The world's getting better all the time - CapX

How has humankind advanced in 2017?

capx.co

Knowledge increases and so does lawlessness.

 

[Wigi]

Let's share something positive this time :

Nuclear waste could be recycled for diamond battery power - Technology Org

A team of physicists and chemists from the University of Bristol hope to recycle radioactive material directly from a former nuclear power plant in

www.technology.org

University of Bristol researchers have grown a man-made diamond that, when placed in a radioactive field, is able to generate a small electrical current. By using Carbon-14 which has a half-life of 5730 years, the batteries could potentially provide power on a near-infinite basis.

 

[VigCizMember]

I think it’s innocent enough to recognize technological progress in the World - it’s true it’s advancing at nearly exponential rates. I think folks on here who disagree are fearful of saying “it’s all good” and putting our heads in the sand.

I’ve always said you cannot have extreme wealth without extreme poverty’s o not sure I believe stats stating people globally are doing better. When we have 1% controlling the majority of the worlds wealth I think it’s safe to say on the other side of the scale we have poverty like never seen before.

Last I heard 1 out of 4 now live in. SLUM - so that’s pretty darn bad. We’re not just talking poor here - that’s no running water, sewer system, basic life requirements.

I feel like we’re like in “metropolis” - those of us in the West and Far East (Japan, Singapore, etc) have it pretty good (in terms of acccess to food and medicine) but the rest of the World is like those underground “workers “ except they’re not underground- just out of sight.

Also I feel there are still wars going on - but they’re not really visible- it’s more insidious than that. We’re being attacked but it’s under the guise of “progress” so I think folks are feeling that and responding to that when they say things really aren’t “better.”