Timeline (Joe's World)

==2013==
===Science and Technology===
*China's first unmanned moon landing. The Chang'e 3 mission incorporates a lunar rover and is the first soft landing on the moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang%27e_3
*The Gaia mission is launched. Gaia will map over a billion (approx. 1%) stars within our own Milky Way galaxy forming a highly detailed three-dimensional map.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_mission
===Geopolitics===
*Benjamin Netanyahu wins Israeli elections; pushes world leaders to take action on Iran.
*In Octobter the United States Congress triggers a government shutdown. Many benefits and grants are stopped.It ends 14 days later
*France, the UK, Uruguay andNew Zealand  legalize same-sex marriages.
*US states of Illinois and Rhode Island legalize same-sex marriage.
*In June the US Supreme Court rules DOMA unconstitutional; same sex marriage is reinstated in California. US states of Hawaii and Delaware legalize same-sex marriage.
*US President Barack Obama relaxes federal law enforcement on users of medical and recreational marijuana.
*South African President Nelson Mandela dies aged 94. Nation goes into mourning.
*Violence and bloodshed increases in Syria.
*Rwandan backed rebels annex parts of Congo causing regional instability.
*In July, Croatia joins the EU.http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/croatia/index_en.htm
*Spain and Greece show signs of stabilization and Europe starts to come out of recession from the second half of 2013 onwards.
*In September German Chancellor Angela Merkel is re-elected.
*President Hugo Chavez dies aged 58 from metastatic cancer. Nicolás Maduro ascends as the president of Venezuela.
*Chris Christie wins re-election as Governor of New Jersey; Terry McAuliffe wins in Virginia. Ed Markey defeats Scott Brown in the Massachusetts Senate special election.
*In November Tony Abbot is elected prime minister of Australia when the liberal/national coalition defeats Julia Gillard’s Labour by a slim majority.
*West African and French forces retake the city of Timbuktu in Mali from Islamist rebels.
*2013 Chilean President election is win by Michelle Bachelet (left party Concert for Democracy)
===Culture===
*The One World Trade Center is completed. At 1776 ft, it is the tallest building in the US, and third tallest in the world.http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=201
*Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge gives birth to a baby son,his name is George.
*Andy Murray wins Wimbledon for Britain.
*Microsoft releases X-Box 1 while Sony releases PS4. X-Box 1 and PS4 sales are neck and neck.
*The US releases a new $100 dollar bill into circulation.
==2014==
===Science and technology===
*The Internet has greater reach than television.
*Most phone calls made via internet. Majority of homes and workplaces have VoIP systems.
*Smartphones and iPad-style tablets surpass laptops as primary computing device away from home or the office. In many homes and businesses, traditional PCs are used by just a few power users, with tablets and cloud-connected laptops being the most common computers.
*The popularity of wireless charging pads soars.
*Touch-based user interfaces for mobile devices become more sophisticated, adding motion in 3D space as additional context for user interactions.
*3D displays become more available for mobile devices.
*Mobile wallet technology, initially using screen-presented bar codes as now used for airline boarding, will become standard in smartphones and transaction terminals.
*Google begins selling augmented reality glasses that stream information in real time onto a user’s eyeball.http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/google-glass-available-to-everybody-in-2014-1087406
*Apple releases a revolutionary new television set or smart wristwatch.
*Amazon debuts its smartphone
*Nike and Apple announce a new partnership to incorporate Apple’s iPod technology directly into certain Nike apparel. Nike also begins exploring partnerships with leading healthcare companies to explore how medical sensors embedded in their products can be used to monitor a person’s health conditions.
*Employing the latest facial recognition technology new interactive billboards detect your age and gender and then, using the time of day and your location, deliver an advertisement designed for you. Privacy advocates come out against them but since the technology only uses generic information (the technology does not recognize individual faces), most major retailers are be comfortable employing the technology.
*The first products to use memristor technology are becoming available. Mobile phones and countless other gadgets can now benefit from a vastly improved battery life, speed and memory capacity. Desktop computers and laptops, meanwhile, can be booted-up almost instantly. Because of their tiny size, memristors can also be used as microscopic sensors, gathering a wide range of data from their surroundings.http://phys.org/news/2012-10-ferroelectric-memristors-brain-like.html
*Terabyte SD Cards are available.
*Retail environments are becoming more automated.http://www.retailsolutionsonline.com/doc/Self-Checkout-Terminals-To-Quadruple-By-2014-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO
*The Swedish city of Linkoping completes its skyscraper farm.http://www.energyfarm.com.au/news/general_solar/swedish-city-begins-construction-of-skyscraper-farm/
*Dynamically stable, quadruped robots are being deployed by the US military in support roles.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46315465/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/t/bigdog-robot-just-got-whole-lot-bigger-badder/#.UP7TuR3C2GE
*Laser guns are implemented on US naval ships as part of short range defense.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7898710/Laser-used-to-shoot-down-planes.html
*The next generation of microprocessor technology is released by Intel, with transistors now based on a 14nm manufacturing process.http://www.anandtech.com/print/4313/intel-announces-first-22nm-3d-trigate-transistors-shipping-in-2h-2011
*The Falcon Heavy - the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V - has its first demonstration flight. It is designed to lift satellites or spacecraft into orbit weighing more than 53 tons. At full power, it has thrust equivalent to fifteen 747s.http://www.space.com/11311-spacex-huge-private-rocket-moon-mars.html
*Solar Impulse, a Swiss long-range solar powered craft, becomes the first piloted fixed-wing plane to circle the Earth using solar power alone.http://www.solarimpulse.com/
*The first test flight of NASA's Orion spacecraft is launched. For this particular mission, the capsule is unmanned.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15644238
*Virgin Galactic safely undergoes its maiden commercial spaceflight. SpaceShipTwo launches from Spaceport America, New Mexico with CEO Sir Richard Branson and his children Holly and Sam as its first passengers on its two-hour voyage into sub-orbital space.http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/11/tech/branson-farnborough-virgin-galactic
*The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launches the Mangalyaan orbiter - India's first mission to Mars.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19110039
*The International Space Station is completed with the installation of the final two components: the Russian multipurpose laboratory module Nauka and the European Robotic Arm.http://spaceexp.tumblr.com/post/48041932057/artists-impression-showing-the-european-robotic
*NASA launches Sunjammer solar sail mission. It is an enormous, ultra-thin sail exploring the possibilty of using the pressure of sunlight to provide propellant-free transport capabilities.http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/27/nasa-set-to-launch-sunjammer-the-largest-solar-sail-in-history-with-hopes-to-revolutionize-near-space-travel/
*MAVEN arrives at Mars. It will orbit the planet and study the atmosphere.http://getcurious.com/mission/maven-the-next-mars-mission/
*Rosetta deploys its lander on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_%28spacecraft%29
*Better protection against tooth decay is available with a molecule that makes teeth cavityproof.http://io9.com/5855632/a-vaccine-that-could-protect-against-tooth-decay
*Smart watches become common. They replace conventional wristwatches.
*BitCoin suffers a huge crash Mt.gox shuts down taking away a large proportion of the crytocurrency's supply with it. 
*The $2 million DARPA Robotics Challenge is won by NASA's Valkyrie.
* 14 nm chips are being released.
* BMW officials unveiled the “world’s first self-repairing automobile exterior”
===Geopolitics===
*The European Single Supervisory Mechanism is operational.http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-251_en.htm
*41st US President George H.W. Bush dies aged 89.
*Pop emiritus Benedictus XVI dies aged 87.
*John Boehner is succeeded as Speaker of the House by Kevin McCarthy.
*The economic crisis which began in 2007 shows little sign of ending. America remains paralyzed by political deadlock, with an increasingly polarized and divided society. Unemployment remains high. There are continued riots and protests throughout the world.
*The stock market plunges and the US goes into another round of recession when house Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling. President Obama has it risen by a constitutionally ambigous executive decision. 
*Food prices trigger riots around the world. World grain reserves at historic lows and failing harvests in the US, Russia and Eastern Europe result in increases in food prices, sparking riots and bringing down a number of governments in Africa and the Middle East.
*There are massive environmental demonstrations in Tiananmen Square.
*US President Barack Obama is impeached by the house of representatives. The Senate does not convict.
*The French and US governments lose confidence the veracity of Syria's claims of disposing its chemical weapons. They conduct airstrikes which have Russia up in arms.  
*Elections go ahead in Syria. Assad retains power.
*Lebanon erupts into violence between Sunni-based militants and Hezbollah.
*Egypts holds new elections. Hamdeen Sabahi and Ahmed Shafiq proceed to the final round which Shafiq wins.
*Luxembourg, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam and Thailand legalize same-sex marriages.
*The US States of Oregon, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Nevada legalize same sex marriage.
*The US States of Oregon, Alaska, Maine, Vermont and Nevada legalize recreational marijuana.
*A noticeable number of organisations and institutions divest from Israel over its illegal settlements and other human rights violations.
*In October Scotland votes "yes" to independence from the United Kingdom, and is put on the fast track to joining the EU and NATO. Alex Salmond is its first Prime Minister.
*South Sudan breaks into a full civil war. The US contributes forces on a humanitarian mission.
*US and NATO troops complete a full withdrawal from Afghanistan.
*President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso amends the constitution allowing him to run for another term.
*Italy has an election. Angelino Alfano is elected Prime Minister. 
*Former boxing champioin, Vitali Klitschko becomes president of Ukraine. 
*Large Chinese manufacturers announce hiring freezes.
*A tense stand-off between Japan and China over islands in the East China sea escalates when a Japanese coast guard vessel is sunk. Military assets and international negotiators are deployed.
*Conflict breaks out between ethnic Serbs and Bosniaks in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the aftermath of national elections with paramilitary groups committing acts of terror.
*US Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) switches parties to become a Republican.
*Libertarian Republicans and the progressive Democrats join forces enabling major reforms in surveillance methods to pass Congress.
*In November the US mid-term elections result in Republicans gaining control of the senate and retaining control of the house by a narrow majority. However, Republican leader Mitch McConnel fails to be reelected. In an upset result, Democratic state senator Wendy Davis defeats Republican Larry Secede Kilgore for the Texas governorsip. 
*President Obama closes the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.
*A major hacking group releases a virus on "Cyber Monday" (Monday after Thanksgiving), which significantly hurts sales.
*Islam Karimov, president and dictator of Uzbekistan, steps down. He is succeeded by Foreign minister Elyor Ganiyev.
*Italy's Franco Frattini becomes the new NATO Secretary General.
*France's Christine Legarde becomes president of the EU commision and Denmark's Anders Fogh Rasmussen becomes EU council president. 
*Over 500 civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan are killed in terror attacks through the year. 
*10 are killed along with 82 Injuries when a bomb goes off in New York Harbor. Mass police action and a political furor follows hurting president Obama and forcing the Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson to resign.The attacks were inspired by the Boston Bombings are were the resuluts of Serbian Americans who supported Serb Ethics in Bosina's Civl War.
===Culture===
*The New World Trade Center is officially opened in New Yorkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center
*The Shanghai Tower is completed. It is the tallest in a group of three superstructures, the others being Jin Mao and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Upon its completion it becomes the tallest skyscraper in China and the second tallest in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=201
*A misleading tweet results in a wide spread of faulty information that triggers a rapid and violent response by police on an innocent suspect.
*The growing number of Tesla owners recharging their batteries on the hottest day of the year was cited as a contributing factor to a massive grid blackout that rocks the San Francisco Bay area. 
*Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan accepts his $100,000 speaking fee to the Cato Foundation in Bitcoins.
*J.C.Penney goes bankrupt
*The Lumia brand is discontinued.
*New American gameshow "The Genius" (adapted from the Korean original) is a ratings success
*Brazil hosts the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro amid protests and violent street clashes. Participants are: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Mexico, USA, Venezuela, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, England, Spain, Croatia, Sweden, Portugal, France, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Australia. Brazil wins.
*Insect based restaurants open in North America and Europe that help foster a nutritious new trend that provides consumers with a rich source of protein while simultaneously protecting the environment.
*Facebook announces plans to issue a credit card that links back to users’ Facebook accounts. Each time the card is used, it will act as a “like” for the seller.
==2015==
===Science and Technology===
*Flexible screen devices are a hit and sales take off tremendously.http://www.engineering.com/ElectronicsDesign/ElectronicsDesignArticles/ArticleID/5168/Samsungs-Flexible-Smartphone-Can-Bend-Twist-and-Roll.aspx
*High-speed near-field networking is commonplace. It enables mobile devices to be information and control hubs for a wide range of electronics, from TVs to vehicles to factory equipment. Mobile devices will dock to monitors, storage, networks, input devices, and so forth automatically.
*The first "no-airwave" cellular reserve is established in Montana.
*Surgically inserted "Killswitches" that destroy your hard-drives and cloud-data when you die start becoming availiable. 
*A new method of charging lithium-ion batteries has been perfected. This enables them to charge ten times faster and to last ten times as long.http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2011/11/batteries-energy-kung.html
*Clothes and wristbands capable of measuring your health and athletic performance are in widespread use.
*Virtual reality is making a comeback.
*10 nm chips are on the market.
*3D printing is a mainstream consumer product.http://gizmodo.com/258582/3d-printers-drop-in-price-almost-ready-to-invade-your-home?tag=gadgetsprintersgetinteresting
*Heinz ketchup will begin using LiquiGlide technology in all of its ketchup bottles. The nano-coating technology ensures that every last drop of ketchup leaves the bottle.http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112542450/ketchup-glides-from-new-non-stick-bottle/
*LED lamps dominate commercial and domestic lighting.
*The first large-scale solar updraft towers are operational. Constructed by EnviroMission in Arizona, each generates 200 megawatts of clean, renewable energy - enough to serve 150,000 homes.http://www.digitaltrends.com/green-technology/arizona-getting-colossal-solar-updraft-tower-in-2015/
*The Large Hadron Collider reaches maximum collision power of 14 TeV.http://mashable.com/2013/02/21/large-hadron-collider-anatomy
*New cloning techniques enable scientists to clone mammals other than livestock when a White Rhino is successfully cloned. 
*LifeSaver bottles are widespread.
*The US Navy comissions the USS Gerald R. Ford, the first of a new class of super aircraft carriers intended to eventually replace the current Nimitz-class carriers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford-class_aircraft_carrier
*Trucks with emergency braking systems are mandatory in Europe.http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f51_1358854381
*China overtakes the USA in scientific research spending.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12885271
*NASA's Dawn craft arrives at Ceres, the largest dwarf planet in the asteroid belt.http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/
*NASA's New Horizons craft arrives at Pluto.http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html
*Voyager I enters the heliopause.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1
*Moon Express, a California space robotics company, lands a robot on the moon winning the Google Lunar X prize of $20 million.
*Genome sequencing continues to improve exponentially.
*A new optical disc with a capacity of 300 gigabytes enters th mainstream.
*DDR4 memory enters the home PC market, allowing RAM of up to 32GB.
*The first self-regulating artificial heart enters the market.
*Windows 9 is released by Microsoft.
*The Archival Disc is launched.
===Geopolitics===
*Australia, Coloumbia, Cambodia, Nepal and Germany legalize same-sex marriages.
*Same sex marriage is legal in the entire United States.
*Nancy Pelosi retires and is succeeded by Chris Van Hollen as Minority Leader.
*Former Cuban President Fidel Castro dies aged 88.
*Barack Obama relaxes travel and trade restrictions to Cuba.
*The American National Rifle Association comes out against 3D-printed guns at the behest of firearm manufacturers. 
*The Chinese Government reveals a Clean Air Act granting new powers for China's environmental authorities.
*Lebanon suffers a sectarian civil war.
*NATO intervenes in Bosnia after Croatia threatens military action to defend ethnic Croats in the country.
*The nationalist Golden Dawn win a plurality of seats in the Greek election and enter into a governing coalition. Nikolaos Michaloliakos is Prime Minister. Immigration policy is tightened, and Turkish immigrants are treated bad by the government. This causes a diplomatic crisis with Turkey, which after a brief military confrontation with Greece annexes Cyprus.
*The UK General Election is won by Ed Miliband’s Labour by a narrow margin. The Conservative vote is split by UKIP who elect 13 MPs. The Liberal Democrats are shattered.
*King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand dies aged 87. The country undergoes months of instability.
*Yair lapid of Yesh Atid is elected Prime Minister of Israel.
*Tel Aviv is struck by a rocket attack. Blame is attributed to the Iranians and US supported Israeli reprisals occur as Iranian power plants and scientific assets are destroyed. Lapid states that these actions are not an act of war.
*The Middle East is in uproar against Israel. However despite Iranian outcries the tension does not escalate beyond protest level.
*Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper wins reelection in the September Canadian federal election.
*39th US President Jimmy Carter dies aged 91.
*Carme Chacón of the Socialist Workers' Party is elected as Spain's first female Prime Minister. 
*London Mayor Boris Johnson ousts David Cameron as leader of the Conservative party.
*Morgan Tsvangirai becomes President of Zimbabwe and effects long awaited reform.
*The Panama Canal expansion project is completed.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_expansion_project
*The Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea are abandoned due to rising sea levels. These people are among the first true climate refugees.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/carteret-islands/6771651/The-sea-is-killing-our-island-paradise.html
*Foxconn and other large Chinese manufacturers execute mass layoffs and deploy thousands of robots to replace their laid off workers. Unemployed workers revolt and cause massive unrest throughout China.
*The Eurasian Union is formed by Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikstan.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Union
===Culture===
*In September, Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history.
*Although never publicly confirmed by MI6, an unmanned aerial drone operated by a 18 year-old boy successfully penetrates the bedroom of Prince William and Princess Kate while they are vacationing in the Mediterranean. The operator is released to his parents, the head of MI6 is relieved of his duties and an internal investigation is launched to prevent a more serious incident in the future.
*In Munich, traffic congestion decreases by 5 percent. The reduction will be attributed to new social networking apps that create safe ride-sharing communities and allow members to connect automatically based on best-match journeys. The labor union representing Munich taxi drivers seek an injunction against the social networks claiming they enable individual drivers to act as taxi companies and should therefore be subject to similar regulations and taxes.
*"Amazon Prime Air" will use drones for 30 minute delivery.
*Fueled by the decreasing costs of 3D printers and the explosion in the number of items now capable of being built by additive manufacturing, a growing number of high schools offer "shop class" programs in 3D manufacturing.
*The Avengers 2 grosses 3.07 billion dollars worldwide, beating Avatar for highest-grossing film of all time and placing only behind Gone with the Wind in total gross when adjusted for inflation.
*A new Star Wars is released.While it is the second highest grossing film of the year it was considered to be the worst in franchise history.
*A can of soft drink is delivered to the Moon.
==2016==
===Science and Technology===
*Environmental sensors-on-a-chip become cost-effective, allowing temperature, chemical, and other environmental measurements to be taken on consumer-grade mobile devices, opening up new medical and industrial uses.
*Online security is automiatically reliant on "digital guardians" that verify who we are. The use of passwords begins to fall. 
*Flexible OLED displays are in widespread use.
*Mining is now mostly automated with self-driving trucks, robots and tele-operated machinery.
*Canada promises broadband to go free.
*Apple releases a SMART vehicle accessory.
*Holographic Versatile Disc supersedes Blu-Ray.
*High-definition CCTV cameras are ubiquitous.
*The K5 Autonomous Data Machine is sold to security and police agencies by Knightscope. It is a 5-foot-tall mobile robot equipped with night-time video cameras, thermal imaging, license plate and facial recognition, radar, audio and other sensors – in combination with behavioral analysis software – which it can use to predict crimes. 
*The i5k Project to sequence the genomes of 5,000 arthropod species is completed.https://www.hgsc.bcm.edu/content/i5k-project
*Microchipping of all dogs is the law in England.
*London and Frankfurt are connected by a high-speed rail link. Trains running at 320kph (200mph) provide a journey time of under five hours. The line runs through Brussels, Cologne, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/10/19/train.london.deutsche.bahn/index.html?hpt=T2
*A Canadian company “prints” an entire automobile.
*Agricultural robots appear on farms.http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/robots-farming-agriculture-110412.htm
*India becomes the fourth nation - after Russia, the US and China - to independently launch humans into space.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8483787.stmIndia also launches its second lunar probe.
*Russian space group Energiya launches the world's first space hotel. It is capable of housing up to seven people.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11440701
*NASA's InSight arrives on Mars. Its objective is to study the planet's early geological evolution.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InSight
*Juno arrives at Jupiter.
*Personalized DNA sequencing costs under $100.http://www.marketwatch.com/story/genomics-companies-ripe-for-flurry-of-mergers-2013-04-16
*New drug delivery methods for brain-related conditions are coming available.
*Pharmaceutical companies release a pill that prevents sunburn.http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/aug/31/sunscreen-pill-coral-five-years
*The International Lunar Observatory is now in operation.
*A hot-air balloon can now go 20 miles high.
*China begins construction of an undersea tunnel between Dalian and Yantai.
* The first manned flight of the Dragon V2 is under way.
===Geopolitics===
*Trident is not decomissioned. The UK and Scotland choose to share nuclear defense capabilities by loaning the Faslane naval base.
*Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni wins another term in office despite election results being disputed by international observers and the opposition.
*US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg retires. Is replaced by Goodwin Liu.
*The UK votes to leave the EU in a referendum.
*A mass shooting in a Texas school brings gun laws back to the forefront in the US.
*The Democratic Alliance in South Africa sees a large increase in support spurred by the addtion of Mamphela Ramphele in combination with increased lack of confidence in President Jacob Zuma.
*The FBI thwarts a serious terrorist attack on US soil.
*Former Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski is elected the Secretary General of the United Nations.
*North Korea carries out an underground nuclear test, their most powerful to date. It is globally condemned.
*China suffers internal economic chaos as the Chinese government struggles to compensate or find employment for a sudden surge in unemployed workers.
*The 58th US presidential election is held in November 2016. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton defeats Republican nominee Ted Cruz. The Democrats also retake the senate, and House with Chris Van Hollen becoming Speaker.
*Catalonia and the Basque Country secede from Spain. Both refuse to join the EU.
*The Bank of England introduces polymer bank notes.
===Culture===
*Australian billionaire Clive Palmer launches the Titanic II, an exact replica of the doomed ship. The boat sails from China, where it is constructed, to Southampton. Luckily, it does not sink.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-30/titanic-ii-to-be-built-by-billionaire-palmer-chinese-yard.html
*Euro 2016 is held in France. Germany wins.
*Rio de Janeiro hosts the Olympic Games.
*The world's largest suspension bridge, the Strait of Messina Bridge connecting Sicily with mainland Italy, is completed.http://buildipedia.com/operations/public-infrastructure/strait-of-messina-bridge-construction-will-begin-on-the-worlds-largest-suspension-bridge
*The Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland is completed. With a route length of over 57km (35mi) and a total of 152 km (94mi) of tunnels, shafts and passages, it is the world's longest rail tunnel.http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/the-gotthard-base-tunnel-miracle-under-the-alps-a-723202.html
*A new iPhone app is created which overlays a “Nascar-like” suit over the images of prominent politicians to reveal from whom they are receiving campaign contributions. The size of the logo will vary according to the size of campaign contribution they have received from the organization. The new app will bring heightened attention to the burgeoning field of augmented reality and campaign finance reform.
==2017==
===Science and Technology===
*Better infrastructure allows for more constant internet access. Ubiquitous computing starts to get real.
*Samsung begin mass commercial sales of the first graphene-based devices.
*Augmented reality is mainstream and many apps make full use of data-mining.
*Wireless, implantable devices that monitor a range of health conditions in real time are available.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2017.htm#2017-medical-technology
*Many TV programs are now being broadcast in 3D.
*Electronic paper is being introduced in East Asia.http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/technology/paper-computer-brings-new-dimension-to-smartphones-56061.html
*Digital temporary tattoos, known as Biostamps are starting to enter common usage.http://www.dezeen.com/2013/03/28/biostamp-temporary-tattoo-wearable-electronic-circuits-john-rogers-mc10/
*Google robotics begin production of state of the art robots designed to carry out complex tasks in dangerous environments.
*3D printing is completely revolutionizing the manufacturing industry.
*Simple molecules are teleported for the first time.
*India completes the Dibang Valley Dam.
*The first Floating Liquified Natural Gas platform begins operations.
*The Nabucco gas pipeline is completed.
*Sales of electric and hybrid trucks reach 100,000 annually.
*The M1A3 battle tank is on the battlefield.
*The first test flight of NASA's Space Launch System begins.
*The Cheops satellite is deployed to study exoplanets.
*Cosmetic surgery has doubled its market size.
*Tooth regeneration is transforming healthcare.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2017.htm#tooth-regeneration
*The male birth control pill enters the market.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120905141916.htm
*A new treatment for prostate cancer is introduced.
*A HIV vaccine is commercially available.http://io9.com/5958536/new-hiv-vaccine-shows-promising-results-and-no-adverse-side+effects
*The FDA approves BioCassava Plus.
*The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is launched.
*There are more video-connected devices than people.
*Commercial spaceflight company Space Adventures conducts a lunar mission allowing the first space tourist to circumnavigate the moon.http://www.space.com/11584-space-tourism-private-moon-flights-details.html
*The world's largest mud volcano stops erupting.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2017.htm#mud-volcano
*The Dream Chaser undergoes its first manned flight.
===Geopolitics===
*Montenegro joins the EU; the UK leaves.
*The Greek government supports actions taken by Greek Cypriots to build an extensive gas pipeline bypassing Turkish waters with no input from either Turkey or Northern Cyprus. Tensions are raised when Turkey threatens hostile reactions and attempts to sabotage the project. The EU, US and Russia support Turkey. Greece is supported by Hungary.  
*Greece is expelled from NATO and the EU.
*A US congressman is censured after a misogynist outburst during the President's State of the Union address.
*President Clinton ends the war on drugs; decriminalizes soft drugs. The Mexican, Cuban, Jamaican and Colombian governments follow.
*China's new environment regulations impose new costs on industries and may many of them to cut the size of their workforce.
*Southern Asian nations suffer from rising unemployment as 3D printing decreases labor demand in manufacturing.
*A bomb goes off in Washington DC. Responsibility is claimed by a secessionist movement.
*Naftali Bennett of The Jewish Home is elected Prime Minister of Israel. 
*Iran announces that despite aggressive hindrances from its enemies, a nuclear power plant will go online within the next four years.
*Iran's president is reelected in elections that are once again marred by accusations of fraud. Heightened security prevents all public gatherings.
*Iranian and Israeli relations remain hostile but do not escalate into armed conflict.
*A series of massacres prompts NATO intervention in Syria.
*Yemen undergoes humanitarian crisis as oil and gas reserves run dry and Sanaa has become the first capital city in the world to completely run out of water.http://www.siasat.com/english/news/sanaa-faces-2017-water-crunch?page=0%2C0
*Minimum wage laws in the EU and Japan are extended to Virtual Jobs.
*Rwandan President Paul Kagame steps down after 17 years in power.
*US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy retires. He is replaced by Kamala Harris. The US Supreme Court now has a liberal majority.
*Amid nationwide protest, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso is overthrown by military coup.
*Russia is the victim of a terrorist attack when a bomb goes off in Moscow. Chechen separatists claim responsibility.
*There is violence and destruction as the Russian army carries out operations in Chechnya and Dagestan.
*Belgium is partitioned into three new nation states: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels, which becomes an EU capital district.
*In Canada, after a series of by-elections, the NDP and Liberals form a coalition that ousts the Conservative party from power making NDP leader Brian Topp Prime Minister. This move proves unpopular.
===Culture===
*China establishes the largest mega-city in the world. This new mega-city has a population of 42 million - over 7 million greater than Tokyo, the previous record holder. The cities being merged include Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the second and third largest cities in China with populations of 11.7 million and 8.9 million, respectively. This region covers much of China's manufacturing heartland, accounting for nearly a tenth of the Chinese economy.http://singularityhub.com/2011/05/16/china-begins-construction-of-megacity-four-times-the-population-of-new-york/
*The Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is the world's first kilometer-high skyscraper. It takes the title of world's tallest building from the previous record holder - Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 828m (2,717 ft).http://kingdomtowerskyscraper.com/
*An amateur scientist using cheap supercomputers accessed through “the cloud” makes a major scientific discovery. Her discovery is initially dismissed by peer-reviewed journals but hailed by the growing number of “open-science” advocates.
*A global courier delivery service announces that it is experimenting with the possibility of delivering certain items to remote locations via UAVs (or drones). The pilot project is conducted in Alaska due to FAA concerns that the drones may interfere with other commercial aircraft.
*Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s) enter the mainstream as a viable alternative to instutional education. 
*In the Netherlands a student is suspended for having no internet access.
*Society’s insatiable demand for novelty creates overnight sensations who burn out just as quickly. The Weekly celebrity superstar is born.
*Traditional newspapers are becoming obsolete.
*The Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles is completed.
==2018==
thumb|Cloning technology allows the extinct woolly mammoth to be resurrected
===Science and Technology===
*Ubiquitous internet nodes connect all electrical appliances, devices, vehicles and peripherals.
*Consumer devices with 100 Gbit/s transfer speeds are available.
*In the majority of Western nations, education and medical infrastructure, as well as the Internet are all running on two-tiered systems
*Portable, long-range 3D scanners are available.
*Digital financial transactions are commonplace; cash circulation starts dropping worldwide. Bitcoin still exists.
*The Mackenzie Valley Pipeline is completed in Canada. It connects the new oil rig in the Arctic to the United States.
*The market for biofuels is experiencing a period of rapid growth.
*Scientists drill into Earth's mantle.
*Robot insect spies are in military use. The robots are used in spying missions, where they quite literally serve as a "fly on the wall" - recording and transmitting audio-visual information.http://www.singularity2050.com/2007/07/a-hornet-sized-.html
*A missile defense shield is deployed in Europe.
*The UN's International Asteroid Warning Network becomes fully operational.
*The James Webb Space Telescope is launched.
*Russia's first manned spaceport, the Vostochny Cosmodrome, in the Amur Oblast region in Russia's Far East begins manned spaceflight.
*The first human is born off-world.
*Genetically modified plants are now able to stay young for years and have unbounded growth.http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2013/january/giant-tobacco-plants-that-stay-young-forever---research-news-jan.html
*A lesbian couple in Denmark conceive the world's first child through synthetic sperm derived from one parent's DNA. Religious organizations object to the practice.
*A cloning project is successful when scientists bring the woolly mammoth - extinct for 5,000 years - back to life. Several nations and US states proceed to ban cloning.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8257223/Mammoth-could-be-reborn-in-four-years.html
*Many complex surgeries are performed by robots.
*An obesity prevention drug is commercially available.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/science/03tier.html?_r=2&
*Polio is eradicated.
*A universal flu vaccine is developed.
*The Japanese Hayabusa-2 probe arrives at 1999 JU3.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2018.htm#hayabusa-2-2018
*The first private supersonic jet is flying.
*East Africa completes its largest infrastructure project, a high speed train network.
===Geopolitics===
*Brazil becomes the world's fifth largest economy, surpassing France, UK and Italy. 
*British Conservative leader Boris Johnson's proposal of a new airport in East London gets the go ahead, and he makes a coalition deal with UKIP's Nigel Farage. 
*In an effort to prevent election loss in 2020 to the Conservative-UKIP coalition, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper ousts unpopular Prime Minister Ed Milliband as Labour leader and Prime Minister.
*Voting age in the UK is lowered to 16.
*Cuban President Raul Castro steps down. He is succeeded by Miguel Díaz-Canel.
*In an unexpected turn of events, the 12th National People's Congress do not reelect Xi Jinping for a second term as President of China. Instead, in an effort to quell nationwide anxiety and dissatisfaction they replace him with PRC Vice president Li Yuanchao.
*US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer retires. He is replaced by Paul Watford
*Greece sends threatening overtures to Macedonia, putting the region at the doorstep of war as NATO pledges to come to its defense. 
*The Greek parliament votes on a motion of a no-confidence on its leadership. The government fails to win and falls. New elections are scheduled.
*In the Greek election, Golden Dawn support collapses. Alexis Tsipras is elected Prime Minister.
*Sudan's covert research into nuclear profileration is discovered. IAEA inspection requests are rebuffed, the US and EU impose heavy sanctions on Sudan. 
*Supreme Leader of Iran Grand Ayatollah Khamenei dies aged 79. He is succeeded by Ahmad Khatami who has difficulties exerting influence upon a hostile public sentiment.
*The United Nations reforms the security council adding 6 more permanent members: India, Japan, Germany, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey, also the UK and France permanent membership is heavily discussed.
*Vladimir Putin is re-elected as president of the Russian Federation. 
*UN declaration of internet access as a basic human right.
*US mid term elections – Democrats retain control of the house and senate. 
*Uganda becomes a major oil-producing nation.
===Culture===
*The US government extends copyright terms to 2029.
*Education practices are drastically reformed as grades/credits are outmoded by personalised, experiencial learning techniques.
*A sizable population of East Asians and Americans admit to having "real" virtual relationships with A.I.s.
*US internet titans merge forming Googlezon.
*Crossrail opens in London.
*The City Circle Line opens in Copenhagen.
*The Transbay Transit Center opens in San Francisco.
*NFL team the Washington Redskins changes its name.
*Russia hosts the FIFA world cup. Argentina wins; Lionel Messi achieves legendary status.
==2019==
===Science and Technology===
*Connected vehicle technology is being deployed in a number of countries.http://www.wdrb.com/story/15659548/fords-talking-cars
*Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system is fully operational.http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/satnav/galileo/satellite-launches/index_en.htm
*"Bionic Cockroaches" are used for the first time to find Earthquake survivors. http://www.kurzweilai.net/kinect-tracks-bionic-rescue-roaches
*Computers break exaflop barrier.
*Lunar-resonant streetlights are appearing in many cities.
*Automated freight transport is commonplace.
*Oil demand outpaces oil supply.
*China's first high-tech stealth fighter is in service.
*A new generation of tanks has arrived.
*The Space Launch System starts assembly of Lagrangian Point 2 station.
*ExoMars reaches Mars.
*Japanese solar sail mission to Jupiter succeeds.
*Bionic eyes are becoming available for persons with degenerative vision loss.http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/30/2860256.htm?site=southwestvic
*DNA sequencing technology is now so fast and cheap that an entire human genome can be read in a matter of hours for less than $100. This has been made possible by a revolutionary new device called a nanofluidic chip.
*Personalized medical treatments can now be delivered cheaply, tailored to a patient's exact genetic code.
*The BIOMASS mission is launched to study forest biomass.
*A vaccine to treat melanoma is invented.
*The first prototype Stratobus is launched.
===Geopolitics===
*The Aral Sea is gone.
*Scotland and Catalonia join the EU. Greece rejoins NATO after resolving its disputes with help from Israel, however it chooses not to rejoin the EU.
*Puerto Rico is granted Statehood.
*Jordan opens its first nuclear power plant. Israel and the US do not object.
*A public option to US healthcare law is put in place.
*The US formally ends the Cuban embargo and travel ban in place since 1960.
*42nd US president Bill Clinton dies aged 72 after a heart attack.
*The Iranian Ayatollahs are overthrown by a re-emergent Green Revolution. The violence does not abate however as Islamic radicals and Hezbollah militants from neighboring countries flock into the country committing acts of terror.
*Stephen Harper is re-elected as Canadian Prime Minister.
*Prospective Republican Presidential candidate, former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie dies aged 56 after a heart attack.
*US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia dies after a heart attack in a restaurant aged 80. He is replaced by Caitlin Haligan.
*The South African ANC is defeated for the first time ever in the general election. DA Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko becomes President. 
*There is an unprecedented total of more than 22 female world leaders in power.  
*Somaliland and Puntland declare independence from Somalia and are recognized.
*Eritrean dictator Isaias Afewerki is deposed in a military coup.
*President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev dies in office aged 79 leaving behind a power vacuum. Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov is installed as interim leader but the country soon breaks down into ethnic conflict.
*Kevin Rudd is returned as Australian Prime minister when Tony Abbot and the coalition fail to win re-election.
*Angela Merkel steps down as German Chancellor. David McAllister succeeds her. 
*British troops leave Germany. This move saves money.
*The EU, USA and Canada work on a New communications Act that tackles the issues of privacy, copyrights and the regulation of the internet.
===Culture===
*A game show is broadcast online where losing participants are executed.
*US copyrights from 1923 expire.
*The East Side Access is finished.
*France host the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the first edition with 32 teams in; after collaboration by NBA and Euroleague, it is a fast basketball tournament rolling for just 16 days.
==2020==
===Science and Technology===
*The 5G standard is released
*Internet 3.0. Social x semantic is common. 5 billion users use it.
*Miniaturization and image-projection technologies, coupled with previous 3D gesture technologies, allow mobile devices to be intangible devices which rely on projections and gestures or wearable components that communicate with each other and other nearby devices to provide a less obtrusive mobile computing environment. The size of these devices will be flexible.
*Electronic interaction by thinking is possible. It is more of a novelty.http://web.archive.org/web/20110426042101/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hqCisAKzlmkDyAyubLEg4zR_wshg
*Ultra High Definition Television (4320p) is going mainstream.http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/19/sharp-shows-off-the-worlds-first-super-hi-vision-lcd-with-16x-m/?a_dgi=aolshare_twitter So is Holographic Television.
*Video games have truly life-like CGI.
*30,000 drones patrol US skies.
*The Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link is completed.
*Smart meters are everywhere in the UK.
*The UK has expanded offshore grid connections.
*Mercury pollution has been greatly reduced.
*The Euclid Space Telescope is launched.
*BepiColombo has reached Mercury.
*Complex organ replacements are being grown from stem cells.http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/apr/02/stemcells.genetics
*Laboratory experiments are yielding major extensions in the lifespan of mice. There is now real hope of defeating the aging process.
*A Cure for malaria is available.http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-08/south-african-scientists-claim-breakthrough-drug-cures-all-strains-malaria
*The Mars 2020 rover mission takes place.
*The HMS Queen Elizabeth is now the largest aircraft carrier in the United Kingdom.
*The Dalian to Yantai undersea tunnel is completed. It is the longest undersea tunnel in the world.
* New genetically engineered super-bananas are boosting nutrition levels in Africa.
===Geopolitics===
*The US Congress is forced to evacuate the capitol during Hurricane Omar.
*Elections in Iran are postponed when violence in major cities escalates as security forces and extremist militias plunge the country into a civil war.
*The IMF classifies South Africa as an advanced economy. It is the first African nation with this status.
*In the UK, Boris Johnson is elected PM with an overwhelming Conservative-UKIP coalition majority.
*The 59th US presidential election is held in November 2020. The main issues are prison reform and civil liberties. Democratic nominee Vice President Joaquín Castro defeats Republican nominee former Senator Rand Paul. Castro wins Texas. It is the first election to include Puerto Rico. It is also the first election where ballots are available online. 21% of all ballots are cast over the internet, accusations of fraud are widespread.
===Culture===
*The 2020 World Expo is hosted by Dubai, the first Middle Eastern city to organise the event in its 170-year history.
*Thousands have latched on to the trend of recording their entire life through wearable cameras and through immersive 3d reality glasses. Some police forces are mandated to use this 24/7 recording technology to gather evidence for crimes.
*Public smoking is banned throughout the US.
*China builds its first car-free city.
*Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway has been significantly expanded.
*A bridge connects Yemen and Djibouti.
*The 2020 Summer Olympics takes place in Tokyo, Japan.
*Euro 2020 is held is held in 13 different cities across Europe. Italy wins.
==2021==
===Science and Technology===
*All new televisions are being designed to be connected online.
*Silicon is no longer used in transistors.
*Mind-reading technology is deployed for security purposes.
*Wireless electricity is reaching critical mass.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2021.htm#witricity
*The Golden Spike Company takes billionaire tourists to orbit around the moon.http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/12/golden-spike-announcement/
*Skylon becomes the first reusable single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft.
*A manned mission to the near-Earth asteroids begins.
*The world's first artificial kidney has arrived.
*Breast cancer is completely survivable.
*Ariane 6 is launched.
* The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is completed.
===Geopolitics===
*The delayed Iranian elections proceed with the assistance of UN peacekeepers. The reformist candidates declare victory and the EU are the first to recognize the new government. The US recognizes the government but remains publicly noncommittal on weather to support it.
*Radical attacks and suicide bombings continue in Iran. Sensing a potential coup, the US and Russia jointly agree to support and arm the Iranian government forces.
*China has military installations and bases operating in 44 foreign nations worldwide. 
*Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni steps down after 35 years in power.
*In what appears to be a new tradition, Pope Francis resigns due to advanced age (84).
*In the US the Democratic congress passes a prison reform bill encouraging fewer incarcerations and an increase of “monitored rehabilitation”.
*In the USA, the Republican party splinters into the religious and nativist Conservative party and the more socially moderate pro-business and Neo-conservative New Republican party.
*Chuka Umunna becomes first black Briton to lead a major party when he is elected Labour leader.
*Global average temperatures have risen by 1°C relative to 1961-1990. This is merely the global average, however – many inland areas are subjected to larger fluctuations. Great Plains in the USA is one such region. Kansas, Nebraska and other nearby states are now experiencing "dust-bowl" conditions even worse than those seen in the 1930s. Southwestern parts of the USA – including Nevada, Arizona and southern California – are now faced with crippling water shortages.
===Culture===
*Countless billions of cicada insects infest the Eastern USA.
*Most companies adopt a "work wherever you want, whenever you want" policy. Firms are hiring from a global talent pool and recruitment is focused on social networking sites.
*Mind-control toys will grow from a small niche product in 2013 to the latest “must-have” toy by the 2021 holiday season.
*The US government releases the photographs and video of Osama Bin Laden's corpse.
*Christians are no longer the majority in Britain.
==2022==
===Science and Technology===
*"Universal translators" are ubiquitous, but have poor accuracy for minority languages.
*The prevalence of Nanotech clothes expands. They have super-hydrophobic attributes that allow them to repel liquids and stains as well as resisting wrinkles, odors and bacteria. Other features include temperature control, GPS and device integration. http://shetakesontheworld.com/2011/09/smarter-fashion-nanotech-clothing-merge.html
*Piezoelectric nanowires are appearing in high-end products.
*The ITER, an international nuclear fusion research project located in the osuth of France, is switched on.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITER
*Solar grid parity is 10% in the US.
*Germany phases out nuclear energy.
*The European Extremely Long Telescope is completed.
*The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope begins full operations.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2022.htm#lsst
*China’s space station is completed.
*Deafness is fully curable.
===Geopolitics===
*Greenland gains full sovereign independence from Denmark.
*It is revealed that the United States and Russia have several weaponized satellites already in orbit as well as the infrastructure to shoot them down. Space is effectively weaponized, and has been for some time. This news triggers other nations to invest in space security.
*The Western-backed Iranian government is reelected.
*King Albert II of Belgium dies aged 84. He is succeeded by his son King Philippe.
*Sudan is discovered to have unleashed chemical attacks on its own non-Arab populations.
*In the US midterm elections a record number of independent Senators and Representatives are elected. Republicans regain control of the house. George P. Bush wins Texas Governorship.
*Water is now a weapon of war in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Israel annexes Palestine peacefully for the purpose of giving the Palestinians access to water. At the Arab League's urging, Palestine is split into two autonomous regions to prevent future conflict. In return, the Palestinians have access to Israel's desalination plants.
*Poland exports its new PL-01 stealth tank.
===Culture===
*Qatar hosts the FIFA world cup. Ghana wins against Italy marking the first time an African nation wins the tournament.
*Spain controversially bans bullfighting.
*Individual perception of the internet triples as accurate online translation apps allow people to surf and read foreign language websites all over the globe.
*Virtual Reality gaming makes a big comeback. Addicts have been heard to be immersed for as long as a week.
*The Catholic church eschews celibacy rules allowing priests to be married. It also permits women to be ordained.
==2023==
===Science and Technology===
*The old television format drifts into obsolescence as more broadcasters adopt Social networking and on-demand programming models.
*Every South Korean household has a robotic device. Usage in Japan too is very high. 
*Laser-driven fusion energy makes progress.
*The development of new genetically modified cereal crops have made vast tracts of land on the African continent significantly more productive.
*The first Mars sample return mission succeeds. An asteroid sample return mission also succeeds.
*SpaceX lands the first astronaut in a half-century on the Moon. Live footage is transmitted to Earth of Elon Musk planting the South African flag on the Moon's surface. Funding from investors pours into the private space industry overnight, as countless companies are formed or expanded to meet the growing demands of manned spaceflight.
*A permanent cure for migraines is available.
*A new brain implant is capable of restoring lost memories.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2023.htm#memory-chip-brain-implant
*The Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor in England is completed.
*The Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope is launched.
===Geopolitics===
*The Arctic is now ice-free all year.
*Over 20,000 drones (UAVs) are patrolling the skies of America. Many drones feature highly advanced monitoring equipment. Other models can intercept communications and some are equipped with tasers and rubber bullets.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/7/coming-to-a-sky-near-you/?page=all
*Chinese President, Li Yuanchao is succeeded by hardliner Qin Yizhi.
*There are tensions again in the Korean peninsula when North korea threatens to launch its nuclear weapons at Seoul and Tokyo. 
*Serbia and Macedonia are admitted into the EU.
*It is revealed that Saudi Arabia has purchased nuclear warheads from Pakistan.
*The US and Israel apply diplomatic pressure on Saudi Arabia to dispose of its warheads.
*UN peacekeepers withdraw from Iran.
*After a scandal British PM Boris Johnson resigns and Dominic Raab is elected leader.
*Former Cuban President Raúl Castro dies aged 91.
===Culture===
*The Thames Tideway is completed.
==2024==
===Science and Technology===
*Petabyte storage devices are available.
*The Square Kilometer Array is completed.
*Biostamps and implanted microchips are being used to allow individuals to remotely control and interact with electronic appliances.
*Solar Probe Plus flies into the corona of the sun.
*A cure for the common cold is found.
*Lymphoma is completely survivable.
*99% of near-Earth asteroids are now cataloged.
*The PLATO observatory begins operations.
* Open-source, 3D printed clothes are available at near-zero cost.
===Geopolitics===
*Torrential flooding in southeast Asia - produced by a combination of rising sea levels, melting glaciers and extreme weather events - is creating the biggest refugee crisis in world history. Bangladesh and neighboring regions are seeing literally tens of millions of men, women and children displaced from their homes.
*The United Nations holds an emergency Climate meeting. Several proposed Climate Protocols are shot down as many delegates fight over how to handle the hoards of climate refugees spilling across borders. The meeting collapses after India and China walk out after calling for territorial concessions from their neighbors to handle their thousands of displaced citizens.
*The North Korean regime collapses. Kim Jong-un absconds to Switzerland. There is a contest for power among multiple North Korean factions. South Korean and Chinese militaries step in to prevent violence.
*Tensions arise between the US and China over China's annexation of natural resources in the Northern part of North Korea.
*After elections Dmitry Medvedev succeeds Vladimir Putin as Russian President. 
*The 60th US presidential election is held in November 2024. President Joaquín Castro narrowly wins re-election.
===Culture===
*The 2024 Olympics games are held in Paris.
==2025==
===Science and Technology===
*Human brain simulations are possible.
* Large-scale urban farms appear in cities.
*Masdar City is the world's first fully sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste city.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masdar_City
*A comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. airspace system is complete.
*Railguns are in use by the US navy.
*The Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope begins its mission.
*Contact with the Voyager probes is lost.
*Japan launches a robotic mission to the moon. The semi-autonomous robots begin construction of a lunar outpost.
*Medical nanobots are being developed.
*Mouse revival from cryopreservation succeeds.
*Hypersonic missiles exceeding mach 5 enter use.http://www.space.com/21089-hypersonic-weapons-air-force.html
*Bioprinting is now entering the mainstream.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2025.htm#future-3d-printing-technology
* The UK completes the East Anglia Zone of offshore wind.
===Geopolitics===
*Solid waste is reaching crisis levels.
*The Alaskan inuit island of Kivalina is submerged by the Arctic Sea. 
*The first stage of a 10 year Korean unification plan is put in place with North Korea existing as a South Korean protectorate. 
*The USA and China delve into a trade war. Faith in the US economy collapses when China recalls US debts.
*Tibetan, Uyghur and Yunnan independence are recognized by the US in an effort to subvert China.
*Stephan Harper retires and Peter MacKay takes over as Conservative leader and Prime Minister.
*King Juan Carlos of Spain dies aged 88. He is succeeded by his son Felipe VI.
*Dominic Raab's Conservatives defeat Chuka Umunna's Labour in the British general election.
*US fuel economy standards have improved dramatically.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2025.htm#2025-fuel-economy-standards
===Culture===
*High-speed rail networks are being expanded.
*Medical Diagnoses of stress and anxiety continue to rise.
==2026==
===Science and Technology===
*Aquaculture provides the majority of world's seafood.
*One third of the US's fighting strength is composed of robotic and automated units.
*The Euclid Space Telescope after 6 years reveals new insights on dark matter and dark energy.
*The Mars Science Laboratory is shutting down.
*Robotic hands match human capabilities.
*New treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
*Youthful regeneration of aging heart muscle is becoming possible.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2026.htm#future-heart-failure
*A 3D printed electronic membrane prevents heart attacks.
*The International Linear Collider is completed.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Linear_Collider
===Geopolitics===
*World population now exceeds 8 billion, with China, India and USA as the 3 most populoushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population, also the rising Latin American population equal the stagnant European population around 730 millions; in space the ISS host 8 person minimun each day of the year; and at least 2000 live continuosly in Antarctica during winter.
*The Maldives are evacuated as the nation is lost to the ocean. The crisis of Climate Refugees leaves no choice but for nations to take the issue seriously even though it is too late.
*The US economy is brought to an all time low as it suffers Chinese economic sanctions in tandem with a global economic recession. 
*US President Joaquin Castro is impeached by the House of representatives. The senate does not convict.
*US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas retires.
*King Harald V of Norway dies aged 89. He is succeeded by his son Haakon VIII.
*Hackers gain control of domestic drones and unleash an aerial attack on US law enforcement offices. There are multiple casualties. China is suspect but domestic groups claim responsibility. 
*44th US President Barack Obama is elected Director-General of UNESCO despite Chinese veto threats.
===Culture===
*The USA hosts the FIFA world cup. Mexico wins against Cameroon marking the first time a North American nation wins and the first final where neither finalist are from Europe or South America.
*The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is completed.
==2027==
===Science and Technology===
*Carbon sequestration is deployed through clean coal and artificial trees.
*The Europa Clipper arrives in orbit.
*China lands its first manned mission on the Moon.
*Light-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles reach 1 million in annual sales.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2027.htm#hydrogen-future-technology
===Geopolitics===
*China invades and occupies Taiwan, the world does nothing.
*China overtakes the USA in GDP. It is now the world’s richest nation.
*Dubai collapses from economic stagnation and the desert sands reclaim the abandoned superstructures.
*US Supreme Court Justice John Roberts dies aged 72 after a seizure.
*South Korea dismantles all of the nuclear armaments installed by the North Korean regime and disposes of the weapons grade uranium.
*African nations receive trillions from private space companies for infrastructure development. Private Military Contractors are sent in to protect the various projects.
*President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon steps down after 33 years in power. He is succeeded by his son, Rustam Emomali.
*Queen Elizabeth II dies aged 101. King Charles III ascends to the throne at the age of 79. There is much criticism of him being too old and calls for him to step aside for his son instead.
*Mali, France and the AU recognize Azawad as a sovereign state.
*The first cyborg soldier, with above-average human capabilities in terms of strength, speed and/or vision, is sent to active duty.
==2028==
===Science and Technology===
*Printed electronics are ubiquitous.
*The F-35 Lightning II is the only manned fighter plane left.
*Biofuels are cost-competitive with fossil fuels.
*The International Space Station is decommissioned.
*Resurrection of extinct species has been achieved for several species.
*Amputees can regrow lost limbs.
*The European ATHENA X-Ray Observatory is launched.
===Geopolitics===
*The combined GDP of the BRICs overtake that of the G7.
*Manufacturing in the US grows significantly due to strained relations with China.
*China's environmental regulations have still failed to deal with the dangerous smog levels in its cities. Public outcry over the rise of lung-cancer related deaths prompt renewed action.
*Much of the world is thrown into turmoil as demand for oil begins to greatly exceed supply – crippling many economies and triggering widespread social unrest. There are conflicts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East where millions die from starvation, war and civil disruption.
*In a brief war Israel annexes lands from Syria, Egypt and Lebanon.
*A "home made" bioweapon is unleashed with devastating results. There are substantial casualties worldwide.
*The 61st US presidential election is held. Despite a three way race in the Democrats favour, the New Republican candidate, Adam Kinzinger, wins the election due to the economic turmoil brought on with the conflict with China.
===Culture===
*The 2028 Olympics games are held in Durban, South Africa.
*The Nicaragua canal is completed.
==2029==
===Science and Technology===
*Human-like AI is a reality.
*Intelligent advertising is available.
* Harvester satellites from space mining companies are now operational. They begin actively mining for metals and water from near-Earth asteroids.http://deepspaceindustries.com/
* Jupiter's Great Red Spot is going away.
===Geopolitics===
*The Chechen Republic is permitted to separate from the Russian Federation.
*The US launches several drone attacks on key Sudanese millitary instalations.
===Culture===
*The competition for jobs and talent has become truly global, however it is still very difficult to procure immigration visas to many rich countries. Companies are now increasingly becoming virtual operators, with the “virtual corporation” being defined as a company that has less than 10% of it’s workers in an office at any point in time. The top 50 wealthiest companies in the world are considered to be Virtual corporations.
*The secret papers regarding the Kennedy Assassination are finally released to the public, sparking a wave of controversy across the United States.
==2030==
===Science and Technology===
*Highly Sophisticated AI is widespread.
*Computers reach zettaflop scale.
*Hyper-fast crime scene analysis is possible.
*Smart grid technology is widespread.
*Full weather modelling is perfected.
*Increased funding is given to research geo-engineering techniques to help cool the planet.
*The majority of new vehicles worldwide are electric or plug-in hybrids. 
*The spread of massive concentrated solar power plants (CSPs) has resulted in industrial-scale water desalination, increasing the world's sustainable water supply. 
*Highly mobile, autonomous fighting machines are appearing on the battlefield now. Guided by advanced AI, they can aim with inhuman precision and come equipped with powerful sensors, GPS and thermal vision.
*Orbital space junk is now a major problem.
*Russia lands its first manned mission on the moon.
*Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer reaches Jupiter.
*AIDS, cancer, and other diseases are becoming curable.
*Depression has become the number one disease burden.
*Desalination has exploded in use.
*The SR-72 Stormhawk UAV enters service.
*The PLATO observatory finishes its mission and shuts down.
*The UK space agency has now quadrupled in size.
===Geopolitics===
*India becomes world's most populous nation.
*A joint East African and NATO mission invades Sudan. They are heavily supported by US drones.
* UK Prime Minister Dominic Raab steps downs as leader, and Sarah Nazer is elected in the ensuing leadership election.
*Swaziland is incorporated into South Africa.
*Turkey joins the EU.
===Culture===
*25% of the Chinese adult male population are single. This stat is accompanied by a peak in rates of commercial sex, poverty, and crime.
*Large law firms use intelligent agents (AI virtual lawyers) to take on legal cases at a fraction of the cost of traditional firms.
*In the 100th anniversary of the FIFA World Cup it is hosted in China, the antipodes of the inaugural Uruguay 1930. Germany wins.
*Previously extinct animals such as mammoths and Sabre-tooth tigers appear in a number of zoos and private collections. 
*The world Muslim population proportion has increased due to high fertility rates from 24% in 2010 to 27% in 2030.
==2031==
===Science and Technology===
*Web 4.0 is transforming the Internet landscape.
*A new space race begins as collaborative missions from Russia/ESA, NASA/SpaceX, and China plan manned missions to Mars.
*Stem cell pharmacies are commonplace.
*Perennial wheat and grain are profitable.
===Geopolitics===
*Much of Bangkok is abandoned due to flooding.
*Australia becomes a Republic.
*US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito retires.
*The US Virgin Islands are admitted as a US State.
*UN Secretary General Laura Chinchilla and head of UNESCO former US President Barack Obama are both assassinated in a bombing in Pakistan.
*45th US President Hillary Clinton dies aged 84.
*An armed military ground robot successfully identifies and terminates a top US target somewhere in the mountains of Pakistan.
*A U.S. military drone is electronically hijacked and used against an Israeli settlement on the West Bank in a deadly attack.
*The attack triggers a new round of tension in the Middle East and sends oil and petroleum prices soaring. It also fuels increased expenditures on military robots by other foreign governments.
*In response to soaring gas prices Congress approves a $3 billion advanced battery program and ten companies receive grants in excess of $150 million to improve the capacity and charging times of power storage units in electric vehicles.
*Several international organizations call for a review of the ethical role of robotic devices in warfare. No discernible course of action is agreed upon but the stock price of a number of leading robotics firms suffer significant declines and the production of next-generation military robots are delayed as a result.
*The US and Israel announce a joint investigation into the West Bank attacks.
===Culture===
*Chocolate has become a rare luxury.
*Married couples are a minority.
==2032==
===Science and Technology===
*Terabit internet speeds are commonplace.
*Fourth generation nuclear power makes the nuclear power industry common.
===Geopolitics===
*Sri Lanka cedes itself to India as they exhaust all resources trying to manage their flood refug
ees.
*A huge market crash rocks the world economy, extending the recession.
*India's GDP now exceeds that of Japan, making it world's 3rd largest.
*Thousands of previously classified diplomatic files are released by a group operating in the tradition of WikiLeaks. Among the disclosures is a video clip showing members of the Saudi royal family engaging in sexual relations with western prostitutes in London. The disclosure triggers a violent public uprising and the overthrow of the Saudi Arabian monarchy.
*The Middle East, as a whole, descends further towards chaos, as both demand and supply diminish for its key export, petroleum. However, strong militaries, ties to the West, and extensive desalination infrastructure have allowed Jordan, the UAE, and Israel to remain relatively stable.
*The unprecedented spike of oil and gas prices finally cause a majority of American consumers to embrace hybrid and all-electric vehicles.
*As the US Democratic party moves right to win over former Republicans, it itself splinters to form the left leaning Progressive Party and moderate Democratic party. As a result of all the factions, in the 2032 election, for the first time an independent candidate, Sean Parker wins the election on a unity platform.
===Culture===
*The Crazy Horse memorial in South Dakota is completed. It is the world's largest mountain carving.
The Summer Olympic Games are Held in Melbourne,Australia
==2033==
===Science and Technology===
*Holographic wall screens are commonplace.
*Hypersonic airliners are being introduced. They enable Sydney to London flights in 4 hours or New York to Rio de Janeiro in 2 hours.
*Asteroid mining in the main asteroid belt is being done.
*Huge volumes of industrially produced carbon dioxide are being safely stored beneath the ocean.
===Geopolitics===
*The oil shock causes the Canadian government to offer generous incentives to developers capable of converting the Alberta tar sands into oil. Environmentalists’ concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and polluted water go unheeded over consumers demanding the government to “do something” about high energy prices.
*US and European banks and financial institutions undergo massive reforms.
*The U.S. Congress approves a $10 billion initiative to pursue advances in synthetic biology in hopes that a breakthrough in the field could reduce the nation’s reliance on oil.
*India annexes Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh to better coordinate military and civilian aid.
*Queen Margrethe II of Denmark dies aged 92. She is succeeded by her son King Frederik X.
*Charles III abdicates the throne on his 85th birthday in 2033. He is succeeded by his son King William V.
===Culture===
*75% of the universities that existed in 2013 have now gone out of business. They are replaced by free online degrees and an online economy evolved around tutoring and one-on-one mentoring for students. The 25% of universities that survived have done so by either building up their own online course offering, by partnering with top-tier universities to provide local testing services, or by renting facilities and equipment to students for courses that need specialized equipment and cannot be taught entirely virtually.
*Box office sensation "The Matrix", a remake of an old 1999 film, becomes the highest grossing film of all time.
*The final phase of Britain's High Speed 2 is completed in conjunction with Scotland.
==2034==
===Science and Technology===
*Exabyte storage devices are available.
*Switzerland phases out nuclear energy.
*In-vitro meat is a rapidly growing industry. It will become the dominant source of meat for the world.
*Photonic molecule based technology is used to create working prototypes of a force-field and lightsaber.
*The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is launched.
===Geopolitics===
*US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor retires.
==2035==
===Science and Technology===
*Self-driving vehicles are the norm.
*Holographic recreations of dead people are possible.
*Distributed propulsion systems are revolutionizing air travel.
*The first lunar base is established.
*Swarm robots at now at the nanoscale.
*The Very Large Hadron Collider begins operations.
===Geopolitics===
*The U.S. is no longer importing oil.
*North and South Korea are unified into the Korean Republic.
*The EU re-configures itself as a "Northern Union" – which includes (among others) France, Benelux, Catalonia, Germany, Scandinavia and Poland. This has split away from the southern nations, closing its borders to them after struggling to contain a surge in migration.
*The Southern European nations form the Mediterranean Alliance.
*The geopolitical map of the Middle East is unrecognizable. An expanded Israel dominates in the west.
*Israel receives worldwide condemnations for war crimes. So do other nations in the Middle East for their own war crimes.
===Culture===
*Self-driving vehicles have led to the organization of “driving clubs” where a group of 1000 people share 50 self-driving cars between them. The economics of this type of shared driving group are such that taxis driven by real people no longer make financial sense, leading many taxi companies to go out of business.
*Online shopping is now better than retail shopping in most respects: it is cheaper, easier, in most cases faster than traveling to the shop with drones or self-driving delivery vans with delivery robots enabling two-hour delivery in some urban areas. Many supermarkets are going out of business and retail stores are more frequently being turned into promotional outlets, where customers can have a fun experience sampling products that will later be ordered online and delivered.
*Self-replicating swarm nanobots are banned. Other swarm bots are limited.
==2036==
===Science and Technology===
*Household 3D printing technology is expanded to include the printing of food and leather products.
*The ESA/Russia Mars mission is launched. 6 crew members will voyage for 440 days.
*Detailed probing and mapping of the Kuiper Belt is underway.
*Bionic eyes surpass human vision.
*Alzheimer's disease is fully curable
===Geopolitics===
*In the US gulf Coast cities are being abandoned due to flooding and super hurricanes. Millions of Climate refugees are relocated to the Rocky Mt. States and the South West.
*In Europe severe flooding his the UK, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
*The Democrats and the New Republicans merge into the Democratic-Republican party. The Conservatives and Progressives remain as second and third major parties.
*King Mswati III of Swaziland is killed in a crash. He is succeeded by one of his sons Prince Mcwasho.
*The asteroid 99942 Apophis causes global panic when it skims the planet.
*The 62nd US presidential election is held in November. President Parker wins re-election.
===Culture===
*Children do not understand the concept of a "cell phone", although some technophobes and people over the age of 50 still use them.
==2037==
===Science and Technology===
*Quantum computers are widely available
*Exxon Mobil opens the first large-scale synthetic biology oil production facility in southern Arizona.
*The Chinese military reveal fully autonomous, intelligent military aircraft
*The US Air Force has a new stealth bomber.
===Geopolitics===
*Russia, in conjunction with ESA and the world's space agencies lands the first man on Mars, beating NASA/Spacex and China. Mission Commander Russian Cosmonaut Sergei Sitev is the first man on Mars.
*The last US state Idaho outlaws the death penalty.
==2038==
===Science and Technology===
*Older computers are at risk of experiencing major software malfunctions.
*Teleportation of complex, organic molecules has occurred once.
*The first human is born on the moon.
===Geopolitics===
*Capital punishment is no longer in use in the developed world.
===Culture===
*The FIFA World Cup trophy is replaced.
*Bionic implants enabling sensory augmentation of hearing and vision has led to the birth of several new genres of music and art. These types of art forms are accessible only to transhumans sensitive to a much greater spectrum of light and sound. At first divisive and controversial, transhuman art eventually becomes a powerful driver of the popularity of upgrading oneself beyond one's biological limitations. 
==2039==
===Science and Technology===
*Full immersion virtual reality is mainstream.
*Nanotech fabrics are ubiquitous.
*More advanced universal translators can translate all languages, even minority ones.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2039.htm#universaltranslators
*Manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past thanks to robots, automation, and 3D printing.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2039.htm#future-manufacturing-jobs
===Geopolitics===
*Extreme heatwaves are commonplace in the U.S.
*The USA reaches the milestone of reducing its carbon emissions of 2024 by a quarter.
*Northern Ireland unites with the Irish Republic.
*US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan retires.
*King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden dies aged 93. He is succeeded by his daughter Victoria.
===Culture===
*The last US cable television network ceases to exist.
*China completes construction of a high-speed rail line connecting Beijing to Berlin via Russia. The journey would take two days. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7397846/Kings-Cross-to-Beijing-in-two-days-on-new-high-speed-rail-network.html
==2040==
===Science and Technology===
*Virtual telepathy is dominating personal communications
*Claytronics are revolutionizing consumer products.
*Fusion power is nearing commercial availability.
*Clean energy is widespread.
*Energy Islands are widespread in coastal regions.
*Breakthroughs in carbon nanotube production make space elevators possible.
*Biorepository and genomic information systems are transforming healthcare.
*Leukemia is completely survivable.
*Desalination is now dominating the world's water supply.
*Life expectancy for cystic fibrosis is now 70.
* Deep ocean mining becomes very commonplace.
===Geopolitics===
*Faced with growing social unrest, China transitions towards a Russian-style democracy.
*The United States, China, and India now have the biggest economic influence.
*The Thames barrier fails and significant parts of London are flooded.
*43rd US President George.W.Bush dies aged 94.
*The 63rd US presidential election is held in November. Democratic-Republican nominee Fiona Cabot-Lodge wins a three way race against Conservative and Progressives nominees.
===Culture===
*In the USA, the Northeast Corridor high-speed railroad is completed.
*China's High Speed Rail network has been greatly expanded.
*Traditional Western news corporations no longer exist. News gathering, analysis and distribution has fragmented - shifting to millions of creative individuals, bloggers, citizen journalists and small-scale enterprises.
*Most schools employ computer-brain interfaces to let students download information directly instead of committing it to memory.
*Livestock rearing agriculture and industries worldwide are in decline due to the rise in popularity of externally grown "victimless meat" used for human consumption. 
==2041==
===Science and Technology===
*Orbital solar power is commercially feasible.
*It is announced that a human clone has been born in Russia.
* Heart disease is no longer a major cause of death.
==2042==
===Geopolitics===
*The majority population in the USA is non-white.
==2043==
===Science and Technology===
*Slovenia closes down its nuclear power plant.
==2044==
===Science and Technology===
*Bowel cancer is now completely survivable.
===Geopolitics===
*Former King of England and Wales Charles III dies aged 96.
*The 64th US presidential election is held in November.
===Culture===
*The Bering Strait Crossing is completed. A transglobal highway and rail network have emerged.
==2045==
===Science and Technology===
*Humans are becoming intimately merged with machines.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2045.htm#man-machine
*Air accident fatalities are virtually unknown.
*Apollo 12's third stage is back.
===Geopolitics===
*China starts becoming more democratic.
===Culture===
*The Chuo Shinkansen maglev route is up and running.
*Discrimination against homosexuals has dropped considerably.
==2046==
===Geopolitics===
*UK state pension age rises to 70.
==2047==
===Science and Technology===
*Aircraft are fully autonomous and intelligent.
*F-35 Lightning II is retired.
*An unmanned probe goes to Chiron.
===Geopolitics===
*Relations between the United States and China improve.
* The "one country, two systems" policy is renewed in Hong Kong.
==2048==
===Science and Technology===
*Reversible biostasis is available.
*The near-Earth asteroid 2007 VK184 makes a close pass.
===Geopolitics===
*Israel and Arabia sign a peace treaty in which Israel is now recognized by Arabia. Israel now has land from west of the Euphrates River to east of the Nile which after the peace treaty is now legally its. The majority of Jews are now in Israel and the United States.
*The 65th US Presidential Election is held in November.
*Oil reserves in Uganda dry out.
==2049==
===Science and Technology===
*Robots are commonplace in homes and at work.
===Geopolitics===
*The Dead Sea is gone.
*China becomes a US-style democracy.
==2050==
===Science and Technology===
*Hi-tech, intelligent buildings are ubiquitous in Europe and East Asia. Many skyscrapers internally generate their own food, water and other resources. Farms often comprise multiple floors of a tower while rain and condensation are constantly trapped and stored. Advanced 3D printers are available locally onsite to manufacture furniture and replacement parts. Energy is typically provided by photovoltaics and wind turbines integrated seamlessly into the building design. Many towers incorporate parks and sky gardens, helping to increase the overall biodiversity of a city and the outside of buildings are often covered with vegetation, or special membranes, designed to filter pollutants and capture CO2. Government regulations now require a large percentage of buildings to be fitted in this way, making it a dominant style of architecture. http://www.arup.com/Home/News/2013_02_February/~/media/Files/PDF/Publications/Research_and_whitepapers/Arup_Foresight_Future_Urban_Buildings%20FINAL.ashx
*Urban areas in many other regions have collapsed into chaos.
*Fuel restrictions and other factors have led to increasingly socialized transportation. The bottom floors of most urban buildings have dedicated public car share (AI controlled) and bike share facilities, while bus and other mass transit stations are often built into the structures themselves. Pedestrian sky-walkways feature heavily in most modern cities.
*Wireless electricity transfer is common, with energy beamed invisibly between buildings.
*Continent-wide super-grids are available.
*Increased living costs and environmental factors have resulted in smaller, cheaper, more energy-efficient cars. The most common are compact vehicles that carry just one or two passengers. The vast majority of cars in the developed world are now computer-controlled while traffic flow and other road management issues are handled by advanced networks of AI. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/18/tech/innovation/ieee-2040-cars/index.html
*The vast majority of aeroplanes are now hydrogen powered, or use some combination of hydrogen and other renewable energy. It is now possible to reach anywhere on the planet in under 2.5 hours. The interiors of some planes are incredibly luxurious.
*China completes the South-North Water Transfer Project.
===Geopolitics===
*Every nation in the world recognizes Israel by this point. The last nation to do so is Iran.
*The retirement age in the US is increased to 75.
==2051==
===Science and Technology===
*Cosmic Call 1 reaches Gliese 777.
===Geopolitics===
*The Northern European Union and the Mediterranean Alliance reunite and reform the European Federation.
===Culture===
*Britain holds its centennial national exhibition.
*The killing of all animals (with the exceptions of insects and arthropods) for any purpose is considered obscene by the majority populations of most western nations. In vitro meat is the dominant source of meat in the West.
==2052==
===Geopolitics===
*The 66th US Presidential Election takes place in November.
==2053==
===Science and Technology===
*Moore's Law reaches stunning new levels.
*Genetically engineered designer babies are available for the rich.
===Geopolitics===
*Israel begins construction of a Third Holy Temple in Jerusalem as part of the peace treaty with Arabia.
==2054==
===Science and Technology===
*Rainfall is now more intense.
===Geopolitics===
*The US arrests neo-Nazi terrorists plotting to blow up the Holocaust Museum in Dallas, TX. They are extradited to Israel to face trial.
*India prohibits the killing of animals for human consumption 
==2055==
===Science and Technology===
*Spaceflight has taken a leap forward.
*The human population reaches 9 billion, with India (1400M), China(1300M) and USA(400M) as the most populous countries, diferent entities call this the Global Population Crisis Point; Antartica is continuosly populed by near 4000 person during winter and 15 human live is outer space, 8 in the ISS, 4 in the Chinese Space Station and 3 in the International Moon Station.
===Geopolitics===
*The vast majority of countries are democracies now.
===Culture===
*Traditional media has fragmented and diversified.
==2056==
===Science and Technology===
*Fully synthetic humans are now technically feasible.
*A dome intended for full-time habitation is completed on the moon.
===Geopolitics===
*The Third Holy Temple in Jerusalem is finally finished.
==2057==
===Science and Technology===
*Desktop computers now have the power of all human brains.
*Handheld MRI scanners are available.
*The first attempt at housing a brain in an artificial body is attempted.
===Geopolitics===
*Archaeologists discover the tomb of King David of Israel. The political repercussions of the discovery are felt throughout the world.
==2058==
===Science and Technology===
*A radio telescope is built on the Moon.
===Culture===
*The Beatles' music catalogue enters the public domain.
==2059==
===Science and Technology===
*Oil is no longer to be found.
*DNA evidence confirms that 10% of the Jews in the world are descended from King David.
===Geopolitics===
*David Baumannstein, a politician from Tel Aviv who is among the 10%, runs for president of Israel.
==2060==
===Science and Technology===
*Flood barriers are erected in New York.
*There are more old people around than young, but automation has eliminated the need for most jobs.
*Helium-3 is being mined on the Moon.
*The first space elevator begns construction.
===Geopolitics===
*David Baumannstein is elected President of Israel. 
*Russia splits in two: Moscovia and Siberia.
*Moscovia joins the European Federation. So does Belarus and Ukraine.
*The Central Asian Union is formed from what is left of the Eurasian Union. Siberia does not join.
==2061==
===Science and Technology===
*Halley's Comet returns.
*Mars has a permanent human presence now.
===Geopolitics===
*The population of the UK is 80 million.
==2062==
===Science and Technology===
*Nanofabricators are entering the mainstream.
==2064==
===Geopolitics===
*20% of the US economy is based on IT.
==2065==
===Science and Technology===
*Longevity treatments that can halt aging are available.
*Nanotechnology allows buildings to self-assemble.
*Invisibility suits are in use by the military.
* Archival Discs start to become unreadable.
==2067==
===Science and Technology===
*The first antimatter rocket is developed. This is just a prototype.
*A serious attempt at consciousness transfer is made with an aging American billionaire uploading his mind to a computer.
===Geopolitics===
*A community of humans have permanent residence on the moon.
*King William V of England and Wales abdicates at the age of 85. His son, George, becomes King of the United Kingdom of England and Wales.
==2068==
===Culture===
*Biotechnology is allowed in sports. This is a major landmark in world athletics.
==2069==
===Geopolitics===
*The population of the United States is now half a billion. White people are no longer the majority population.
===Culture===
*It is the 100th anniversary of Apollo 11.
==2070==
===Science and Technology===
*Nuclear fusion has become widespread.
*Homes are fully automated.
*Moon bases expand.
*Liver and brain cancer are completely survivable.
==2071==
===Geopolitics===
*In a referendum, the UK votes to become a republic. Reigning King George VII, accepts the outcome and is deigned to be the last monarch. The referendum declares that the republic shall not be formed until the King dies or abdicates.
==2072==
===Science and Technology===
*Advanced nanotech clothing makes the chest of drawers obsolete.
*Picotechnology is becoming practical.
===Geopolitics===
*Former King of England and Wales William V dies aged 90.
===Culture===
*There is a scandal in England when "murder meat" is detected in supermarket frozen lasagna. It is traced to have come from an illegal abattoir in Romania.
==2073==
===Culture===
*There are now ten trillionaires.
==2074==
===Science and Technology===
*The Green Wall of China is completed.
==2075==
===Science and Technology===
*The ozone layer has fully recovered.
*The Thames Barrier has been upgraded.
*After 15 years of construction, the first space elevator is operational.http://www.futuretimeline.net/21stcentury/2070-2079.htm#space-elevator
*The Very Large Hadron Collider is finished in its mission.
==2076==
===Science and Technology===
*Unmanned probes to Sedna are more common than ever while Sedna is close enough.
*Advances in lattice quantum chromodynamics lead to an accurate simulation of viruses. This advances medical science.
==2079==
===Science and Technology===
*Practical flying cars are widespread.
*New York experiences a total solar eclipse.
==2080==
===Science and Technology===
*Some humans are more non-biological than biological.
*A transatlantic tunnel begins construction.
===Geopolitics===
*The refugee crisis that emerged in the mid-21st century has now largely subsided, with much of civilization having been relocated to the polar regions of Northern Europe, Russia, Canada and Western Antarctica.
==2082==
===Geopolitics===
*The world population now exceeds 10 billion. 2.3 billion in Africa, 1.5 billion in the America's, 5.4 billion in Asia, 750 million in Europe and 50 million in Oceania.
*George VII dies of illness aged 69. The UK is renamed to the United Republic of England and Wales.
==2083==
===Science and Technology===
*Computers are now hyper-intelligent.
*Hinkley Point C is decommissioned. So other obsolete nuclear fission power plants.
===Geopolitics===
*The United Republic of England and Wales splits into two nations: England and Wales.
*By now, the entire Balkan Peninsula and the Caucasus Mountain range are part of the European Federation.
*Sakha and the Far Eastern Republic declare independence from Siberia.
*Siberia and Sakha join the Central Asian Union.
*The Far East joins with Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan to form the East Asian Federation.
*Uyghuristan joins the Central Asian Union.
*India annexes Tibet, Afghanistan, and all of Southeast Asia.
==2084==
===Science and Technology===
*Androids are now in law enforcement.
===Geopolitics===
*England and Wales join the European Federation which as a result has all of Europe.
*Iran cedes its Azeri and Kurdish territories to the European Federation and its Baloch territory to India.
*Iran joins the Central Asian Union.
==2085==
===Science and Technology===
*Brain tumors are now curable. 
*Macro-scale teleportation is achieved.
*Manned exploration of Jupiter begins.
===Geopolitics===
*The majority of nations have a global currency, the Earth Credit.
==2089==
===Science and Technology===
*The first manned exploration of Jupiter has ended.
==2090==
===Science and Technology===
*Hypersonic vactrains are widespread.
===Geopolitics===
*Arabia joins the Central Asian Union.
===Culture===
*Europe is the least religious continent.
==2092==
===Geopolitics===
*West Antarctica is the fastest growing region of the world.
==2095==
===Science and Technology===
*Saturn and its moons are now being explored.
===Geopolitics===
*There are now only 1,750 languages spoken in the world. English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic are the most common.
==2099==
===Geopolitics===
*Decades of concerted geoengineering efforts have led to success in stabilising global temperatures. Combined with ongoing population pressures, this has prompted governments to begin repopulating some of the abandoned regions in more central latitudes.
===Culture===
*Workers now work less than 20 hours a week.
==2100==
===Science and Technology===
*Human intelligence is being vastly amplified by artificial intelligence.
*There are floating cities on the oceans.
==2110==
===Science and Technology===
*Terraforming of Mars begins.
*Force fields are in military use.
*Large-sale arcologies are replacing traditional cities.
*Femtotechnology is now becoming practical.
*It is now possible to control earthquakes and tsunamis.
*The solar system is passing through a million degree cloud of gas.
===Geopolitics===
*The possibility of earthquake and tsunami control becomes a topic of debate because it is possible that this could be used as a weapon. The militarization of earthquake and tsunami control technology is banned.
*Israel becomes part of the European Federation.
==2120s==
===Science and Technology===
*Mind uploading is now entering the mainstream of society.
==2130==
===Science and Technology===
*The Moon is being populated by civilians on a large scale.
* Many welathy and intellectual as well as several chosen commoners are sent to refugeee space stations and lunar colonies
==2140==
===Science and Technology===
*Perfect simulations of 1 cubic meter have been achieved.
===Geopolitics===
*The United States of America, Canada, and Mexico form the North American Union.
===Culture===
*Because it is now possible to simulate 1 cubic meter of space, people are now spending time in virtual realities that are totally indistinguishable from the real thing.
==2150==
===Science and Technology===
*Interstellar travel is now possible at 10% the speed of light.
*Androids are now physically indistinguishable from real humans.
*Cities are now high-tech and automated.
* Holodeck-style environments are now possible.
===Culture===
*Crime is now rare because surveillance is everywhere.
==2151==
===Science and Technology===
*A total solar eclipse takes place in London.
==2160==
===Culture===
*Earth is now seeing its first bicentenarians.
* October 2169, Xorglox dies leaving his son Zolgar in charge 
==2180==
===Science and Technology===
*Antimatter power plants are now online.
===Geopolitics===
*North and South America are unified under the United States of America.
*The European Federation and the Central Asian Union merge in the Eurasian Federation which soon annexes East Asia and India.
*There is now a fear of asteroid terrorism.
*Safety protocols are instituted for the use of antimatter to power the world.
* 2183, Human militias stage a coup against Zolgar and murder him and his family leaving coup leader Edward Snow in power. Most public places become segregated between humans and non-humans and there is widespread racism and discrimination against Xorgloxians
* 2185, A spaceship containing about 100,000 Xorgloxians wishing to leave Earth is shot down casuing widespread riots leaving thousands dead
===Culture===
*There is now a debate surrounding the use of antimatter power plants.
==2190==
===Science and Technology===
*Matter replication devices are available for the home.
* The amount of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere has gone down to pre-industrial levels as a result of ongoing efforts to clean the environment.
===Culture===
*Education has been vastly accelerated.
==2200==
===Culture===
*The world in the year 2200 is different from what it used to be. Virtually everything is automated now.
* Traditional employment has died out.
* Xorgloxian civil rights movement begins
* 2208, Civil Intelligent Rights Act is passed by the Global congress granting equal right to all intelligent civi life forms, granting rights to the extraterrestiall race of Xorgloxians 
==2210==
===Science and Technology===
*Rewilding efforts are now underway.
==2220==
===Science and Technology===
*Mind uploading is available to a multitude of platforms.
*The Light Year Array is operational allowing people to see galaxies formed in the direct aftermath of the Big Bang.
==2230==
===Science and Technology===
*Antimatter-fueled starships are reaching close to the speed of light.
==2240==
===Culture===
*Christianity is not as common in America as it used to be. Other religions like Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and the Ba'h'ai Faith are more adapted to the world in the 23rd century and are therefore more common. The Mormons remain the most common Christian sect due to conversions and high birth rates. For this same reason, the Chabad is now the largest branch of Judaism.
==2250==
===Science and Technology===
*Weather and climate control is now commonplace.
*Teleportation is now commonplace for everyone.
*Skyscrapers are now reaching miles into the sky.
*Virtual worlds now surpass anything in the real world.
*Interstellar travel is now more common, but it is still sub-light.
*Asteroid mining dominates the economy of the inner planets.
*Mining of hydrogen and helium dominates the outer planets economy.
*Bacteria and lichen are introduced to Mars. With that, terraforming has passed a critical stage.
===Geopolitics===
*By now, America has annexed all of Oceania with the exception of Australia.
*America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, which has been a continent governed by one nation since colonization began, unite to form a single worldwide government, the United States of Earth.
===Culture===
*Material needs are now practically eliminated.
*The vast amount of energy that is now to available to humanity is creating emormous wealth and prosperity.
*Humanity is now a Type 1 civilization on the Kardashev scale.
==2260==
===Science and Technology===
*Development of the Solar System has accelerated.
*Terraforming of Mars is proceeding on schedule.
*Terraforming of Venus begins.
*Hundreds of asteroids are now being mined.
*Mining of Jupiter and Saturn has been accelerated.
*The moons of Jupiter and Saturn are being colonized.
*Colonies on Mercury are rolled on the equator on giant train tracks, so that they are always in the terminator zone.
*Uranus and Neptune start being mined for hydrogen and helium.
===Geopolitics===
*Mars declares independence from Earth. No bloodshed occurs.
==2280==
===Science and Technology===
*Microbes are found on an exoplanet.
==2300==
===Science and Technology===
*Superhuman powers are now commonplace among the majority of humanity.
===Culture===
*The majority of humanity are now transhumans.
==2310==
===Science and Technology===
*Voyager 1 is now in the Oort Cloud
==2350==
===Science and Technology===
*Progress has been made with the terraforming of Mars.
==2500==
===Science and Technology===
*Mars has become a second Earth. It is now completely terraformed.
===Geopolitics===
*With the completion of the terraforming of Mars, it is now clear that Mars can survive with out Earth's assisstance.
*The Human Federation is formed. Each planet and moon colonized by humans is a member state.
==2600==
===Science and Technology===
*Plastic and other waste products have dissappeared from the biosphere.
==2700==
===Science and Technology===
*Venus has been completly terraformed. It is now a third Earth.
==2880==
===Science and Technology===
*The asteroid 1950 DA passes very close to Earth, but it is prevented from colliding with Earth.
==3000==
===Science and Technology===
*Purely, biological humans are 7 ft tall with an average lifespan of 120+ years. They are also rare.
==3100==
===Science and Technology===
*A Dyson Sphere whose radius goes a little bit beyond the orbit of Jupiter is constructed.
*The Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud are now being mined.
*Artificials worlds in the Dyson Sphere are being colonized.
*Other Dyson Spheres are being constructed.
*Humans have now colonized 2% percent of the galaxy, but are still sub-light. The Alcubierre drive has just been tested.
*Faster-than-light communication is now possible though through quantum entanglement.
===Geopolitics===
*The Human Federation adds a new level of government: solar systems.
===Culture===
*Humanity is now a Type II civilization.
==3500==
===Science and Technology===
*Earth's poles have reversed.
*Grand Unification Energy is witnessed.
==4000==
===Science and Technology===
*Computer science has reached its ultimate potential.
== References ==
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