# What's the most bizarre technological advance that seems juuuust plausible within your lifetime? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705 "2013-08-08T14:43:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/21 "2013-08-08T19:51:30Z")
I hope they master the art of growing new body parts _in vitro_ fairly soon. Not long ago, I saw the episode of _ **Voyager** _ where they had to transplant one of Kes’s lungs into Neelix after his were stolen. :rolleyes: What, they still haven’t developed _in vitro_ technology in the 24th century?!? I also hope they come up with a complete theoretical foundation for hyperlight travel and communications, even though the engineering aspects of these will take many more years to develop. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/22 "2013-08-08T19:59:24Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > The one that I want almost as much as that tho is the ability to stop growing hair. A pill, a treatment, a surgical procedure, whatever, as long as it means I lose my hair and don’t grow any more. Hair is stupid. Wait until you start losing it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/23 "2013-08-08T20:09:25Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Wait until you start losing it. ☹ Not going to happen. I wish it would, but it’s not part of my genetic makeup. Also, you may not understand me, exactly: I don’t want any hair. No hair on my head, no pubes, no beard, no mustache, no eyebrows, no ear hair, etc. The only downside I can see is that nose hair actually performs a useful function but hey, I’ll deal with it if it means losing the rest of my hair. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/24 "2013-08-08T20:12:03Z")
There’s hair elsewhere you don’t want removed- you want to be careful with the nair. But yeah, total control of hair- length and location at least- would be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/25 "2013-08-08T20:20:38Z")
Brain transplants… Medically? Maybe Socially? Let the politics on morality begin! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/26 "2013-08-08T20:21:35Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I read _Engines of Creation_ back in the eighties and I’m still waiting for the nanotech revolution. I think we got sidetracked by personal computers and the internet. Ray Kurzweil predicts that to be a 2020 phenomena, but he also felt this decade would be a decade of biotechnology innovations. so far I’m not seeing it. there is cool stuff in labs regarding biology, but it hasn’t spread to clinical practice. a neat technology would be human to animal communication. dolphins have language, we just don’t understand it yet. basic dialogue with pets would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/27 "2013-08-08T21:03:24Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > There’s hair elsewhere you don’t want removed- you want to be careful with the nair. > But yeah, total control of hair- length and location at least- would be awesome. And it will probably be the first thing nanobots will be commericially used for. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/28 "2013-08-08T22:39:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Not going to happen. I wish it would, but it’s not part of my genetic makeup. Also, you may not understand me, exactly: I don’t want any hair. No hair on my head, no pubes, no beard, no mustache, no eyebrows, no ear hair, etc. The only downside I can see is that nose hair actually performs a useful function but hey, I’ll deal with it if it means losing the rest of my hair. So a procedure that will give you [Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypohidrotic_ectodermal_dysplasia)? To the OP: an oven that makes food. Open the top, drop in eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, frozen chicken breasts, a block of cheese, some wine, etc, pick your recipe from a screen, five minutes later it’s done. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/29 "2013-08-08T23:31:43Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Full blown automated roadways. To the point where driving your own car will be restricted to private roads and race tracks. Cars will be light and cheap because you won’t need fancy schmancy collision protection, nor the ability to do 0-60 in 3 seconds. Hmm - what will we motorcycle riders do? My pick: we’ll move to biometric cash. No more cards, fobs, or paper - thumb print or retinal scan to approve fund transfers. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/30 "2013-08-08T23:39:25Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > So a procedure that will give you [Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypohidrotic_ectodermal_dysplasia)? > > To the OP: an oven that makes food. Open the top, drop in eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, frozen chicken breasts, a block of cheese, some wine, etc, pick your recipe from a screen, five minutes later it’s done. Those are being worked on. I don’t think they are on the market yet. Basically it is a piece of cookware where you select the dish you want, add the correct ingredient tubes and it makes and cooks it for you. [http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/4752296-mit-trying-to-create-food-replicator](http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/4752296-mit-trying-to-create-food-replicator) > **[3D-Printed Pizza In Space! NASA Funds 'Food Replicator' For Space Station...](https://planetsave.com/articles/3d-printed-pizza-in-space-nasa-funds-food-replicator-for-space-station/)** > > Regular readers of PS are aware that we have covered many news items of late involving the remarkably versatile technology known as 3D printing/rapid prototyping in which 3D computer design software, laser printing and materials science combine to... ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/31 "2013-08-08T23:50:55Z")
Self driving cars. Actually, we already have the technology, I think the only thing holding us back is the liability issues. Small computer implants. Like credit cards and the like. Just pay for crap with the wave of a hand. Make phone calls, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/32 "2013-08-09T00:10:57Z")
Programmable dreaming. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/33 "2013-08-09T06:59:26Z")
_Something_ involving Graphene, if only to shut it up. I mean, seriously - Graphene is like an enthusiastic ten-year-old at a party for grown-ups; “Look at me! I can do this!”, while everyone else tries to carry on their conversation. Do something with Graphene, someone, PLEASE. Before I smack it and send it to bed. ---
**Author:** ![David\_H\_Singanas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@David\_H\_Singanas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_H_Singanas)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/34 "2013-08-09T07:50:23Z")
The only poster even close to the technological advances wanted in my lifetime is Mr. Excellent. Before I go south, I want the scientific community to provide: 1. Exponential increase in energy supply by cold fusion or even hot fusion. 2. Antigravity devices and transport. 3. First Contact. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/35 "2013-08-09T10:33:43Z")
Truly large scale environmental engineering projects. The Sahara could use an inland sea. A canal from the Amazon interior through the Andes to the Pacific Arcologies capable of housing a million people All would be astonishing. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/36 "2013-08-09T11:12:18Z")
My guess would be replicators ala Start Trek. 3D printing is already moving along quite nicely and if they can manage to get down to the molecular level really complex things could be created. This isn’t going to be tomorrow but if I life another 40 years it may be possible to see it happen. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/37 "2013-08-09T11:36:39Z")
Given that porn is the most popular thing on the internet ( so I’m told ), combining robot technology and sex dolls ( both of which already exist ) to make sex androids seems likely to be the next really big thing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/38 "2013-08-09T11:45:37Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > - FTL communication through quantum entanglement. > - SDMB update to vBulletin 3.8. The first is more likely. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/39 "2013-08-09T11:48:17Z")
Biology based ID recognition for all accesses/passwords. As horrible as it sounds, I can see this being spun as “foolproof”, “totally safe”, and “a milestone step forward”. ☹ I’m not sure if this would be finger print based or some tattooed bar code for supermarket type scanners. I hope to hell it never comes to pass, but I can see people being just stupid enough to go along with it. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705/40 "2013-08-09T16:27:26Z")
Since we have already seen direct brain-to-brain communication between [rats](http://www.gizmag.com/brain-brain-communication-rats-duke/26454/) and [people and rats](http://nextbigfuture.com/2013/07/non-invasive-brain-to-brain.html), I think it’s possible that we will see electronic human to human telepathy within my lifetime. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-bizarre-technological-advance-that-seems-juuuust-plausible-within-your-lifetime/665705.md?page=3)