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• Forecast #1: The world will have a billion millionaires by 2025. Globalization and technological innovation are driving this increased prosperity. But challenges to prosperity will also become more acute, such as water shortages that will affect two-thirds of world population by 2025.
• Forecast #2: Fashion will go wired as technologies and tastes converge to revolutionize the textile industry. Researchers in smart fabrics and intelligent textiles (SFIT) are working with the fashion industry to bring us color-changing or perfume-emitting jeans, wristwatches that work as digital wallets, and running shoes like the Nike +iPod that watch where you’re going (possibly allowing others to do the same). Powering these gizmos remains a key obstacle. But industry watchers estimate that a $400 million market for SFIT is already in place and predict that smart fabrics could revitalize the U.S. and European textile industry.
• Forecast #3: The threat of another cold war with China, Russia, or both could replace terrorism as the chief foreign-policy concern of the United States. Scenarios for what a war with China or Russia would look like make the clashes and wars in which the United States is now involved seem insignificant. The power of radical jihadists is trivial compared with Soviet missile capabilities, for instance. The focus of U.S. foreign policy should thus be on preventing an engagement among Great Powers.
• Forecast #4: Counterfeiting of currency will proliferate, driving the move toward a cashless society. Sophisticated new optical scanning technologies could, in the next five years, be a boon for currency counterfeiters, so societies are increasingly putting aside their privacy fears about going cashless. Meanwhile, cashless technologies are improving, making them far easier and safer to use.
• Forecast #5: The earth is on the verge of a significant extinction event. The twenty-first century could witness a biodiversity collapse 100 to 1,000 times greater than any previous extinction since the dawn of humanity, according to the World Resources Institute. Protecting biodiversity in a time of increased resource consumption, overpopulation, and environmental degradation will require continued sacrifice on the part of local, often impoverished communities. Experts contend that incorporating local communities’ economic interests into conservation plans will be essential to species protection in the next century.

Dear Reader,

These are a few forecasts from members of The World Future Society and its magazine THE FUTURIST.

In this bulletin, I’ll share other forecasts with you and tell you how you can receive—completely without risk—a valuable guide to important trends in the years ahead. It’s FREE with an introductory membership..

At the outset, let me say that futurists do not claim to be able to predict the future. So much of what will happen in the future depends on what we humans decide to do. If we could know the future with certainty, it would mean that the future could not be changed. Yet this is a main purpose of studying the future: to look at what may happen if present trends continue, decide if this is what is desirable, and, if it’s not, work to change it. Knowing the trends can empower you for effective action.

So you can’t know the future. But you can know a lot about probable future developments. This is some of the most valuable knowledge because it offers you an essential edge for success in a rapidly changing world.

A Crisis or an Opportunity? What Makes the Difference?

The critical difference is whether you are prepared. If you’re aware of possible developments… if you see changes coming… you can take action and prepare yourself. In a rapidly changing world, new opportunities are emerging everywhere. If you get an advance notice of these possible changes, you can be ready. You can ride these waves of change to benefit your career, your business, your family and your investments.

The news—even instant news—is recent history. But understanding trends and possible future developments is some of the most valuable knowledge you can have. It enables you prepare while you still have the opportunity and time to act.

Here are a few more thought-provoking forecasts…

• Forecast #6: Water will be in the twenty-first century what oil was in the twentieth century. Global fresh water shortages and drought conditions are spreading in both the developed and developing world. In response, the dry state of California is building 13 desalination plants that could provide 10%-20% of the state’s water in the next two decades. Desalination will become more mainstream by 2020.
• Forecast #7: World population by 2050 may grow larger than previously expected, due in part to healthier, longer-living people. Slower than expected declines of fertility in developing countries and increasing longevity in richer countries are contributing to a higher rate of population growth. As a result, the UN has increased its forecast for global population from 9.1 billion people by 2050 to 9.2 billion.
• Forecast #8: The number of Africans imperiled by floods will grow 70-fold by 2080. The rapid urbanization taking place throughout much of Africa makes flooding particularly dangerous, altering the natural flow of water and cutting off escape routes. If global sea levels rise by the predicted 38 cm by 2080, the number of Africans affected by floods will grow from 1 million to 70 million.



• Forecast #9: Rising prices for natural resources could lead to a full-scale rush to develop the Arctic. Not just oil and natural gas, but also the Arctic’s supplies of nickel, copper, zinc, coal, freshwater, forests, and of course fish are highly coveted by the global economy. Whether the Arctic states tighten control over these commodities or find equitable and sustainable ways to share them will be a major political challenge in the decades ahead.
• Forecast #10: More decisions will be made by nonhuman entities. Electronically enabled teams in networks, robots with artificial intelligence, and other noncarbon life-forms will make financial, health, educational, and even political decisions for us. Reason: Technologies are increasing the complexity of our lives and human workers’ competency is not keeping pace well enough to avoid disasters due to human error.

My name is Timothy Mack. I am president of the World Future Society. We are a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the study of forecasts, trends and ideas about the future. We are 25,000 individuals around the world who share a common idea. We believe that the people can create a better future for themselves and all humankind by studying possible future developments and making wise choices. We believe that a better tomorrow is built today.

Our members are business leaders, policy makers, educators, entrepreneurs, students, and retirees. They come from virtually every field and industry, and they’re located in more than 80 countries. World Future Society members receive many exclusive benefits, including a subscription to THE FUTURIST magazine. You are invited to join us today with a special offer and benefit from the unique perspective a knowledge of the future can offer.

I would like to show you some of the techniques futurists use to discover the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow. You’ll see how people have used knowledge about the future to achieve remarkable success. And you’ll also see how you can use these techniques yourself to help your business, career, your family and your investments.

How to Spot Important Trends Years Ahead of the Crowd

World Future Society members have access to the work of futurists around the world in the pages of THE FUTURIST magazine.

In the age of the Internet and 24/7 news, there is a serious glut of information, making it hard to determine what’s really going on. THE FUTURIST gives you a way to make sense of our rapidly changing world. Each issue of THE FUTURIST will brief you on the most important trends that affect your business, career, family, investments, and the world in general.

We present the most significant trends divided into six sectors that are commonly used by professional business planners.

The sectors are:

• Breakthrough Technologies — You’ll see the impact of new technologies and the latest innovations, discoveries and new solutions on the horizon.
• Economic and Business Forecasts — You’ll get vital updates on major economic, business and consumer trends, and investment and financial outlooks.
• Environment and Resource Outlook — New ideas and reports on natural resources, habitats, sustainable communities and more.
• Social Trends — Changes in values and lifestyles and topics such as religion, entertainment, sports, arts, language, sex and family.
• Demographics — The latest trends on population, immigration, births, deaths, marriages, and other vital information.
• Government and Regulatory Trends — The impact of laws, regulations, taxes, politics, diplomacy and war.

This “Six Sector” analysis of trends saves you time by compressing a massive amount of information into six major categories. What you get in each issue is a careful selection of the most interesting and significant current reports on trends, forecasts, and potentially important developments.

THE FUTURIST will help you navigate through rapid developments and sort through this era of information overload. You’ll have ready access to critical information that could affect your future, making this a unique resource.

Outstanding Benefits Available Only to Members

Join the World Future Society today and you’ll receive an array of exclusive benefits to help you anticipate change and create a better future both personally and professionally. As a World Future Society member you will receive:

THE FUTURIST: A Magazine of Forecasts, Trends and Ideas about the Future

This lively, independent magazine will keep you informed, enlightened and inspired. You’ll get the latest developments, scenarios, and emerging technologies. You’ll discover new solutions, visions, opportunities, and insights. You’ll position yourself and your business to take advantage of important trends. And you’ll get practical ideas and tools you can put to work to help you create a better tomorrow.

Each issue of THE FUTURIST includes these features:

Tomorrow-in-Brief — You’ll get updates on breakthrough technologies and high-impact developments that are changing the world. Recent issues of THE FUTURIST have covered exciting new solutions such as:

• Fireflies Help Fight Cancer — How researchers in England are using bioluminescence to target and kill cancer cells.
• 3-D TV Closer to Reality — Software that merges images from several projectors onto a single screen is about to make 3-D TV a reality. No funny 3-D sunglasses required. It’s like “being there.”

THE FUTURIST Brings You Expert Forecasts and Analyses of Trends



World Future Society membership includes a subscription to THE FUTURIST. A small sampling of well-known experts whose ideas have appeared in THE FUTURIST includes:

Peter F. Drucker - business visionary
Rosabeth Moss Kanter - management expert
B.F. Skinner - psychologist
Ray Kurzweil - inventor
Harvey Cox - theologian
Amitai Etzioni - sociologist
Glenn Seaborg - Nobel Prize-winning chemist
Margaret Mead - anthropologist
Gene Roddenberry - Star Trek creator
John Challenger - employment expert
Hazel Henderson - economist
Anthony Fauci - NIH AIDS expert
Nicholas Negroponte - new media visionary
Richard Lamm - former Colorado Governor
Kofi Annan - U.N. Secretary General
Herman Kahn - defense analyst
Fritjof Capra - physicist
Alvin and Heidi Toffler - authors
Julian Simon - economist
Carl Sagan - astronomer
Neil de Grasse Tyson - astronomer
Frederik Pohl - science fiction writer
E.F. Schumacher - economist
John Naisbitt - author
Harold Shane - educator
Daniel Yankelovich - public opinion expert
Gerard K. O’Neill - space exploration expert
Vaclav Havel - statesman
Marvin Cetron - forecaster
Sir John Templeton - famed investor
David Walker - U.S. Comptroller General
and far too many more to mention.

Get the next issue
risk-free.



• Grow Your Own Replacement Teeth — Forget about crowns or implants. Soon you’ll be able to grow your own natural replacement teeth. Stem cells are taken from an individual, treated and cultured in a laboratory, then reimplanted under the gum line at the site of the missing or extracted tooth. This then grows into a fully formed, live tooth in the same way that teeth develop naturally.

Get the Latest Trends & Forecasts

THE FUTURIST brings you the most important trends categorized into our ‘Six Sector’ analysis. You’ll see remarkable developments now on the horizon, such as:

• New double-duty power plants could ease the water crisis. A new process to remove salt from seawater and make it drinkable can be powered by the excess heat from electric power plants. A small operating prototype shows that tapping the waste heat from a 100-megawatt power plant could produce 1.5 million gallons of fresh water daily. The cost would be only $2.50 per 1,000 gallons—well below that of conventional desalination methods.
• New System Reads Body Language — The truth is in your eyes—and your mannerisms. A system developed by University of Manchester scientists uses a camera and artificial intelligence to process patterns of non-verbal behavior. The system can assess levels of deception, aggression, exhaustion and even the initial stages of Parkinson’s disease.

You’ll get reviews of the most significant books and reports on the future, news about the activities of futurists around the world and resources you can rely on for more information. And, of course, you’ll also receive…

Feature Articles You’ll Find Nowhere Else

Each issue of THE FUTURIST brings you exclusive articles written by experts in their field. You’ll get an in-depth exploration of the most important forecasts, trends and ideas about the future. Articles from recent issues include:

• The GNR Revolution — The convergence of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and robotics may change the very meaning of “human” as we shape our evolutionary destiny.
• A New Strategy for Globalization — As business breaks down borders and corporations roam the world in search of profits, we need to be sure the international system is built on a foundation of cooperation and consent.
• Learning for Ourselves: A New Paradigm for Education — Why learning should be taken out of the hands of antiquated school systems and put into the hands of learners, according to a leading education consultant.

• Reshaping Retirement: Scenarios and Options — Retirement may disappear altogether in the future as aging workers outlive their savings or choose to keep working. Here’s how individuals and policy makers can help ensure rewarding lives for older persons in the next 20 years.
• A Planet Under Stress: Rising to the Challenge — We need to restructure our economy with lower income taxes and increased taxes on environmentally destructive activities, such as use of fossil fuels, says one environmental advocate.
• The Superlongevity Revolution — The human species is in the early phases of an expansion of the average life span into the hundreds and beyond.
• Virtual Reality Is Getting Real — In the next 15 years VR experiences will be fully integrated into real life. We’ll “attend” meetings, practice surgical techniques, travel to exotic places, test design flaws before building things, and create digital clones to be our representatives in virtual worlds.

Through the pages of THE FUTURIST, you’ll see the ideas and new developments that are changing the way people think, live, work, and play.

But THE FUTURIST is just one benefit of your membership. You’ll also have the opportunity be part of…

A Worldwide Network that Puts YOU on the Cutting Edge of Change…

WFS will help you network with a wide range of thought-leaders from many fields, backgrounds and countries. These are the people whose ideas and innovation are changing the way people live, work and play. You’ll be able to meet and share ideas with other forward-looking individuals in your area and around the world.

In today’s fast-changing world we cannot learn fast enough on our own. With membership in the World Future Society you’ll be part of a unique “learning community” actively exploring possible future developments and working to shape the future for the better.

Your Membership Also Entitles You to These Additional Benefits:

• Experience the Future at Unique and Exciting Conferences — From presidential candidates to prominent scientists, WFS conferences feature thought-leaders on the cutting edge of change. These unique meetings have been described as “a world’s fair of ideas” and “the greatest intellectual show on earth. ” No other conference brings together so many original thinkers and doers from so many fields. You’ll receive early invitations and members’ discounts for these important events.
• Meet Other Forward-Looking People in Your Area — As a member you can join local chapters. WFS now has 48 active chapters in the U.S. and of total of 117 Cities and 39 Countries. WFS chapters offer you the opportunity to network with forward-looking colleagues in your area. You’ll be able make important professional and personal contacts. And you can participate in meetings, luncheons and other events, featuring well-known and cutting edge speakers.
• Get Updates on Vital Trends — Your membership also entitles you to receive Futurist Update. This e-mail newsletter keeps you in touch with up-to-the-minute news. You’ll get up-to-the-minute breakthroughs, the latest research, news, and links to futurist web sites around the world.
• Interact with Other Thought-Leaders Around the World — As a member, you’ll be able to participate in online forums exploring vital topics on the future. You can post your ideas and get reactions from others around the world. Current forums cover subjects such as education, futurist methodologies, preventing terrorism, global strategies, cyber society, future generations, and more.
• Keep up on the Newest Breakthroughs on Education and Training in the Future – Learning Tomorrow is a quarterly Web publication on Futures Education and the Future of Education. It publishes a range of articles from educators and learning specialists around the world.

What Experts are Saying

“I have never had a journal ’swiped’ as much as my copies of THE FUTURIST”

Dr. Charles W. Case, University of Vermont

“The World Future Society keeps us aware of and focused on the future. It’s a great help in our efforts to help all our clients profit from change.”



Arnold Brown, Chairman, Weiner, Edrich, Brown

“You deserve all of the accolades for turning THE FUTURIST into an outstanding journal—the preeminent publication in the futures