Editor’s Note: Beginning today, this newsletter–formerly known as ‘The Friday Future Fifteen”–is being rebranded into “Faith in the Future.” The newsletter will continue to cover future trends and the first section will offer articles relevant to the general reader. The second section, “Farm Focus,” will be focused exclusively on farming and the agricultural concerns, and the third section will contain my thoughts on faith-related topics.
Future Focus
To understand the future, it helps to understand history. In this well-produced 15-minute video, Peter Leyden, the author of The Great Progression: 2025-2050, explains why he believes the world is at the beginning of a once-in-a-lifetime inflection point. Over the next 25 years, Leyden forecasts that advances in artificial intelligence, clean energy and bioengineering will transform the world in powerful ways. I agree with his general premise and encourage you to watch the video, but I feel Leyden ignores how these trends–and their effects on society–will cause many people to return to matters of faith and spirituality.
In a related matter, Google’s quantum computer recently made a massive technical leap. The company’s new algorithms now run 13,000 times faster than software made for traditional computers. This advance will accelerate many of the trends discussed in the video posted above.
Farm Focus
If you’re in the swine industry, this article, Scientists create pigs resistant to classical swine fever, will be of interest. I especially liked this quote: “Hopefully this breakthrough can help bolster the resilience of the livestock sector to the disease.”
Wheat farmers will benefit from reading this piece: A hidden gene could triple wheat yields, while livestock farmers and ranchers will want to take note of this new technology: Virtual fencing may allow thousands more cattle to be ranched on land rather than in barns.
Faith Focus
As a futurist, I am asked a great many questions. Recently, the editors of “Compass”–the journal of professional futurists–asked me to opine on the topic of the future of love. My article is entitled “The Future of Love is Now” and I’ve been granted permission to re-print it on my website. (You can access it here.)
Also, as promised, here is a link to my first-ever post on Substack. It is from my new newsletter “Spiritward: Reflections of a Contemplative Celtic Christian” and is entitled “Finding My Way Home.” If you enjoy it, I hope you’ll consider subscribing. (It’s free and will remain so.)
