Think in Questions: Given the extraordinary advances in everything from artificial intelligence and robotics to biotechnology, nanotechnology, gene-editing and regenerative medicine, here is a question all of us should spend some time thinking about: How Old Can Humans Get? (Hint: One leading scientist thinks the answer may be 1,000 years–or more.)

Think Different: What’s the one thing that experts don’t know? Answer: They don’t know what they don’t know. I remind you of this because while this article, “The Future of Cities According to Experts” is good, the experts don’t leave much space in their predictions or their thinking for all that they don’t know! For instance, there is not a single mention of how water scarcity may change where and in which cities people live, nor is there any discussion of “micro-mobility” and its implications for urban living. My advice is this: When reading articles such as this always ask yourself: What’s missing?

Think Big: Artificial intelligence will eliminate some jobs. The situation, however, may not be as gloomy as many people think. McKinsey recently studied 850 jobs–involving some 2,100 different tasks, in 47 countries. The company’s analysis suggested AI could add $4.4. trillion a year to the global economy. (Just as “experts” can be–and often are–wrong, so can consulting firms be wrong. Take this study with a grain-of-salt but there are reasons to be optimistic about AI.)

Think Bigger: Solar Power investment will overtake oil for the first ever this year. Of the $2.8 trillion expected to be invested in the energy sector this year, over $1.7 trillion will be invested in solar, wind, hydro and “smarter,” more resilient grid technologies. As advanced battery storage technologies continue to improve, look for this trend to continue well into the foreseeable future.

Think Fast: AI has now been used to design an entirely new cancer drug in just 30 days. Researchers at the University of Toronto, working in partnership with Insilico medicine, used the AlphaFold computer program to develop a novel molecule which can more effectively bind to a cancer target.

P.S. I have a bonus video–it is under 60 seconds: Jack Uldrich on How to Think About Time–and the Future–Just a Little Bit Differently.

Afterthought: “The meaning of life is to give life meaning.”–Viktor Frankl