Editor’s note: Due to a software glitch (or, more likely, an operator error on my behalf), last week’s “Friday Future 5” did not post. It contains some thoughtful pieces. I encourage you to check it out here.

Think Like a Futurist: In 1830, the first 14 miles of railroad track were laid in the United States. It was a modest start but, of course, the railroad went on to transform the world. With this historical perspective in mind, consider that Chicago now has the world’s first 124-mile quantum network. This development may not seem significant but, like the near exponential growth of railroad tracks in the 19th century, the network could also change the world.

Think Twice: In addition to the term “Metaverse,” I encourage you to begin spending some time thinking about another related trend: Digital Twins. This link offers a good primer.

Think Harder: Diabetes is a leading cause of death in this country as well as an expensive and burdensome disease. Harvard scientists have now developed a revolutionary new treatment. The technology is still likely years away from FDA approval, but it is possible that the multi-billion dollar diabetes industry may be disrupted sooner than it expects.

Think Convergently: It is possible that wearable technology will soon transform our understanding of the human brain. Furthermore, the technology could bring with it a host of exciting new ways to treat everything from Alzheimers to depression.

Think Again: In news that is not surprising in the least, Amazon has developed a fully autonomous robotic warehouse. This video (which is a more-than-a-little creepy due to its eerie silence) is a harbinger of things to come in the warehouse world.

Afterthought: “Most of the old moles I know wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams.”             –Charles Mackesy from “The Boy, the Mole, and the Fox.