A glimpse of the future.

I've included an excerpt from the free-writing I have been doing for my final paper. The outline is this: A man is giving a speech at a science convention, describing advances in medicine, efforts that have been made to curb the effects of global climate change, etc. Simultaneously, I tell the story of an old woman--a day in her life. The goal is not to present a "dooms-day" view of the future, but to point out that things will change and give a glimpse of what could be. What I want to demonstrate is that we will eventually find ways to mediate the consequences of global warming, we may even find a way to stop it, but it is very likely that with things as they are now, we can experience significant changes in our world within our lifetimes. I want to make people aware of the immediacy of the problem. Here is what I have so far, though I have not yet gotten to illustrating the effects of climate change:

“Good afternoon leaders, innovators, and esteemed scientists. Welcome to the 12^th Annual Conference of the International Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. For over half a century, technology has advanced at an ever-increasing rate. Due in part to this exponential improvement in technology, the past 50 years have seen remarkable advances in all fields of scientific study. Rapid drug development and testing, targeted gene therapy, and stem cell transplants have revolutionized the treatments for many cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, and immune disorders. Breakthroughs in the delivery and control of RNA interference has allowed us to keep up with rapidly-evolving viruses. For the first time we can say, with confidence, that a cure for HIV/AIDS is on the horizon. Every newborn child can have their genome sequenced and examined for genetic predispositions to cancer, high blood pressure, psychiatric disorder, and this list goes on. We have the power to fight disease before it can begin to take hold of us. We are now exploring avenues in medicine that were previously unimaginable, and the future of biomedical research is bright. Our children can look forward to healthy futures, unencumbered with the burden of disease.”

I arrived at the medical examination center at 8:00 am, just in time for my mandatory annual health exam. I walked into Individual Exam Room 1. On the back wall of the small room was a wide, flat glass screen with a glass podium in front of it. “Please insert Personal Identification Device,” said the voice. I took out my phone—well it was so much more than that now—and placed it into a rectangular groove on the glass podium. Immediately, my information appeared on the screen before me. Name. Age. Medical History. Financial History. Family. Everything you needed to know about me. “Please step onto platform and look straight ahead.” I stepped onto the small platform at the foot of the podium. There was a soft whirring sound, and my hair stood on end. It always does when I know I am being scanned. In an instant a new set of numbers was on the screen. “Please press left your left index finger into the elliptical groove on the left side of the podium.” I did, and I felt a small prick. “Thank you for providing us with your blood sample.” You’re welcome. A new set of numbers. I did everything I was told, provided every sample I needed to provide. “Thank you, (NAME), your updated medical information has been uploaded to your Personal Identification Device and sent to your physician. You will be contacted if there are any abnormalities. In the meantime, consider adding supplemental calcium and iron to your diet. Your next appointment has been made for March 12, 2063 at 8:00 am. Thank you and have a healthy year.” I grabbed my phone from the podium, and the screen went black. As I was leaving the exam room, another man arrived for his appointment. It was 8:15 am.

“Our strides in medicine have been matched by great leaps in environmental management, conservation, and alternative energy. Fifty years ago, some refused to believe that human activity was accelerating the pace of global warming—that our robust industry and rapid advances in technology came at a devastating cost. Forty years ago, it was undeniable. Global climate temperatures had increased by 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit. China’s increasing use of coal-burning power plants and the melting of the permafrost released greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at an alarming rate. But we, as a global community, chose to do what was necessary to stave off the menacing threat of climate change, to save our planet. We chose life.”

My legs don’t move like they used to. Medical advances in artificial cartilage and joint replacements still can’t prevent aging or stop me from feeling it. I used to fly up stairs, skipping every other step, like they were falling out from underneath me as I climbed upwards. Now, it is a struggle, and each stair is a mountain of its own. Then again, things just aren’t what they used to be—old people always say that. I am old now. I can feel the eleven-o-clock sun beating down on the back of my neck as I walk inside to escape it. You can’t be out in the afternoons anymore.  

Every night I go to bed. I try to remember my life—what I’ve done, the people I’ve known, the joy, the sadness, the love I’ve felt. I think about how the world has changed around me as I’ve moved through life, changing in many ways myself. And I fall asleep thinking about what tomorrow will bring.