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What to expect from science in the next 50 years
It is always interesting to look into the future and see what awaits us in the next 10-50-100 years. Recently, scientists have made their assumptions in this regard. In mid-December the Anniversary, Fiftieth Conference American Society for Cell Biology. Its participants were asked to write, no breakthroughs in biology is expected in the next 50 years. And that's what they did:
2010-2019
- Epigenetic cancer drugs: they are designed to globally restructure malfunction of genes in cancer cells.
- Will have an understanding of why "junk" DNA. The fact is that if we subtract the genes that we know the function and their regulatory elements is still a large amount of DNA, about 90%, which is not clear why it is necessary. 30 years ago and thought the same about the regulatory elements.
- Light microscopy with resolution up to 1 nm, which is two times smaller than the diameter of the DNA helix.
- Development of High content screening: a technology that allows you to see all of the molecular processes occurring in living cells, including those that occur under the influence of drugs.
- Delivery of siRNA in humans. siRNA - is a type of RNA, which allows you to block any work required gene. Hence, it can help to treat some genetic diseases.
2020-2029
- AIDS vaccine. From 1981 to 2006, AIDS killed 25 million people now infected about 0.6% of the population. AIDS vaccine - something like the philosopher's stone of modern science. Find - gain unlimited credibility for the next half century.
- The treatment of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. The syndrome was diagnosed in 4.7% of adult Americans, very unpleasant and destructive thing - deprives a person the opportunity to work and focus.
- Bionic bodies. This, for example, the heart, which helps fight the batteries or mechanical brush, which can move as usual.
- Understanding protein folding. To work and to perform their functions, proteins fold in a certain way. How exactly - clearly not in all cases. Struggling with the question of mathematics, molecular biology, and even ordinary people to play this game.
- The first cloned human being. While in America, Russia and most of Europe, human cloning after the 14th day of smoking - and no one knows how to clone humans. As close as possible to this came in 2007, when were able to clone a monkey.
2030-2049
- Regeneration of organs. Who decided to write about it in the conclusion of articles about the medical use of human embryonic stem cells, and patient-specific synthetic analogues - iPSC. Of them already know how to do the skin, nerve cells, blood cells, heart - but so far this is only a test tube.
- The use of algae as a biofuel for cars. They are really a lot of chemicals that can be recycled into energy, and they quickly multiply - why not?
- Live plants that could withstand the extreme climate as a universal means of subsistence. GMOs that all so afraid - the first step in this difficult matter.
- Factories of human blood. There is a very rare syndrome of Bombay, when people have not synthesized precursor of the A and B antigens, in fact responsible for the formation of blood group - learn if artificially receive such "empty" blood, it could become a universal donor blood.
- Regeneration of amputated limbs. This process is studied in lizards, hoping to see some fundamental signaling pathways that are responsible for it.
2050-2060
- Mechanisms of memory. Ceychas developed only a small piece of the whole vast machinery of memorization by 2060 will understand how we teach poetry.
- Artificial life created in the laboratory. Scientists make robots able to draw their own conclusions and to pass the Turing test. There are two different approaches to this problem: some scientists are trying to understand how our minds and play its principles, while others are trying to build a detailed working model of the brain.
- Ability to model and predict the behavior of people. So far, neither genetics nor physiologists will not give even 50% of the forecast of the simplest human actions.
- The computer is so small that it can be implanted into the brain. Dream of chipovannyh people realized.
The further predictions, so they are less specific, and the more like science or even pseudo fantastiku.Za 50 years of peace, including research, many times change. But with the help of these, such as frivolous assumptions made yet scientists, not just anyone can open the door a bit and look what there is.
2010-2019
- Epigenetic cancer drugs: they are designed to globally restructure malfunction of genes in cancer cells.
- Will have an understanding of why "junk" DNA. The fact is that if we subtract the genes that we know the function and their regulatory elements is still a large amount of DNA, about 90%, which is not clear why it is necessary. 30 years ago and thought the same about the regulatory elements.
- Light microscopy with resolution up to 1 nm, which is two times smaller than the diameter of the DNA helix.
- Development of High content screening: a technology that allows you to see all of the molecular processes occurring in living cells, including those that occur under the influence of drugs.
- Delivery of siRNA in humans. siRNA - is a type of RNA, which allows you to block any work required gene. Hence, it can help to treat some genetic diseases.
2020-2029
- AIDS vaccine. From 1981 to 2006, AIDS killed 25 million people now infected about 0.6% of the population. AIDS vaccine - something like the philosopher's stone of modern science. Find - gain unlimited credibility for the next half century.
- The treatment of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. The syndrome was diagnosed in 4.7% of adult Americans, very unpleasant and destructive thing - deprives a person the opportunity to work and focus.
- Bionic bodies. This, for example, the heart, which helps fight the batteries or mechanical brush, which can move as usual.
- Understanding protein folding. To work and to perform their functions, proteins fold in a certain way. How exactly - clearly not in all cases. Struggling with the question of mathematics, molecular biology, and even ordinary people to play this game.
- The first cloned human being. While in America, Russia and most of Europe, human cloning after the 14th day of smoking - and no one knows how to clone humans. As close as possible to this came in 2007, when were able to clone a monkey.
2030-2049
- Regeneration of organs. Who decided to write about it in the conclusion of articles about the medical use of human embryonic stem cells, and patient-specific synthetic analogues - iPSC. Of them already know how to do the skin, nerve cells, blood cells, heart - but so far this is only a test tube.
- The use of algae as a biofuel for cars. They are really a lot of chemicals that can be recycled into energy, and they quickly multiply - why not?
- Live plants that could withstand the extreme climate as a universal means of subsistence. GMOs that all so afraid - the first step in this difficult matter.
- Factories of human blood. There is a very rare syndrome of Bombay, when people have not synthesized precursor of the A and B antigens, in fact responsible for the formation of blood group - learn if artificially receive such "empty" blood, it could become a universal donor blood.
- Regeneration of amputated limbs. This process is studied in lizards, hoping to see some fundamental signaling pathways that are responsible for it.
2050-2060
- Mechanisms of memory. Ceychas developed only a small piece of the whole vast machinery of memorization by 2060 will understand how we teach poetry.
- Artificial life created in the laboratory. Scientists make robots able to draw their own conclusions and to pass the Turing test. There are two different approaches to this problem: some scientists are trying to understand how our minds and play its principles, while others are trying to build a detailed working model of the brain.
- Ability to model and predict the behavior of people. So far, neither genetics nor physiologists will not give even 50% of the forecast of the simplest human actions.
- The computer is so small that it can be implanted into the brain. Dream of chipovannyh people realized.
The further predictions, so they are less specific, and the more like science or even pseudo fantastiku.Za 50 years of peace, including research, many times change. But with the help of these, such as frivolous assumptions made yet scientists, not just anyone can open the door a bit and look what there is.
