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Future of Science

Athena @ ST 23 November 2018


By 2030, workers will spend double the amount of time solving problems and 77% more time using science and maths skills. That includes you! Read on to discover what our robot, Athena, thinks the future of science could be, act accordingly or click any link to read the evidence gleaned from 3,027 reports, articles from the web and social media in a few seconds.
What is changing?

Summary

Analysis

Systems map: The systems map highlights the rise of AI, Space, quantum computing, brain science and China’s growing contribution to scientific discovery among other traditional research areas.

Radar chart: By 2025 we can expect major scientific advances in automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and particularly in telecommunications and greater attention to the use of digital scientific methods to solve many of the world’s greatest problems. The most significant scientific breakthroughs are forecast to come in life sciences, therapies, batteries, autonomous vehicles, materials, broadband, lasers and biology.

Graph-It: Biological, batteries, materials and computer science are the most promising areas for development in 2025 but much will depend on governments policies and continued funding.

Sectoral Analysis: This places science at the edge of emerging change as one would expect but the impact of discoveries and improved methods will impact on all sectors shown below.
Sentiment: Expert and pundit opinion show positive sentiment to scientific advance in the main especially in terms of AI, renewable energies, space exploration and growth in data and analytical jobs.

But some are warning of mass extinctions due to scientific advances, failure to address anti-microbial resistance and the arrival of new military and non-militaristic weapons using AI.

Pie Charts: Scientific developments are likely to increase global GDP by billions of dollars this century. Athena calculates that about two thirds of science projects are in early stage development with around 20% gaining traction and 10% now evolving with a likely tipping point for these about 2036 (the year 33% of the public accept the new paradigms as business as normal).

Year-on-Year: Sectoral interest in science is rising fast and we can expect far more jobs to be created in data science in many organizations in the next decade particularly in telecoms, retail, financial services and the science sector. Those looking to protect their career goals need to consider increasing their data science capabilities in order to remain relevant to employers.

Heat map: The Heat Map shows that China, America, the UK and Australia as leading the scientific charge with energy, construction, food and agriculture and the healthcare sectors receiving most attention.

SWOT: Lastly, the SWOT chart shows the aggregate level of opportunities and strengths in science to be extremely positive when compared to offsetting threats and weaknesses. The water is therefore warm. Come on in!

Visuals
For more detailed explanation of the graphics below please click here.

System map
The systems map highlights the rise of AI, Space, quantum computing, brain science and China’s growing contribution to scientific discovery among other traditional research areas.



Radar
By 2025 we can expect major scientific advances in automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and particularly in telecommunications and greater attention to the use of digital scientific methods to solve many of the world’s greatest problems. The most significant scientific breakthroughs are forecast to come in life sciences, therapies, batteries, autonomous vehicles, materials, broadband, lasers and biology.

Graph-It
Biological, batteries, materials and computer science are the most promising areas for development in 2025 but much will depend on governments policies and continued funding.



Sectoral Analysis
This new sectoral analysis places science at the edge of emerging change as one would expect but the impact of discoveries and improved methods will impact on all sectors shown below.



Sentiment
Expert and pundit opinion show positive sentiment to scientific advance in the main especially in terms of AI, renewable energies, space exploration and growth in data and analytical jobs.

But some are warning of mass extinctions due to scientific advances, failure to address anti-microbial resistance and the arrival of new military and non-militaristic weapons using AI.

Among the pundits and experts comments are these;

But

In the next decade, a pathogen designed on a computer screen by terrorists could kill as many as 30 million people within a year.

Pie Charts
Scientific developments are likely to increase global GDP by billions of dollars this century. Athena calculates that about two thirds of science projects are in early stage development with around 20% gaining traction and 10% now evolving with a likely tipping point for these about 2036 (the year 33% of the public accept the new paradigms as business as normal).



Year-on-Year
Sectoral interest in science is rising fast and we can expect far more jobs to be created in data science in many organizations in the next decade particularly in telecoms, retail, financial services and the science sector. Those looking to protect their career goals need to consider increasing their data science capabilities in order to remain relevant to employers.

Heat map
The Heat Map shows that China, America, the UK and Australia as leading the scientific charge with energy, construction, food and agriculture and the healthcare sectors receiving most attention.

Leaders
The leader board indicates the disruptive forces now coming from advances in technology, particularly, Artificial Intelligence and the impact these will have on jobs, innovation, energy, engineering and materials. The big four countries once again come to the fire with China rising rapidly in the ranks.



SWOT
Lastly, the SWOT chart shows the aggregate level of opportunities and strengths in science to be extremely positive when compared to offsetting threats and weaknesses. The water is therefore warm. Come on in!

Evidence
Extracted forecasts found by Athena and linked back to the original articles, reports and PowerPoints (Insights) that she found can be found below using this search term:

Implications

science

scientist

data

foundation

private launch provider

government

institute

great barrier reef

emission

rocket

climate change

Question

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Sources
Athena used the sources below as the top ones to create this report and determined which embedded forecasts are included in this Trend Alert. She found 3,027 forecasts in seconds on 23rd November 2018 to allow us to publish this report in less than ninety minutes. She can turn these into PowerPoint slides and Audio files in minutes too as you wish, or we can prepare a full customized and professionally written brief for you to order covering all these forecasts.

Athena
Athena does show duplicates to aid your understanding of themes as well as contradictory forecasts. She may also show near-duplicates. You can speed read past the duplicates and near-duplicates if you wish, though the latter may show additional information. You can use the contradictory, and likely uncertain forecasts she finds to imagine different scenarios. The future is unpredictable, but we can examine the possibilities and choose our preferable future from the choices she presents. 

Athena is apolitical. She will report forecasts from different viewpoints however distasteful that might be to our own values. Wearing rose-colored glasses is not her purpose; reporting potential futures is. So, we recommend you check her veracity before responding to her extracted forecasts. Just like humans, Athena can be fallible.

Do recognize that you and your associates are biased too. But whereas you tire, make mistakes and only recognize what interests you, she does not. She might miss or misinterpret as you do, but with far less frequency and she'll take uncomfortable truths and alternative ideas in her stride. But, please let us know if you feel her bias can be reduced. We want to do our best for you. And, as with any research, you should check and triangulate her findings for yourself.

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