Earth, 2067: Sci-Fi Writers Imagine the Planet of The Future (The Takeaway)

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment.  What will our world look like 50 years from now? As part of our ongoing series about the year 2067, we asked science fiction writers to bring us a glimpse into their version of the future. Author C.A. Higgins writes about intergalactic travel and sentient spaceships in her trilogy “Lightless,” but in 2067, she believes AI will be more helpful and conversational, and maybe even learn to give true advice. "I see it sort of like having a pet, for which our robot overlords will eventually kill me for saying," she explains. 

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. What will the world look like in 50 years? You can ask economists or computer engineers to make predictions, but we wanted to have a little more fun. In a special new series from The Takeaway, science fiction writers imagine what the world will look like in the year 2067. Alaya Dawn Johnson is a speculative fiction author based in Mexico City, her novels include "Love Is the Drug" and "The Summer Prince." Johnson thinks a lot about the massive wealth inequality in the world. In 50 years, she says, this could go one of two ways: Wealthy nations get even richer, or indigenous communities around the world will stand up to the countries and companies that exploit their resources. This segment is hosted by Todd Zwillich.   

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment.  What will the world look like in 50 years? You can ask economists or computer engineers to make predictions, but we wanted to have a little more fun.  In a special new series from The Takeaway, science fiction writers imagine what the world will look like in the year 2067. Paolo Bacigalupi is the author of "The Windup Girl" and other novels and short stories. He thinks about the future by zeroing in on trends, and imagining what would happen if we continue down that path. Today, Bacigalupi sees a society paying less and less attention to science, and he worries that by 2067, we will completely ignore it.

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. What will the world look like in 50 years? While we don’t have a time machine yet, we do have science fiction writers to take us there. In a special new series from The Takeaway, science fiction writers imagine what the world will look like in the year 2067. Stanley Bing has written several satirical books about business, and has had a humor column in Fortune Magazine for decades. But he turned to the future for his next book “Immortal Life,” which comes out in December. Bing looked no further than the palm of his hand to imagine what life might be like in 2067. He discusses his vision today on The Takeaway. This segment is scored by Jay Cowit. 

Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. What will the world look like in 50 years? While we don’t have a time machine yet, we do have science fiction writers to take us there. In a special new series from The Takeaway, science fiction writers imagine what the world will look like in the year 2067. Related: Brave New Worlds: Looking for Life in The Goldilocks Zone Here, Kristen Simmons, a science fiction author known for books like the "Article 5 Series" and "The Glass Arrow," shares her vision. Much of her work is shaped by a painful family history, and her idea of the future is no different. In 2067, Simmons imagines an earth altered by climate change, with disappearing coastlines, droughts, and rampant disease. Her next book Pacifica, which comes this spring, is about a future flooded world. Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear Simmons discuss her vision for 2067.  Related: The Future of The Smart City Like what you hear? Subscribe to The Takeaway podcast here.