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posted by n1 on Monday April 21 2014, @07:22AM   Printer-friendly
from the promoting-paranoia dept.

According to the latest research from Pew Research Center, Americans are generally excited about the new technology they expect to see in their lifetimes but when confronted with some advances that already appear possible from skies filled with drones to meat made in a lab they get nervous. Overall, respondents were upbeat about how technology will shape the near future. In the report, 59% of Americans think tech developments will make life in the next half-century better, while only 30% said they will make life worse. But some of the advances that may be closest to becoming reality are the ones survey respondents were most worried about (PDF). Nearly two out of three Americans think it would make things worse if U.S. airspace is opened up to personal drones. A similar number dislike the idea of robots being used to care for the sick and elderly, and of parents being able to alter the DNA of their unborn children. Only 37% of respondents think it will be good if wearable devices or implants allow us to be digitally connected all the time. People were split almost evenly (48%-50%) on whether they would ride in a driverless car. But only 26% said they'd get a brain implant to improve their memory or intelligence, and a mere 20% said they'd try eating meat made in a lab. Some 9% said they'd like to be able to time travel. A similar number said they'd like something that would keep them healthy or extend their lives, 6% said they wanted a flying car (or bike), 3% said they'd take a teleportation device and a mere 1% said they want their own jetpack.

Asked to describe in their own words the futuristic inventions they themselves would like to own, the public offered three common themes: 1) travel improvements like flying cars and bikes, or even personal space crafts; 2) time travel; and 3) health improvements that extend human longevity or cure major diseases. "In the long run, Americans are optimistic about the impact that scientific developments will have on their lives and the lives of their children but they definitely expect to encounter some bumps along the way," says Aaron Smith, a senior researcher at Pew and the author of the report. "They are especially concerned about developments that have the potential to upend long-standing social norms around things like personal privacy, surveillance, and the nature of social relationships."
 
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  • (Score: 2) by Bartman12345 on Monday April 21 2014, @09:56AM

    by Bartman12345 (1317) on Monday April 21 2014, @09:56AM (#33893)

    So apparently Americans want to fly, travel through time and have longer lifetimes.

    Basically, they all want to be Doctor Who.

    I respect that.

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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday April 21 2014, @11:30AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Monday April 21 2014, @11:30AM (#33903) Journal

    Basically, they all want to be Doctor Who.

    Doctor... who?
    (what percentage of Americans know about Doctor Who? Mind you... you didn't say "want to be like Doctor Who" - even if they wouldn't know the doctor; you said something that amounts they know about)

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
  • (Score: 2) by Sir Garlon on Monday April 21 2014, @12:29PM

    by Sir Garlon (1264) on Monday April 21 2014, @12:29PM (#33923)

    If you've seen the young ladies who travel around with the Doctor, and you're the sort of person who likes ladies, then you'd want to be Doctor Who, too.

    --
    [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.