Americans wary of futuristic Science, Technology

[Hum]

(CNN) -- 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.

Those are the findings in a report released Thursday by the Pew Research Center, which sought to gauge public opinion about our rapidly changing world of science and tech.

"The American public anticipates that the coming half-century will be a period of profound scientific change, as inventions that were once confined to the realm of science fiction come into common usage," reads the report.

Overall, respondents to Pew's survey 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.

More than eight out of 10 respondents (81%) said they think that in the next 50 years, people who need transplants will be able to get them with organs grown in labs. And more than half (51%) think computers will be able to create art as skillfully as humans do.

They're a little less optimistic about some science-fiction staples, though. Only 39% think it's likely scientists will have figured out how to teleport things (or, presumably, people), 33% say we'll have long-term space colonies by 2064 and a mere 19% expect humans will be able to control the weather.

Interestingly, some of the advances that may be closest to becoming reality are the ones survey respondents were most worried about.

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.

Meanwhile, only 37% of respondents think it will be good if wearable devices or implants allow us to be digitally connected all the time.

 

With the advent of Google Glass and other wearable technology, that may not be such a distant dream. And already, researchers are developing robots to provide elder care, 3D printers are replicating parts of the human body and government regulators are considering allowing nonmilitary drones to legally operate in U.S. airspace.

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[T3X4S]

I think once scientists can realistically overcome the short life span of qubits in a quantum computer they will have the power needed to make a major leap in other technological advancements like teleport-ability (well, I hope)

[Hum]

^ Teleporting is already possible without gizmos. ;)

[T3X4S]

Hum, are you referring to teleportation of photons, or ????

[Hum]

^ Personal teleportation of one's body -- as in Jumper.

 

It has been done.