Life in 2050 | Smithsonian Magazine

Daniel Okrent on the Future of Newspapers

The former New York Times Public Editor believes large news organizations will still exist, but more sources of news content will be individuals and small alliances of individuals (5:02)

Jay Parkinson on Creating Health Through Happiness

The co-founder of Hello Health says the health care industry has a "huge opportunity" to change the way it communicates with patients (03:21)

Clay Shirky on Openness in an Online World

The NYU interactive telecommunications professor looks for a balance between open and closed systems, but believes technological threats could close everything down (02:37)

Simon Johnson on Over-the-Counter Derivatives

The MIT professor believes many of the financial products sold today will be rightly regarded as not in the best interest of consumers (03:59)

Charles Ebinger on Real-Time Energy Pricing

The Director of the Energy Security Initiative at the Brookings Institution says we will be in good shape on the energy front by 2050, though real problems may come in 20 years (03:40)

Bill McKibben on the Symptoms of Global Warming

The author and activist says we may see out-of-control rises in sea level, enormous shortfalls in crop yields and wars over available fresh water (03:40)

Ben Jealous on the Future of Race in America

The NAACP president predicts that in the coming decades, the issue of race will become "much less significant"—but class "could become a much steeper barrier” (4:51)

Mark Bittman on Responsibility for What We Eat

The author and New York Times cooking columnist believes that in 2050, people may eat fewer processed foods and eat foods grown closer to where they live (4:31)

Viktor Mayer-Schönberger on Engagement Through Technology

The Director of the Information & Innovation Policy Research Center, National University of Singapore hopes technology will make us more empowered, motivated and active (02:49)

Patricia Bloom on Living Longer and Living Better

The associate professor, geriatrics department of Mt. Sinai, says we may not routinely live to 120, but hopefully we can extend wellness and shorten decline and disability (02:49)

Faster, More Urban, More Diverse Richard Florida, Director, The Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management The changes to our urban and rural areas will reinvent our education system. Our economy will be less real estate driven, people will be more flexible, and the divisions between home and work and life will all fade away.	How "Discreet, Unobtrusive Technology" Will Transform Cities Bill Mitchell: Director, The Media Lab's Smart Cities Group, MIT Cities won't look like "some sort of science-fiction fantasy," but it's likely that technological advances and information overlays will change the way we live in significant ways.	A "Fabric of Knowledge" to Save our Seas Sylvia Earle: Oceanographer & Founder, Mission Blue The information revolution may turn everyday people into ocean conservationists.	Global Vaccination Efforts to Battle AIDS David Ho: Scientific Director & CEO, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center The HIV/AIDS epidemic will still be with us in 40 years. But we will know a lot more about the virus than we do today—and therapy will be much more effective.	More People, in More Cities, Living Longer Joel Cohen: Mathematical Biologist, Rockefeller University In 2050 there will be about 9 billion people in the world. The vast majority of them will live in urban areas, and will have a significantly higher average age than people today.
Eating Slow, Real, Local and Fresh Nina Planck: Author, "Real Food" In the future, there will be more small slaughterhouses, more small creameries, and more regional food operations—and we'll be healthier as a result.	The Next Pope Could Be Black Father James Martin: Jesuit Priest and Author of "The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything" The Catholic Church will be "a different color" in 40 years. And there will likely be female priests.	A Looming "Disaster" for European Muslims? Joan Wallach Scott: Historian and Social Scientist, The Institute for Advanced Study Unless the countries of Europe figure out how to accommodate Muslim immigrant populations, there will be increasing numbers of riots, and increasing divisions along economic, religious and ethnic lines.	Fewer of Us Will Be in Prison Robert Perkinson: Author, "Texas Tough: The Rise of a Prison Empire" The U.S. is now incarcerating on a level so out of sync with it's own history—and with what other industrial democracies are doing—that the system is bound to change.	Planting Crops Could Be Like Paying Taxes Glenn Roberts: Farmer and Owner of Anson Mills The ethical responsibility to grow and preserve and sustain land-raised systems will survive and those cuisines that are based on land-raised cuisines that are place-based will return and thrive.

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Daniel Okrent on the Future of Newspapers

Jay Parkinson on Creating Health Through Happiness

Clay Shirky on Openness in an Online World

Simon Johnson on Over-the-Counter Derivatives

Charles Ebinger on Real-Time Energy Pricing

Bill McKibben on the Symptoms of Global Warming

Ben Jealous on the Future of Race in America

Mark Bittman on Responsibility for What We Eat

Viktor Mayer-Schönberger on Engagement Through Technology

Patricia Bloom on Living Longer and Living Better

A "Fabric of Knowledge" to Save our Seas
Sylvia Earle: Oceanographer & Founder, Mission Blue
The information revolution may turn everyday people into ocean conservationists.

Global Vaccination Efforts to Battle AIDS
David Ho: Scientific Director & CEO, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center
The HIV/AIDS epidemic will still be with us in 40 years. But we will know a lot more about the virus than we do today—and therapy will be much more effective.

More People, in More Cities, Living Longer
Joel Cohen: Mathematical Biologist, Rockefeller University
In 2050 there will be about 9 billion people in the world. The vast majority of them will live in urban areas, and will have a significantly higher average age than people today.

Eating Slow, Real, Local and Fresh
Nina Planck: Author, "Real Food"
In the future, there will be more small slaughterhouses, more small creameries, and more regional food operations—and we'll be healthier as a result.

The Next Pope Could Be Black
Father James Martin: Jesuit Priest and Author of "The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything"
The Catholic Church will be "a different color" in 40 years. And there will likely be female priests.

Fewer of Us Will Be in Prison
Robert Perkinson: Author, "Texas Tough: The Rise of a Prison Empire"
The U.S. is now incarcerating on a level so out of sync with it's own history—and with what other industrial democracies are doing—that the system is bound to change.

Planting Crops Could Be Like Paying Taxes
Glenn Roberts: Farmer and Owner of Anson Mills
The ethical responsibility to grow and preserve and sustain land-raised systems will survive and those cuisines that are based on land-raised cuisines that are place-based will return and thrive.

View full archiveRecent Issues

About Us

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Clay Shirky on Openness in an Online World

The NYU interactive telecommunications professor looks for a balance between open and closed systems, but believes technological threats could close everything down

A "Fabric of Knowledge" to Save our SeasSylvia Earle: Oceanographer & Founder, Mission Blue The information revolution may turn everyday people into ocean conservationists.

Global Vaccination Efforts to Battle AIDSDavid Ho: Scientific Director & CEO, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center The HIV/AIDS epidemic will still be with us in 40 years. But we will know a lot more about the virus than we do today—and therapy will be much more effective.

More People, in More Cities, Living LongerJoel Cohen: Mathematical Biologist, Rockefeller University In 2050 there will be about 9 billion people in the world. The vast majority of them will live in urban areas, and will have a significantly higher average age than people today.

Eating Slow, Real, Local and FreshNina Planck: Author, "Real Food" In the future, there will be more small slaughterhouses, more small creameries, and more regional food operations—and we'll be healthier as a result.

The Next Pope Could Be BlackFather James Martin: Jesuit Priest and Author of "The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything" The Catholic Church will be "a different color" in 40 years. And there will likely be female priests.

Fewer of Us Will Be in PrisonRobert Perkinson: Author, "Texas Tough: The Rise of a Prison Empire" The U.S. is now incarcerating on a level so out of sync with it's own history—and with what other industrial democracies are doing—that the system is bound to change.

Planting Crops Could Be Like Paying TaxesGlenn Roberts: Farmer and Owner of Anson Mills The ethical responsibility to grow and preserve and sustain land-raised systems will survive and those cuisines that are based on land-raised cuisines that are place-based will return and thrive.

View full archiveRecent Issues

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About Us

Explore our Brands

A "Fabric of Knowledge" to Save our Seas
Sylvia Earle: Oceanographer & Founder, Mission Blue
The information revolution may turn everyday people into ocean conservationists.

Global Vaccination Efforts to Battle AIDS
David Ho: Scientific Director & CEO, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center
The HIV/AIDS epidemic will still be with us in 40 years. But we will know a lot more about the virus than we do today—and therapy will be much more effective.

More People, in More Cities, Living Longer
Joel Cohen: Mathematical Biologist, Rockefeller University
In 2050 there will be about 9 billion people in the world. The vast majority of them will live in urban areas, and will have a significantly higher average age than people today.

Eating Slow, Real, Local and Fresh
Nina Planck: Author, "Real Food"
In the future, there will be more small slaughterhouses, more small creameries, and more regional food operations—and we'll be healthier as a result.

The Next Pope Could Be Black
Father James Martin: Jesuit Priest and Author of "The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything"
The Catholic Church will be "a different color" in 40 years. And there will likely be female priests.

Fewer of Us Will Be in Prison
Robert Perkinson: Author, "Texas Tough: The Rise of a Prison Empire"
The U.S. is now incarcerating on a level so out of sync with it's own history—and with what other industrial democracies are doing—that the system is bound to change.

Planting Crops Could Be Like Paying Taxes
Glenn Roberts: Farmer and Owner of Anson Mills
The ethical responsibility to grow and preserve and sustain land-raised systems will survive and those cuisines that are based on land-raised cuisines that are place-based will return and thrive.