Half of the world’s population now lives in cities. Urban environments offer stronger job prospects, more accessible services, cheaper transport, and more varied human relationships.
Humans are getting better at coping with natural disasters. Food prices are going down after recent highs. The prices of rare earth metals – used in virtually every electronic device – have fallen too.
And in 2011, people had more of what they want. Ignore the prattling about consumerism. Surely the fulfilment of human desire is a good sign.
Small medical clinics can now buy a hand-held ultrasound machine, connected to a smart phone, for about $7000. A team at Stanford University has learned to ”program” the cells in living organisms to act as computers. Implications range from fighting cancer to managing fertility.
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