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What is in the This Week in Science Podcast?

This Week: Predictions from 2024, We Predict for 2025: Dark Matter, AI, Quantum Computing, Space Exploration, Universal Flu Vaccine, TWIS Experimentation, Space X, Mitochondria, Fusion Tech, And Much More Science!

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Disclaimer, Disclaimer, Disclaimer!!!

Welcome to the 1000th episode of This Week in Science!

A cool chiliad of shows!

A millenni-sode milestone!

A kilo-sode accomplishment!

We are finally finding a use for the Roman numeral M on this one!

On this episode, we will have a grand time,
Predicting the future year of science,
And seeing how well our predictions from last year turned out,
And maybe talk about some actual science stories from the past week…

So like the first thousand Arabian nights, there is still more to come
For the journey of a thousand podcasts begins with

This Week in Science!

Let’s start with last year’s predictions

Who did the best at predicting the science of last year? What was the wildest prediction to come true? Let us know in the comments!

WE PREDICT YOU WILL BE INTERESTED IN A TWIS SHIRT OR MUG OR OTHER ITEM OF TWIS MERCHANDISE CLICK ON THE ZAZZLE LINK TO BROWSE OUR STORE.

And, jump into the 2024 Science predictions…

JUSTIN PREDICTS:

In 2025 I predict…
A Breakthrough in Clean Energy
Scientists will develop a room-temperature superconductor that can be manufactured affordably. This innovation could revolutionize energy storage and transmission, reducing waste and paving the way for a zero-emissions energy grid, though it is mostly used to mine cryptocurrency.

Synthetic Biology’s Big Leap
Researchers will create the first fully synthetic multicellular organism capable of reproducing and evolving, opening doors to novel biotechnology applications at first. Its AI-powered evolution quickly outpaces its intended use by year three; the new lifeform takes on a cartoonishly Italian appearance and has engineered itself to take those jobs once thought safe from AI, mostly plumbing jobs.

AI-Designed Medications
The first AI-designed drug for a neurodegenerative disease, such as ALS or Parkinson’s, will enter final-stage clinical trials, demonstrating unprecedented efficacy in early human tests.

Quantum Computing
Quantum computers with more than 1,000 stable qubits will debut, solving problems in hours that would take classical computers millions of years, with profound implications for materials science, cryptography, and logistics, though it is mostly used to mine cryptocurrency.

Space Exploration Milestones
NASA will announce a collaboration with private space companies to establish a semi-permanent base on the Moon, equipped with sustainable life-support systems and a launchpad for future Mars missions. Meanwhile, other private space companies will already be doing just that.

Understanding Dark Matter
Physicists will find the first compelling evidence of the nature of dark matter, thanks to enhanced sensitivity in new particle detectors and simulations. This discovery will reshape our understanding of the cosmos, time, space and gravity… though it is mostly used to power quantum computers to mine cryptocurrency.

Biosensors for Personalized Health
Wearable health technology will become so advanced it can detect the onset of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease decades before symptoms appear. Almost everyone using the technology turns it off after the first week.

Carbon Capture Revolution
A new biological carbon-capture method will emerge, using genetically engineered bacteria to trap atmospheric CO? and convert it into a sustainable raw material for industrial use. The only downside is the smell. Not a bad smell at first, some even liken it to a pumpkin spice latte… but as time goes on and the smell becomes more intense, animal species that rely on scent for mating begin to go extinct.

Neural Linkages in Communication
Brain-computer interfaces will enable direct, speechless communication between individuals, revolutionizing accessibility for people with disabilities, though applications tend to be driven towards low-paying remote jobs operating dark matter harvesters to power crypto mining.

The First “Rewilded” Ecosystem
Conservationists will use gene-editing technologies to resurrect key species that went extinct in the last century, reintroducing them to their original habitats and restoring lost ecosystems. Unfortunately, those ecosystems have changed so much over the past century that they just… don’t… make it.

Human Longevity Enhanced
Scientists will demonstrate that cellular aging can be reversed in certain tissues of the human body through advancements in gene therapy, making practical anti-aging treatments a reality. But it doesn’t work on skin, and can’t mine crypto, so almost nobody notices.

Climate Crisis Adaptation Tech
A new, large-scale geoengineering solution will be deployed to reflect solar radiation and mitigate global warming. While it will provide measurable cooling effects, its use destroys the privately funded room temperature dark matter quantum crypto mining base on the moon…

BLAIR PREDICTS:

-communities will attempt to make climate progress despite national rollbacks in the US
-universal flu vaccine trials will progress – in mice
-a new social media app will become a bastion for science communication
-social media will help people organize community action
-tardigrades will be big headlines again! it has been a while…
-CA will do something out of pocket to maintain its citizens’ rights amongst strange federal laws
-a new theory on wombat poop will develop
-stranded astronauts will return home and strangely only have good things to say about their time stuck in space
-people will attempt to ban driverless cars after a big whoopsie but they will persist
-all humanoid AI robots will be revealed to be shams, we are still very far off from this
-at least one major AI will collapse on itself and be irreparably damaged
-TWIS will do some experimentation!

DR. KIKI PREDICTS:

– well, a lot of science, education, and science communication will BE NEGATIVELY impacted by recent White House actions
– climate change just goes away. If it’s not on the government websites, it no longer exists
– the average global temperature will increase more, along with CO2 emissions from more US coal & oil use
– Texas will challenge the freeze on wind farm stuff
– the Starliner astronauts will come home eventually
– Space X & Blue Origin will be the rocket race to watch, and Boening & Artemis will be delayed again.
– mitochondria will unite to solve our power needs & ultimately allow the planet to be covered in server farms for Mega-AI Corp.
– We will see advances in fusion technology from smaller startups focused on inertial fusion methods, NIF will share exciting press releases without anything significantly new, and ITER will remain closed until the radiation issue that should have been considered much earlier in the process is solved.
– Since it is the UN Year of Quantum Tech, we will report on those stories a lot.
– TWIS make some changes & will try new things as we continue to bring you more questions than answers…

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Take a blast to the past…

What were we discussing at this time last year? This time last year We discussed made our 2023 predictions! Listen back and see what we were right and wrong about!

This week 10 years ago TWIS We  Made our Predictions For 2015 And Much More! Take a blast into the past with TWIS!

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