What Millikan did not foresee was the dire need to learn how to quickly and efficiently store that solar energy in the first place. Because with China and India poised to put tens of millions of new fossil-fuel-powered cars on the road, the stuff coming out of all those exhausts is going to make it hard to see the top of the hill. And it’s going to be unusually warm up there, too.

This article was originally published with the title The Future Is Now.

7 Comments

1. 1. timbo555 08:59 AM 3/8/11

   This is a science magazine? This article pretty much put to rest the idea that it's a humor magazine, and it does have the word science on the cover, but jeepers!
   

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

2. 2. Sinibaldi 12:13 PM 3/8/11

   The message of a blackbird.
   
   Often, in the
   sky, a little
   blackbird
   describes the
   profile of a
   sad persuasion,
   but always
   remains, in
   the light of
   a candle.....
   
   Francesco Sinibaldi
   

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

3. 3. timbo555 12:37 PM 3/8/11

   Thank you Mr. Sinibaldi, that was beautiful.
   
   I remain, etc...

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

4. 4. niells 04:21 PM 3/8/11

   "the most ominous monoliths in 2001 turned out to be ideological"
   
   Naturally, Steve. Everyone knows the two monolithic towers of the NYC's World Trade Center, which were demolished, in 2001, with lots of people in them, from all over the world, were merely "ideological." Nothing to speak of really. You know how it goes: "Should the United States of America exist anyway? Is it really a sin to kill tiny replicas of Eichmann?"

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

5. 5. Jaschus 09:47 PM 3/8/11

   How spot on was Millikan with his prediction that that the whole earth will be one great neighborhood. Maybe he had some insider knowledge about Facebook? Probably made a killing on the stock.
   
   BTW Timbo555, I beg to differ. The message of Sinibaldi was not beautiful, but was deep - even if it is about a bird. And a candle. Stored solar energy, of course.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

6. 6. TomBarbara 06:04 PM 3/13/11

   Readers may be interested in a more sober minded essay on this topic. An excellent source can be found in the book "Making Waves" by C.H. Townes. In his essay on progress and invention, he notes that the committee assembled by FDR in 1937, composed of members of the National Academy of Sciences, missed all of the exciting and interesting developments that took place in the next few decades. He also supplies some interesting comments on why such "panels of experts" fail in their attempts, and measures that can be taken to promote progress in science.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

7. 7. dominus11 in reply to niells 09:15 PM 3/28/11

   Hello 2001 A Space Odyssey
   What that has to do with what you said is unclear

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this