W7T1: Summarising a Word Article

Read and summarise a 500-1000 word article related to the 14 grand challenges for engineering.

Article :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/feb/15/technological.challenges

Summary

The human race will be facing some of its biggest challenges in the predicted next 50 years. The prediction by futurologists on the rapid rate of progress which will increase by 30 fold in the next 50 years will be the catalyst for challenges such as reversing the effects of ageing, reprogramming genes to prevent diseases and producing clean energy. Also, such rapid rate of progress will have much impact on the condition of living of us humans. To name a few, better understanding of our genes leading to personalization of medicines and thus longer, healthier lives and more environmentally sustainable ways of living. A group of scientists, entrepreneurs and thinkers convened by the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) to identify future life changing problems believes that the growing and expending population is causing an immediate problem in sustaining life in the continuing advancement while taking into consideration the improvement of the quality of life. The topic of the usage of clean energy was a priority. The group has identified as sunshine being the most feasible energy for us to tap and they believe that it is possible for us to meet 100% of our energy needs by only capturing one part in 10,000 of the sunlight that falls on Earth. Besides clean energy, clean water and personalization of medicine is a top issue. The insufficient supply of water in many regions of the world is still a problem. And the discussion of how we should use the recent success in sequencing of the human genome to develop methods such as enabling doctors to forecast the benefits and side effects of potential treatments or cures of individuals. As said by Ray Kurzweil, the technique of modifying behavior of genes will enable us to control progression of disease and ageing. Lastly, the advancement of computer intelligence would enable automated diagnosis and prescriptions for treatment as they predict that non-biological intelligence will surpass that of human intelligence. However, experts said that economic and political will, will be the main drive in meeting the challenges.