The visual below depicts aspects of our emerging future (Explained Here). I update it periodically to reflect impactful areas that affect the science and technology foundation, the future scenarios they spawn, and the wide array of societal factors that interact with both.

When building towards this visual in my presentations, I show an expanded version of the science and technology curve: in the interest of clarity, a curve was selected to visualize a progression into a very unknown, uncertain and complex future. I have added Biometric sensors to this expanded curve. Biometrics is the technical term for body measurements and calculations. It refers to metrics related to human characteristics; both physiological and increasingly, behavioral. Biometric monitoring is thereby enabled.

This monitoring supports the Healthy Life Extension  scenario included on the above curve. Biometrics and the broader  biotechnology category are key elements of the coming Tipping Point.

Other updates were made to the societal factors component of the visual. Three additional factors were added:

NATIONALISM: a political, social, and economic system characterized by the promotion of the interests of a particular nation, especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining sovereignty over the homeland. Several recent events have put nationalism back in the spotlight; at a time when the challenges of our time require a broad global focus.

THE RISE OF ALTERNATIVE LIVING: rapidly changing consumer preferences and the ownership versus access phenomenon have exposed the real estate market to disruption. For example, as described in this recent Post, since 1970, the median age at first marriage in the US has risen from 23 to 29 for men and 21 to 27 for women. There has been a corresponding rise in how long people rent before first buying a home, which reached a median of 6 years in 2015 — up from 2.6 years in the 1970s. There is a large and fast-growing demand for different living models and accommodations. This creates an opportunity to reimagine real estate.

MARRIED LATER: as the numbers above indicate, the young in society today are marrying later in life. As a matter of fact, they are delaying other life events like employment as well. In a very good Report from Bain and Company,  they capture this phenomenon by describing two new life phases: second adolescence and pre-retirement. As these trends continue, they converge with technological advances, entrepreneurial spirit, and invested capital to reimagine key beliefs and institutions.

These updates continue to underscore the sheer number of Dots that need Connecting in a very complex system. These various dots are interacting in a way that shape possible futures. Learning and dialog continue to be the best path forward.