Earth (novel) - Predictions

Predictions

Brin set this novel 50 years in the future from the time he was writing, using the book as an opportunity to predict what technologies might — at that future date — be taken for granted day to day. Three technologies he predicted came to pass within only 8 years of the writing, include a media-centric, hypertext Internet, e-mail spam, and the proliferation of personal video recording devices.

Brin claims at least 15 predictive hits in Earth including:

• The World Wide Web (including it as being a major news-media outlet, complete with videos and discussion forums) and blogging. (Brin did not predict the URL, rather using a clumsier numeric form of address.)
• E-mail spam and sophisticated personalized filtering software.
• Reduction of expectation of privacy.
• Time limits on secrets both personal, corporate, and governmental
• Levees breaking on the Mississippi.
• The dissolution and partitioning of the Soviet Union (though most contemporary scholars later claimed that they were fully aware of the Soviet Union's impending collapse by 1989).
• Global warming associated sea level rise and severe storm seasons.
• Subvocal input devices.
• Artificially created black holes considered seriously.
• Crisis habitat arks for endangered species, with a view to later restoration to the wild.
• Eyeglass cameras.
• The erosion of personal privacy.
• Eyeglass overlays on real environments.
• Personality profiling through brain imaging.
• Art sculptures on a geologic scale.
• Decline of delivered mail.
• Lawyer software.