Future Cities

This video discusses how cities may change in the face of uncertain future food, energy and water supplies. It is presented by Christopher Barnatt, Associate Professor of Computing & Future Studies in Notingham University Business School, and the author of www.explainingthefuture.com.

• Category

  Education

[Godis3inOne]

I am surprised you know all about discoveries for the future and never heard of machines that can purify anything with water in it....even paint....and get pure clean water out of it.

[ExplainingTheFuture]

There is a massive differerence between having a machine that can purify water, and being able to do this cost-effectively in quantity to clean water for agricultral and industrial purposes. And you still need the water in the first place -- and transporting water long distances is rarely practical. The world will not run out of water, but many localities will reach Peak Water by around 2025.

[silvapascual]

3/4 of the World is Water, what is the problem?

[ExplainingTheFuture]

Yes, we have about 326 quintillion gallons of water on this planet! But only 3 per cent is fresh water, and most of this is inaccessible (frozen in glaciers or very deep underground). Humanity now taps 50 per cent of all fresh water – up nine times in a century. The water table is now falling drastically in the Southern US, India and China to name but 3. Many local Peak Water situations will hence be critical by c.2025.

[Kevin Maguire]

Hasn't their recently been a significant breakthrough in water purification by using Graphene to reduce the energy requirements of the distillation process?

[ExplainingTheFuture]

There have been many such recent breakthroughs. But they will not be enough to combat Peak Water I'm afraid unless we change our ways too.

[Andrew73654]

Well, although I see you point, I disagree. Humans will always have a need to socialize physically.

[Brett Wallace]

You should rename this video Future Cities of the 1%.

[Godis3inOne]

In this time we live in, we can avoid certain adjectives, if you know what I mean. Many can get what you mean without them. I'm not saying I would drink the water from the paint....but for other uses that are not for consumption, I think it may work.

[johnytwotimes1]

the paint thing is fucking retarded, but what I stated before is a method that is been proven to be able to purify salt water.

[johnytwotimes1]

it's called "distillation", the easiest way is to boil water and catch the steam that comes off. its been proven that the collected water from the steam is nearly 98.9% clean of all bacteria. the easiest is to take a pot, and a lid, boil the water, and use the lid to catch the water. tip the lid, and let the steam run off into a cup, or another pot.

[kris48267]

I had the same idea about the road thing at 3:55 and i never thought someone else came up with that idea to. Sorry about the road thing i couldn't remember how to spell that word.

[Маст Дай]

Вполне реальный проект. Грамотно продумано. Да, вот если его сейчас воплотить, он побьет все рекорды по количеству терактов, потом под ним найдут нефть и его начнёт освобождать США для установления демократии. На этом всё закончится. Бросьте в меня камень, если я не прав.

[disposableutopia]

Having troubled seeing difference between the crops and the people in this future city

[ErmaLemming]

Unfortunately, no choice is made without upsetting someone, somewhere. Instead of thinking about Occupy, the 1% or the 99%, maybe you should consider the 100% that require things in order to survive. Food, water, shelter, interaction, whatever it is. And we all need some form of nutrition, so to those that will inevitably think, "well people in intensive care that CAN'T eat, don't need food!" I remind you that they require someone to care for them, they require the machines. Even the 1%, need.

[Drauvix]

SHIT!!! I live in FL!! And I still have about 60 more years of life so I have to endure any apocalypse or world war 3 that is coming in my lifetime. Over population is also a problem.

[Daniel Warburton]

I actually live in this city (Nottingham) and its getting pretty modern rather quickly

[danyal khan]

future city will never happen