The near future...

[Infected]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67fPHOYqD3w#

I wonder if we'll make it...

As far as Weyland's speech, a new energy source would be required. I found it odd how he places fusion and fission along with M-theory when both of those are mid 20th century discoveries. Of course in the aliens universe the atmospheric processor and Nostromo are powered by fusion reactors. So that's either a gross mistake or referencing a new method of nuclear energy in a contradictory way.

That was amazing.
So this year we might evolve to the next type?

It is interesting to think about how soon the Alien future is set in real time. My daughter will still be alive when the Prometheus is set to depart (god-willing) and my grandchildren will be about when the Nostromo sets out from Thedus. If you think about it this way the Weyland speech we have just seen suggests a pivotal moment in human history, something that propels human kind from where we are now into a science fiction type future. Any thoughts on how Peter Weyland might "change the world"? FTL? Bio-engineering?

My own hunch is that it is FTL travel, allowing Weyland Corp to either populate or at least mine distant planets for resources. You can then think of the events of the new film as a prequel to the future portrayed in the original film (and its sequels), not as a prequel to the events of the original film (if that even makes sense).

-Chris

She might be Ellen Pachi

[Deuterium]

The step towards non-time-dilating spacecraft capable of dragging city sized ore refineries across 50+ light years in a handful of months lies somewhere between 2023 (only 11 years away) and 2122. Prometheus lands pretty much right in the middle.

-Chris

Got to love Sci-Fi.  At least it let's us still dream big.  To think it has been 40+ years since we humans have been to the surface of the moon.  To make matters worse, it appears that even the most optimistic estimates won't have us back to the Moon by the time the fictional Peter Weyland gives his TED speech in 2023.  Forget about Mars.  We will be incredibly lucky if that happens by 2050...and the way things are going now, it does not look likely.

NASA is a mess.  While they still have incredible talent (especially JPL and unmanned programs), the human spaceflight program is being flushed down the toilet.

[OpenMaw]

Don't dwell deuterium. We had the vision to get to the moon in a matter of years from serious conception to "one small step" ... besides, I think in all honesty the cheapest and best way to get manned space flight up and running is very ironically going to be something like what is depicted within Prometheus/Alien. Corporate/private expeditions that push the entire industry forward and create a new economy.

The first step is simply to get a much larger foothold in space. (I say simply not too lightly. I merely mean we have already undertaken the two primary parts of such an endeavor. A standing human population in space (ISS) and landing on the moon repeatedly (Apollo Program). So, what we need is a colony on the moon, numbering in the hundreds. Something that actually generates some serious construction and design in space. Mining, tourism, etc... Coming up with the faster engines, stronger and more efficient engines, and pushing farther out into the solar system would come quite naturally asa side effect. (Mining in the asteroid field, green house and terraforming operations on Mars)

Once humans have something game-changingly amazing, just barely grazing their finger tips, they can't help but try to reach even further to grab it.

[Valaquen]

Don't dwell deuterium. We had the vision to get to the moon in a matter of years from serious conception to "one small step" ...

The Cold War and an unlimited budget for NASA did help a little. Nowadays there's no such stress on beating anyone. Hopefully in 40 years I'll be able to retire to my ranch on Mars or something 

[OpenMaw]

Other stresses are coming. Strained resources, the threats of planetary cataclysm from one of those cosmic pond-rocks crashing into our humble abode and swiftly ending the species. We'll get up there again.

[ChrisPachi]

But we are up there. Landing on the moon was mind-f**k amazing, but peanuts to what we have learned about the cosmos in the last 40 years. The moon is a just bug on the lens - we are now able to detect alien solar systems and in the next few years (if the science pans out) we will be able to detect biological life on planets tens of light years away.

Sure our spaceships are crap, but our reach is ever expanding.

-Chris

[Xenomorphine]

Kaku's estimations are a bit off, there... Most technological breakthroughs, energy-wise, get more out of less. When we get into creating things like fusion reactors, the energy supply will be vast.

And it doesn't even seem to give a category for a civilisation which might have devised a method of vacuuming energy out of the 'ether' or some alternative dimension.

Look at the physical amount of material needed for the first atomic bomb, versus how much TNT an explosion of that size would have required!

If we restrict our understanding of extraterrestrial civilisations by how much resources they exhaust, we could easily be going about it in the wrong way... Doc Brown's time machine ran on household garbage, for crying out loud, whereas the former version required plutonium! A fictional example, sure, but in layman's terms, the principle's a feasible one. By the 'type 1/2/3' theory, the more efficient time machine would be regarded as less advanced.

For all we know, someone could be zipping around the galaxy on something powered by cotton wool...

[harlock]

Hey, its been a while 

Really, there isnt anything new revealed in the TED speech by Weyland that we dont have already at varying levels of progression. Biotechnology can include current-day insulin injections for diabetics, nanotech is pretty all-encompassing these days and M-theory, well... its a theory we have now (though what it could give to us, is pretty... well, god-like)
We also have fission as thats what fuels our current day nuclear power.

Fusion is the interesting one. Thats the one real discovery that if it goes past current experiments, changes the energy game. I wonder what happened in 11 years to lead to that all of a sudden working out. Perhaps advances in the eponimous M-theory led to a big discovery?

Japan currently -today- has humanoid robots that while not indistinguishable from us, are looking more human-like.

Its not too unbelievable right now. FTL will be the big one in the future, with Alien set 110 years from now.

[Deuterium]

Hey, its been a while 

Really, there isnt anything new revealed in the TED speech by Weyland that we dont have already at varying levels of progression. Biotechnology can include current-day insulin injections for diabetics, nanotech is pretty all-encompassing these days and M-theory, well... its a theory we have now (though what it could give to us, is pretty... well, god-like)
We also have fission as thats what fuels our current day nuclear power.

Fusion is the interesting one. Thats the one real discovery that if it goes past current experiments, changes the energy game. I wonder what happened in 11 years to lead to that all of a sudden working out. Perhaps advances in the eponimous M-theory led to a big discovery?

Japan currently -today- has humanoid robots that while not indistinguishable from us, are looking more human-like.

Its not too unbelievable right now. FTL will be the big one in the future, with Alien set 110 years from now.

It is hard to imagine ANY possible practical applications of the still incomplete M-Theory (and other String Theories) in the near or foreseeable future.  We do not have the energy levels available to directly explore predictions of these theories.  The most powerful accelerator (LHC) is orders of magnitude too low.  The best hope is making indirect observations that might help to determine if M-Theory is on the right track.

I mean, look at it this way...we have had Special Relativity for over 100 years now.  General Relativity is coming up on 100 years.  Relativistic Quantum Field Theory is approx. 70-80 years old.  But we still don't have flying cars. 

It is true that quantum physics have been directly responsible for incredible technological advances in the past 50-60 years.  Our entire solid-state technological base would not have occured without understanding of quantum physics...right down to the discovery of the transistor.  Matter of fact, pretty much our entire technological society rests upon our understanding and exploitation of Quantum physics.

It is harder to come up with "practical" examples of how General Relativity has advanced our technology.  Of course, it is absolutely fundamental to Cosmology, and our understanding of the evolution of our Universe.  It is a bit harder to pinpoint specific advances in terms of "practical" technologies, directly related to GR.  The best I can think of is our GPS system, which would not work if corrections due to GR were not involved.  Nevertheless, GPS is an absolutely critical component of our modern society.

I think the next space propulsion breakthroughs will be based upon already well understood theoretical physics (nuclear and quantum physics).  Nuclear fusion processes are pretty well-understood...the problem is putting them into practice. We have the capability right now to design and build a nuclear pulse rocket (see Project Orion).  Direct propulsion utilizing fusion is still in the distant future.

[harlock]

Oh sure, I'm just speaking subjectively.

In this video, we're looking at a world from ours in 11 years. Not that hugely different, but obviously some advances have been made and Weyland does mention M-theory, just how far along we are with that in 2023 we dont know. We may have a more advanced accelerator a decade from now.

I dont want to get hung-up on that, but apart from super-speedy fusion engines that a ship 62 years later (see below) may have (also bear in mind that the 2073 comments state Weyland has done an interplanetary mining operation -lets say that was a mining operation set up somewhere in-system) and apparently has also come up with artificial atmosphere processing by this point), whats to say that M-theory could be advanced enough to allow what could be seen as a type of FTL travel that apparently we will be seeing in Prometheus (that the film would show in realistic terms what humans would go through if it was possible).

Now lets talk a little about the time in Prometheus. We have on the 50th anniversary of that vid (2073) Weyland Corp looking for funding for a project (quite probably the Prometheus journey, the year the film is set is supposedly 2085 which gives a nice 12 year gap from project birth and collecting funding to fruition). I wonder if it is possible that the Prometheus is the prototype ship using FTL technology.
For example, if Zeta 2 Reticuli is 39 light years away, some time under 12 years of travel is pretty FTL.

Also - is Weyland tempting fate? He knows what Prometheus was, yet he names his ship that same name? Seeing mankind as "gods" over the robot "men" of the future, just what is he doing calling a ship by that name?

[Deuterium]

Also - is Weyland tempting fate? He knows what Prometheus was, yet he names his ship that same name? Seeing mankind as "gods" over the robot "men" of the future, just what is he doing calling a ship by that name?

I would say the answer to that is a resounding yes...he most certainly is tempting fate.

In all of our cultural history/literature, has ANYTHING good ever came by someone declaring that they have become like a "god"?  No, typically they are smote down in their hubris...and there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth.   

[SM]

Should've called the ship the "Hubris".

Kaku's estimations are a bit off, there...

I often find his estimations off on that Sci Fi Science show he does...

[bioweapon]

Oh sure, I'm just speaking subjectively.


I wonder if it is possible that the Prometheus is the prototype ship using FTL technology.

don´t know coz Alien is 30 years later. So Nostromo ship has to have this FTL tech. And Nostromo looks old even before Prometheus movie exist. and its crew looks accostumed to this kind of tech. and it seems Nostromo not the only ship. so to have a Nostromo class fleet, and send one or maybe some of this to ANOTHER solar system to MINING???.. it has to pass lot more time. i mean why dont mining Saturn first? has to be for some unknow material not found in this system.

[harlock]

Nostromo is FTL if it takes 10 months to travel 39 light years.

The writing along with the video states that by 2073 (hinted thats when Weyland was looking for funding for the Prometheus)Weyland has already been responsible for the first interplanetary mining and hints at atmosphere processing too. It doesnt say what the first planet was though.

I would think Mars would have been the first and most likely place for that. Followed slowly by the others of our system.

Now looking 49 years past that intial date when ALIEN is set, if Prometheus was the first FTL capable space-craft, it at least gives a couple of decades past its completion to be implemented in other craft and spacers to get used to it. Also means the Nostromo could be decades old or even a retro-fitted ship in ALIEN.

[SM]

Be interesting to see if and how this might tie into the Blade Runner universe where FTL travel is mundane by 2019.