Predicting the future of games is a risky business, but several changes are already well under way on PC. They affect what hardware people buy, where they play and how games are made. Looking at them helps make sense of where the platform is heading. PC gaming in your hands The Steam Deck showed that … Read more
How the universe will end depends mainly on dark energy, the mysterious component that is making the expansion of space speed up. Nobody knows for sure, but current observations point toward a long, cold fade. The discovery that changed everything In 1998, two teams studying distant Type Ia supernovae found that they were dimmer than … Read more
Motorcycles have changed more in the last fifteen years than in the previous forty. Electronics that were once reserved for superbikes now appear on mid-range models, and new technologies are aimed at the two big challenges for riders: safety and emissions. Electric motorcycles Electric bikes from makers such as Zero, LiveWire and Energica, and electric … Read more
A car’s environmental footprint is spread over its whole life: building it (the battery especially), the energy it uses on the road, and what happens to it at the end. Looking only at the tailpipe gives an incomplete picture, but looking at the whole cycle still points in a clear direction. Electric cars: higher footprint … Read more
Electric cars are no longer a niche. Global sales have grown fast over the past decade, and in several countries a large share of new cars sold is now electric; in Norway, nearly all of them are. At the same time, growth has been uneven, and many drivers still have good reasons to wait. The … Read more
Soccer already has a global governing body, FIFA. The real debate is whether the current structure is transparent, accountable and balanced between the many interests in the game. The current structure The 2015 corruption scandal In 2015, US authorities charged a number of football officials and sports marketing executives with racketeering, wire fraud and money … Read more
Women’s soccer has grown rapidly in the last decade, with professional leagues, record attendances and rising investment. Its future depends on turning that momentum into sustainable structures, from grassroots clubs to top leagues. Where the game stands The FIFA Women’s World Cup was first held in 1991 in China. The 2023 edition in Australia and … Read more
Football is commercially stronger than ever, yet it faces serious questions about player health and about who will play the game in the future. How the sport handles them will shape the next decades. Head injuries and long-term health Research on concussions and on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in many … Read more
Science fiction rarely predicts the future accurately, but it is excellent at exploring possibilities and their consequences. Some books also look ahead using real research. Classics of science fiction Modern science fiction Nonfiction about the future Why read about the future? Science fiction gives us words and images for debates about technology, surveillance, climate and … Read more
Plant-based burgers, sausages and nuggets are designed to look, cook and taste like meat. They have grown from niche products to supermarket staples, and they raise two common questions: what is in them, and are they actually healthier? What they are made of Most plant-based meats share the same building blocks: How they compare nutritionally … Read more
