Editor’s Note: Bill is a self-proclaimed “fuddy duddy” when it comes to investing. That’s why we turn to our editor’s go-to technology expert, Jeff Brown, for themes in the tech investing world…

Jeff has a knack for picking up on technology trends long before other investors. He picked the No.1 stock in the S&P 500 in 2016 and 2018. The latter has handed his readers over 170%, so far…

Below, Jeff shows why the seemingly “sci-fi” technologies of tomorrow aren’t decades away… they’re being developed, right now. And while you may feel uncomfortable about what you read, these techs could either solve society’s problems, or cause mass chaos…


In the next 10 years, everything you know about “being human” will change…

Everything from how we think… to how we’re born… and what it means to die will change in ways we can’t possibly predict.

It is the biggest inflection point in human history. The changes in the next decade will dwarf anything we’ve seen before.

The impact on our lives will be bigger than anything we saw with the internet… the internal combustion engine… or even the printing press.

That’s a bold claim. And I don’t make it lightly. I wouldn’t have said something like that even three years ago. But it’s here now.

Right now, there are bleeding-edge technologies in development that will either elevate mankind to new highs or throw it into chaos.

You may be skeptical. Let me show you the evidence.

“Super Powered” Humans

Science fiction has always preceded technological progress.

Before we had televisions, airplanes, and FaceTime, there were ideas of “moving pictures,” “flying machines,” and the “telephot” in science fiction novels and pulp comic books.

So the idea of “super powered” humans might not be as impossible as we think.

Researchers at Brown University have developed tiny, wireless brain implants called “neurograins.”

These are 0.25 square millimeter implants that can rapidly communicate with external devices like a computer or smartphone.

image

Source: Brown University

This technology could allow you to control your computer and smartphone just by thinking about what you’d like to do… rather than moving a mouse or tapping a keypad or screen.

What’s more, these implants can harvest energy from the brain’s electrical system. That means they do not need their own power source.

And they can serve many purposes…

If you think of paralysis or stroke victims, these implants could be paired with a smart wheelchair or prosthetic limbs to restore motor skills.

Thinking bigger, this technology could eventually give humans “superpowers.” What constitutes “normal human abilities” could change dramatically.

The ability to communicate and control objects through thought is not that far off.

And that’s just the beginning…

When Humans Are Produced

Longtime readers of my Exponential Tech Investor will be familiar with CRISPR genetic editing technology. I’ve been writing about it since 2015.

CRISPR technology is like software programming for DNA. Basically, CRISPR allows scientists to “cut out” a genetic mutation in our DNA and replace it with a “healthy” version.

One day, CRISPR will allow us to cure every disease caused by a genetic mutation. But that’s not where it stops.

CRISPR can also be used to genetically modify human embryos. In essence, the technology could produce “better” human beings.

The United States and the West have been very vocal against genetically modifying embryos. But the Chinese have shown a willingness to take a different route.

In November of last year, genetically modified twins were born in China. The man responsible was Chinese scientist Dr. He.

Let’s take a minute to consider the ethical implications of this. We know that genetically modifying human embryos is possible. But what is the ethical way to use this technology?

Should we use it to increase human IQs? Or what about creating humans with denser muscle tissues? Those are very real questions the world will have to grapple with in the years ahead.

Stretch your imagination a bit further…

What if a nation or a society set up a program to ensure that every child born was stronger and smarter than any other in the world? This is precisely what Aldous Huxley predicted in his 1932 sci-fi masterpiece Brave New World.

Remember, this was also the goal of the Nazis. They wanted to create a “master race.” CRISPR technology in the wrong hands could one day accomplish that.

I know. It’s scary to think about.

And then there’s one last bleeding-edge technology that should be on your radar.

In Search of Immortality

Back in April, scientists at Yale took a pig’s head from a local slaughterhouse and brought it back to their lab roughly four hours after the pig was slaughtered.

Then, they pumped an artificial blood mixture back into the brain… It restored cellular functionality. The brain cells were able to produce energy and remove waste – helping to maintain the brain’s internal structures.

To be clear, this did not restore consciousness to the pig… but it did restore mechanical function to the brain. This is an incredible feat that had never been done before.

Now, I know this is a weird thing to do. But the potential applications for humans are simply amazing.

Think about what happens when someone has a stroke. A stroke can cause forms of brain damage, which can lead to loss of muscle control – leading to all kinds of speech and mobility problems. That’s why stroke victims sometimes have trouble with the left or right side of their body.

Well guess what?

The techniques those Yale scientists are working on could restore brain function to stroke victims…

Now, imagine if this technology progressed further…

What if we could restore consciousness to a recently deceased brain? What if you could bring a human brain “back to life” long enough for that person to settle their affairs and say goodbye?

The implications are staggering. And they might make us a little uncomfortable.

But make no mistake, there is a niche group of scientists devoted to eliminating death in human beings. Essentially, they’re attempting to create immortality.

I’m not suggesting that that’s a good thing, only that there are many technologists looking at extending life far beyond anything we can imagine. And the early results from their experiments show that it might not be as impossible as it sounds.

Ethical Questions

If what I’ve shown you so far makes you a little uncomfortable, it should.

The ethical questions mankind will face in the next decade will be unprecedented. There is no historical example of what we are going to face.

I don’t tell you all this to worry you. As a technologist, I believe that technology has always been a force for good. And I believe technology will also solve some of society’s biggest problems in the years ahead.

But we are at an inflection point. Over the two next decades, society will either become one of abundance for all… or it will descend into chaos.

Time will tell which wins out.

Regards,

Jeff Brown
Editor, Exponential Tech Investor

P.S. As regular readers of mine already know, technologies like genetic editing… artificial intelligence… and autonomous vehicles aren’t decades away. They’re here… right now. And this tech will change our society in ways very few can predict.

But on Wednesday, June 12, at 8 p.m. ET, that’s precisely what I’ll do.

I’m hosting an online technology investing summit. During the event, I’ll share my four biggest predictions for the future of technology. And I’ll talk about four bleeding-edge tech companies that could make investors 10 times their money in the years ahead.

This event is free. And if you’re interested in investing in the companies powering the technologies I talked about above, you’ll want to attend. Go right here to reserve your spot.

Like what you’re reading? Send us your thoughts by clicking here.