BY LETTER
030 to 130 AT: The Information Age
 Image from Bernd Helfert |
The Information Age, extending from the late 20th to the late 21st century c.e. (first to early second century AT), was a time of tremendous increase in globalization, with free information available in unprecedented quantity (but not quality), the rise of a global culture, the decline of the nation-states, and the rise of the digital economy and digital nations and the so-called "megacorporations" of supranational blocs and transnational corporations. The breakdown of the old socioeconomic structures that had defined the Western capitalist civilisation resulted in a class of the permanent unemployed, the digitally illiterate or “proles”, who became more numerous with each passing year. Humanity became increasingly dependent on the vast computer networks that maintained this infrastructure, and did not realise that from the mid 21st century c.e. onwards some of these computers had passed beyond human control and embarked upon their own evolution, an evolution that would lead to their increasing dominion over the rest of the beings in the universe. No longer was man the highest form of intelligence on Earth; a new kingdom of beings had arisen, though few recognized this fact. Late in the century the Second Industrial Revolution gripped the world as rapid advances were made in (mostly biologically-based) nanotechnology. The inexpensive production of extraordinarily strong and light materials enabled humanity to start to expand into the solar system, and in the following decades, the start of the Interplanetary Age proper, humankind established a number of scientific industrial centres in orbit and on Luna, several outposts in the Belt and a manned research station on Mars.
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The Industrial Age
30 AT (2000 c.e.)
33 - infamous September 11 terrorist attack on New York Twin Towers and Pentagon changes the shape of the political climate for the next half century.34 - US military uses Predator remotely piloted aircraft (UAV / RPV) for anti-terrorist operations.
34 - Contact with Pioneer 10 lost (February 2003 c.e.)
35's - Hollywood studios and other major entertainment institutions begin to be adversely impacted by PC and broadband internet developments, enabling downloading of complete movies, including pirated and home-made movies
35 - Chinese launch their first manned rocket, the Shenzhou V, and become the third Earth polity to put a man in space
40 - Further progress in development of expert systems, intelligent agents, knowledge miners, and proto-AIs.
40 - Ruth Duorkin born
43 - USAF introduces high-power microwave and laser weapons for UCAV and manned fighters.
43 - First controversial germline modification of humans, although the legality remains uncertain.
45 - Carapace armor first employed by American, Australian, and European military and security personnel working in peacekeeping and riot control situations.
46 - Visual and tactile bodysuits enable advancement in personal Virtual Realities, which begin to take the market share from TV, radio, films, and other media.
48 - First universal operational machine 'Harvey' constructed by a team lead by Peter Shor at Bell labs, with funding from IBM, Lycos, RedHat and Pepsi.
48 - The planetary system of 61 Virginis has been largely mapped by various means by this date. Detected are a total of 7 planets, three of which are gas giants. The remaining 4 are terrestrial worlds. One of these, the second planet, is located within the Habitable Zone of the star, orbiting at 0.97 AU. Initial spectroscopic studies suggest a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, and the presence of water.
50 AT (2020 c.e.)
50 - do-it-yourself medical care becoming ever more practical and effective for many ailments50 - Internet users in the developed nations are becoming increasingly isolated (cocooned) in physical terms.
50's onwards - development of smart and capable virtual agents, companions, and even employees, for home, work and play. These agents are often capable of passing the Turing Test, but are nevertheless not fully self-aware. See Semi-conscious Intelligence 50's - cheap and widely available unmanned and remotely piloted micro-aircraft (UAVs and RPVs) begin to expand the scope of news and information gathering for the personal web-based media-casting and private individuals, weakening the power of individual geopolitical states and mega-corporations to control public perception.
50's - Interactive video widespread.
51 - Economic boom, the Bounty Economy
52 - Continued environmental degradation in some third-world countries.
c.53 - Inception of Burning Library Project 53 - One of the earliest extrasolar double planets - Bill and Bull, was discovered around Delta Eridani by the research team from Uppsala Astronomical Observatory
54 - Household consumer robotics mainstream
54 - Serious earthquakes rock California and Japan
55 - Practical vehicular laser weaponry 56 - Puerto Rico becomes the 51st US state.
56 - Employers begin discriminating on the base of the applicants geneprint.
56 - Experimental "bodywalker" powered exoskeleton allows Ruth Duorkin to walk
57 - In the spirit of optimism NASA, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and European Space Agencies and a consortium of private corporations begin work on the astonishingly expensive international Mars Mission Profile.
58 - Dr. Sally Tannenhaus begins her work on chimp provolvution.
59 - Fourth Persian Gulf War. Allied powers occupy Iraqi, Kuwaiti and Saudi oilfields.
59 - First mesomachines constructed, allowing initial but expensive and inefficient nano-manufacturing.
60 - Discovery and Endeavour depart for Mars. Meanwhile, economies on Earth are in the grip of a recession.
60's - The danger of biochemical weapons use peaks for most developed states, while increasing social problems lead to the rise in prominence and influence of vigilante organizations, especially in crime-ridden urban areas.
60's - Genetic modification of humans becomes increasingly accepted
60's - Silicon computing reaches practical upper limit
61 - Despite intense protests from proponents of independent academia, the EU Parliament decides on a "unified and quality controlled" university standard. The brain drain to the US and emerging academic free states like Peru and New Zealand intensifies.
62 - UNSA ships arrive at Mars. Teams are landed at Isidis and Chryse.
63 - Academion Island founded by Aristos, a front company of various European universities.
63 - Discussion of permanent manned base on Luna.
63 - Following an assassination attempt in Venezuela, Ruth Duorkin incorporates a discrete kevlar outer skin to her bodyplan.
63 - Economy picks up
64 - Martian Pioneers arrive back at Earth. Space exploration reverts once again to unmanned probes
64 - First Artificial Wombs created.
65 - Genomic benefits result in significant extensions to life expectancies for newborns
65 AT (2035 c.e.)
65 - Computer power equivalent to human brain is avaialble aat consumer level prices, but suitable software lags behind. True sentient AI does not yet exist.66 - Treaty of Athens establishes a single European State. The European Union (EU) becomes the European Federation (EF). NAFTA troops begin "police action" against Andean drug barons. Budget cuts mean a set-back to the next Martian mission. But plans for the moon base go ahead
66 - US involvement in the Saudi 'Regency Rig' features Transmissions Viruses
67 - Widespread robot development
67 - First attempts at holovision using optical phased arrays 68 - Increases in artificial intelligence means that Consumer Robotics and Homebots ("household robots") become and useful enough to replace manual labor. They become extremely popular and in high demand by the public, as well as accelerating the increasing rate of unemployment. A huge homebot industry develops for the research and manufacture of homebots.
68 - The first workable fusion power plant comes on-stream. Fusion power finally becomes an viable reality, although technical difficulties and problems with fuel processing prevent it from being economically competitive.
69 - Tokyo brown-out causes minor hysteria and crashes financial network
60's-70's - Emerging virtual states take on increasing importance with further advances in immersive tactile VR via wired 'hotsuit' and 'Simmball' systems
70 - New superbaby generation of child entrepreneurs force big changes to business and employment law and practices, as well as rules relating to legal maturity and asset ownership
70's - Cyborg augmentations developed that allow domestic animals to understand human speech
71 - The Gates Award (the "Nobel Prize of Information Technology") instituted. The first laureates were Cody J. Komarinski and Sten Houweling, responsible for the DBS algorithm in agent management.
71 - Oil war flares up in Central Asia, great powers intervene through proxies, the military-entertainment complex has a field day, ratings go through the roof.
71 to 78 - Creation of first fully sentient and sophont AI (several events)see also 73
72 - Oil War becomes a "testing ground" for many new technologies. Each side lauds their moral superiority in using robot drones that "do not target noncombatants" (footage of devastated villages tells a different story)
72 - First photonic computer (10-gigahertz range),
73 - First true human-equivalent sentient Artificial Intelligences. But AIs remain secretive, and curiously unable to understand humans
73 - First "permanent" manned Lunar Base.
74 - First convincing dinosaur is resurrected using reverse genetic engineering chicken DNA. Despite being the size of a turkey and not resembling any known species, it is excites widespread interest. Jurassic Park Retro comes briefly into fashion during the northern summer
75 - Central Asian Oil Crisis resolved through UN-mediated ceasefire
75 - Terahertz diamond film processing
75 - Ken Ferjik born
70's-80's - The Space Hilton (private investment orbital hotel) still held up by mounting technical and financial difficulties, meanwhile there is a boom in Freedom Ships (giant floating cities for the wealthy). With the rise of these "Freedom Ships" and "Freedom Islands" increasing numbers of people taking to the sea to live and work, connected by the global internet economy and community
78 - The talking Bonobo, Jane, was introduced to the public at a press conference in Dakar
78 - Global recession, triggered by failure of early nanomanufacturing to produce cheap and reliable nanofactured products, puts an end to further space missions. There is an increasing tendency towards cocooning. Continuing the trend that began with the birth of the information / digital age of the last decades of the 20th century onwards, humanity becomes increasingly involved with electronic and virtual worlds, and exploring the wonders of cyberspace
80 AT (2050 c.e.)
80's - The technology required to build a space elevator becomes available, with microgravity manufacture of carbon nanotubes; however the cost of transporting the vast mass required into orbit ruled the early construction of such a structure out. China, America, Russia, Europe, and Japan strive to develop more efficient rocket engines and cheaper and more reliable materials for ultra-lightweight spaceship construction.80's - Nanoscale technology common in many fields of industry (but assemblers are not yet possible)
~80 - VirchMon first developed, as simple "intelligent" pets, companions and virus guards for frequent net-users.
80-85 - Biopunk movement in full swing.
85 - The first "production model" Talking Dogs enter service
82 - US President Davids consults Senate to provide watchdog on maverick Corporations.
mid- 85 The first Homo Jihadi to be used publicly is believed to have detonated emself in a Tel Aviv bus station killing five people and injuring approximately a dozen more.
86-87 - Static Music and White Noise becomes the most popular form of music in the 11-24 demographic.
87 - First broadcasting of The Planet X epic-comedy-drama saga featuring the popular fictional character Morag the Moravec
89 - Whole Entertainment Enterprises' Mesozoic Wanderings represents a landmark interactive VR edutainment and simlife
90 - EU ban on Tobacco
90's - Especially among the educated classes, traditional religions continue to be usurped by younger, more exotic beliefs, such as Sanandism, Babaism, Cosmism, Transhumanism, etc.
90's - Megacorps begin loaning money to hard-pressed governments.
90's - The development of special autodidactic software means cyborg augmentation for animals (allowing them to understand human speech, and communicate back are much cheaper, but application remains limited.
91 - The Very Large Interstellar Observation Array (a series of linked orbital LEO optical telescopes) confirms the existence of an Archean-like Earth type world, Tau Ceti II.
92 - Jarvis Microtechnics introduces the 25 gram robot "Pocket Tractor", revolutionizes agriculture
93 - More advanced nanomachines constructed, but many technical difficulties remain. Nevertheless things look promising. There is a new wave of venture capital investment.
94 - Growth of tobacco Mafias
95 - Biotronics Incorporated, in conjunction with the VR-entertainment megacorporation Inscape markets the "Gibson neural jack" (named after the famous writer of cyberpunk). Over the next year other corporations follow suite with competing models (the Hacker, the InterFase, etc. The new neural interfaces give far more powerful immersion than previous virtual reality rigs. Brings about a further boost in digital nations and perfect VR, Defections of citizens from geophysical governments to blooming virtual states are mounting. VR becomes the escape for the masses - Improving VR quality seduce citizens into an apathetic view towards world.
97 - As many as 50 Jihadi are believed to have detonated emselves near-simultaneously all around New Delhi, India, killing hundreds of Hindus and injuring thousands more, at the height of that nation's 7th war with its neighbor Pakistan
98 - Mass attack involving approximately one dozen Jihadi in New York City is foiled, using explosive-sniffing Neo-Dogs DNI-linked to eir Human masters, as well as DNI eavesdropping and trank guns.
100 AT (2070 c.e.)
100's - a vast "genomic gap" develops between the haves and the have-nots, those having the benefit of germline modification, tend to be consistently more intelligent, more athletic, more healthy, and more physically attractive. Yet true genius and creativity remain elusive, as the combination of genetic and environmental factors that determine them are difficult to quantify.100 - First emergence of Genemod dating and matching services
100's - Centralist AIs apparently use "terrorist" actions and unexplained crashes to forcefully make sure "untrustworthy" ais do not reach superturingrade.
103 - The Static craze dies out thanks to a counter-meme created by an independent memetic engineer and Elvis Presley fan Ryu O'Connor, despite numerous lawsuits on behalf of the entertainment megacorps
105 - Lawrie Mimoto's Kingdom Quest (popular interactive/immersive VR simulation)
105 AT (2075 c.e.)
106 - First Manned landing on Ceres was in 2075 c.e. at Hamada Mesa, when three NASA/Russian space programme craft arrived to establish a base and small scale mining operation. Autonomous mining operation established, controlled by a semisentient AI known as Anya.106 - EF Senate moves to Berlin.
108 - Small but increasing scientific/ govt and private enterprise presence on moon and in orbit. Nevertheless anything beyond low earth orbit (LEO) space travel is still too expensive for anyone except governments, a few megacorporations, and joyrides for wealthy private individuals. Buckyboard-driven space rush opens up space to private investment. Meanwhile the unemployed masses suffer as the welfare state disappears for good
109 - Ceres mission crew return to Earth
110 - A full-scale collapse or reformation of many geopolitical states is underway; a boom in gambling; emerging virtual states take on increasing importance; major developments in Antarctica
110s - worldwide weakening of national states (partly due to the growth of enclaves, many tobacco funded) contribute to the Tobacco legalisation movement as the local regulations proved ineffective.
110s - Carpenterian Kelp Farms important to Australian economy.
112 - Howani unites thermodynamics and complexity theory were fundamental physics
112 Completion of Burning Library Project
113 - The increasing population of Earth (which had now reached 10 billion) and the decrease in easily exploitable resources and human-induced climate change lead to widespread starvation, epidemics and many small-scale conflicts.
114 - "Tweak" superbaby Marcus Alfonse Lee becomes Chairman of the Board of "High Frontier" venture startup Orbital Explorations Pty Ltd (later to be renamed Lee Interorbital) at age 12.
114 - EF Senate moves from Strasbourg to Brussels.
115 - New developments in animal cross-species gene-splicing
115 - Ken Ferjik's Micronesian Quest, a detailed historical simulation
117 - An international cooperation of space agencies establish Artemis, a large-scale permanent manned Luna colony, with a population of nearly 5000.
118 - Ken Ferjik's The Himalaya Wars, another detailed historical simulations. This and his Micronesian Quest inspire many imitations.
118 - Businesses set up space businesses, boom in space hotels and LEO flights for the wealthy, increased automation and use of robots and expert systems leads to increasing unemployment and social unrest. As the homebot industry develops and the bots become more intelligent, reactionary elements in the general public like the Kozinskites and the Friends of Ludd become increasingly alarmed at the rise of artificial intelligence and see it as a danger to humanity.
119 - An internet war virtual world war centered on North America which shifts a number of assets and influence from previous geopolitical and corporate powers to new players.
c. 120 Superturing AI (with greater than human intelligence) common
121 - Ruth Duorkin dies.
121 - Ken Ferjik's Pertinax successfully integrates both elements of networked gaming and roleplaying
122 - the suborbital/intraorbital Waverider brings about a drastic reduction in the cost of space flight
123 - Ken Ferjik's Mother Russia further extends many themes and developments of the innovative Pertinax, placing networked gaming roleplaying in an epic historical simulationist perspective
120's - Smoking associations - Social networks centered on tobacco use reach notoriety
125 - The international Near Earth Object detection and control program successful in collecting several small Earth-approaching objects; those which are easily diverted into Earth Orbit are used in the construction and extension of current geostationary Habitats such as Academion and SupraSeoul.
126 - The Deep Space Skymining corporation, a commercial asteroid and space junk interception concern, lobbies for a space elevator to be built.
126 - Ken Ferjik's Cuba integrates his earlier work in a detailed immersive political-educational simulation
130 - EU ban on tobacco lifted
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The Interplanetary Age
Articles
- Academion - Text by Ben Higginbottom
Artificial Island in the North Sea, Old Earth - Artemis - Text by Anders Sandberg
The first international Lunar colony, the first permanent colony off the Earth - Aryan Morningstar League - Text by Ben Higginbottom
Late Information Age eugenics organisation - later clade. - Atlantis Artificial Island - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Economic / Academic / Cultural Free Zone and independent polity built on an artificial island off the Caribbean, tax and data haven during the middle and late Information and early Interplanetary Age, Old Earth. - Biotech - the Early Years - Text by Martin Andreas Cieslik, M. Alan Kazlev, and J.R. Mooneyham
The history of biotech during the Information Age. - Burning Library Project, The - Text by Stephen Inniss
Information Age project to rescue as much information as possible regarding species that were being driven to extinction as a result of human activity. - Carapace Armor - Text by "Total Annihilation" and Todd Drashner
Middle Information Age to early Interplanetary Age light combat armor consisting of layers of synthetic chitin and diamondoid plating over an underlayer of kevlar and arachnoweave. - Corporate Surrogacy - Text by Elliot Schutjer
In the latter half of the Information Age and even well into the early Interplanetary Age, genetic engineering corporations had a problem: they had to find mothers to carry the genetically altered children they produced. Popular vids from the time tell story after story of young women from Asia (Particularly Cambodia and Thailand) being sold into corporate slavery as surrogate mothers for the gengineered children arranged by major corporations, though this practice was simply not as prevalent as popular imagination supposed. - Great Dying - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Name given to the human-caused mass-extinction of a large proportion of baseline life and biodiversity on Old Earth ; one of the six great extinction events on Earth (the others being the end Ordovician, Late Devonian, end Permian, end Triassic, and end Cretaceous). Only the end Permian extinction is considered worse in estimated number of species and groups of organisms that died out. - Homo Jihadi - Text by Mike Parisi
Early geneered human tweaks with internally concealed explosives. - Identicard - Text by M. M. Alan Kazlev; based on original by Kevin Self
Identification and data storage device widely used during the Information Age.
The successor to the late twentieth-century "smartcard," the device used built-in microchips to store personal data and biometric data for identity verification. Most versions had user-accessible storage (up to 1 Gigabyte), integral fingerprint, voice, and/or retinal authorization, and automatic theft detection and deactivation when separated from owner beyond a predefined interval. During the early interplanetary age identicards were phased out and biosignatures were used instead, although they continued to be used in some backward Earth-side polities (or "nations") until as late as the middle 22nd century c.e.. Today they may still be found among a few primitive backwaters and isolated clades in the Sol System, mostly as ceremonial-aesthetic accessories, and among historical recreationists. - Internet War, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
Late Information Age (2089 c.e.) virtual world war centered on North America which shifted considerable assets and influence from previous geopolitical and corporate powers to all new players. The Information Disaster / Internet War was a war of sabotage, misinformation and denial of service centered on North American interests on the net, likely launched by unknown competitors or megacorps. - Internet, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Old Earth Information Age data-network enabling exchange of information through data packages transmitted through computers linked by telephone and communication satellites, using a common shared protocol. The Internet eventually became a part of the IPN, which in term was later expanded to become the Interstellar Net and finally the Known Net. - Lyonesse - Text by Steve Bowers
Artificial island built in the English Channel as a Free State, established in 78 A.T.. A centre for research into artificial intelligence and measures against anthropogenic global warming. - New Age Movement, Classical - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Old Earth Information Age eclectic religion/movement incorporating elements from contemporary mysticism, theosophy, alternative lifestyle, pop-guru movements, and pseudo-science, that developed as backlash against logic and science. Gave rise to a number of "new religions" while itself continuing under the "nuage" umbrella. - Oceania - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Middle Information Age through to Nanotech Age Old Earth floating city-state, data haven, and free zone. - Ribophunk - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Late Information and early Interplanetary Age aesthetic punk subculture, characterized by their distinctive phenotypic augmentations. - Scanning Probe Microscope - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An atomic and information age microscope-manipulator that allowed researchers to see individual atoms and molecules. The device was fitted with a fine point that allowed it to push atoms or molecules around on a surface. A precursor to nanotech. - Ubiquitous Computing - Text by Anders Sandberg in his Transhuman Terminology
Also known as "embodied virtuality". Information and early Interplanetary Age Old Earth. Computers that are an integral, invisible part of people's lives. In some ways the opposite of virtual reality, in which the user is absorbed into the computational world. With ubiquitous computing, computers take into account the human world rather than requiring humans to enter into the computer's methods of working. Ubiquitous computing evolved into the micro-, meso- and micro/meso/nanon based interactivity of the middle Interplanetary Age and later. - Waverider - Text by Steve Bowers
Hypersonic SSTO shuttle craft - Web, World Wide Web, WWW - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Old Earth Information age distributed communications network allowing individuals and organizations around the world to communicate with one another, by sharing of text, images, sounds, video, software, and other forms of information. The Information Age is generally defined as beginning with the first Web network (2nd decade a.t.) - Western, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Popular atomic through to early interplanetary age fabulist genre, featuring a romanticised interpretation of 19th century America. It remained an important archetypal narratives until being superseded by the space frontier epic.
Related Topics
| 130 to 430 AT: The Interplanetary Age | 430 to 530 AT: The Nanotech Age | 530 to 900 AT: The Nanoswarm Age |
| Industrial Age | Middle Tech / Midtech |
