What do schoolchildren think about the future?

From the outset, Janja homes in on those issues that are uppermost in the minds of her own generation: what is evidently of concern to her and her peers is above all the question of what can be done to combat climate change. We’re delighted to note that Futurium gave her some inspiration in this regard – for example, in the form of the façade greening of buildings’ walls (known as vertical greenery). Of course, great inventions by scientists aren’t the only things necessary to solve the challenges of our present and future. Instead, what is needed are many people of all age groups – people just like Janja – who are curious about the future and therefore also willing to act, and become active, in order to make the future more sustainable for all of us. With her commitment and interest, Janja demonstrates how this can work. We found it especially remarkable that in addition to her visit she even went on to interview a science expert for further information.

I hope you enjoy your read!

Visions of the Future in the Fields of Human, Nature & Technology

Janja Schönborn, schoolgirl from Heidelberg

A chair made of microbial waste? A robot as our best friend?

Our future. It’s one of the most exciting topics in many areas of life. Everyone would like to be able to look into the future, if only to answer the question: what will my own future look like?

There are so many technologies and new inventions of which we’re not even aware, as yet. One of the most important issues today is the climate crisis. Many of the young people who are part of the Fridays for Future movement don’t even know about some of the simple, but effective, ways that we could use to at least mitigate global warming. Moreover, artificial intelligence and renewable energies are constantly being further explored and expanded. In general, however, many people look to the future with mixed feelings. At Berlin’s Futurium, which opened in the summer of 2019, you can experience and investigate for yourself what scientists think about the future or the extent to which humankind will continue to develop. At this House of Futures, you can inform yourself about ongoing studies and new inventions in the fields ‘Human’, ‘Nature’ and ‘Technology’, and even conduct your own experiments.

In the House of Futures

Futurium consists of an exhibition, a laboratory – the Futurium Lab – and other smaller areas such as the Forum. It was opened on 5 September 2019; admission is free of charge. The exhibition is divided into the areas ‘Human’, ‘Nature’ and ‘Technology’, which are in turn divided into sub-areas that deal with the topics of nutrition, health, energy, work and urban life. In the Futurium Lab, visitors can try out many things for themselves, participate in workshops and explore diverse showcases. The entire Futurium – building and concept – has been designed by a team of experts and scientists. In the meantime, international guests have also been visiting Futurium to catch a glimpse of the future. For example, there’s a system in place that scans into a token wristband your answers to particular questions, and the data is then used at the end of your visit to create your own personal evaluation.

Nature: For the Climate

The first part of the exhibition is titled ‘Nature’. In these times of climate crisis, nature has gained even greater importance as more and more animal species are becoming extinct. However, there are many ways to prevent this from happening. A highly effective method would be vertical greenery – but young people, in particular, often know very little about it. The exhibition demonstrates how an obligation to plant greenery on the outer walls of houses would help mitigate the climate crisis. As the urban population is growing, and green spaces are increasingly being covered with concrete, greenery is needed wherever there is space, and the roofs and walls of houses are perfectly suited for this purpose. Green plants give shade, filter pollutants from the air, and provide habitats for birds and insects. At the same time, researchers are also working on ways to make the production of building materials for houses more climate-friendly – and the building materials themselves more environment-friendly. For example, wood that is used as a building material also stores carbon dioxide, an environmentally harmful gas. Scientists are also looking into ways of producing building blocks made from the roots of fungi. However, this is still at the prototype stage. One of the methods demonstrated at Futurium for providing a substitute to plastic is the use of so-called natural materials. Interestingly, it is possible to produce new products, such as chairs or shoes, from micro-bacterial organisms and even from food waste. The advantage is that these materials decompose easily and can be used to produce products in a natural way. However, there are many obstacles to overcome: for instance, many people ask themselves whether they would really like to sit on a chair made of organic waste.

Technology: Genom research

Another part of the Futurium exhibition is all about ‘Technology’. The focus is largely on artificial intelligence, but other topics like genetic research are covered too.

“We can already see today that the progress we’re currently making in the research of the immune system and genetic make-up, together with powerful genetic engineering methods, will shape at least some areas of medicine,” science journalist Lars Fischer explained to me in detail in an interview. “The classic example in this regard is CAR T cells: these immune cells are taken from the body and have a tailor-made receptor gene inserted, with which they are then able to fight cancer cells in a targeted manner.” For most people, young and old, a statement like this is extremely fascinating. However, Lars Fischer emphasises that those changes that will turn out to be of great importance will probably not be brought about by fancy “Star-Trek-style technologies”, but rather through improved laboratory methods, new materials or other agents that make possible things that were previously impossible or, at the very least, difficult to achieve. For the future, it will be particularly important to make medical care accessible to all people.

The interview with Lars Fischer gave me a lot to chew on. My generation will be very much affected by the things discussed in the interview.

Thanks to new technological possibilities, we have better access to individual sections within DNA, and this in turn makes it possible to detect diseases earlier, treat them better or cure them for the first time in history.

Technology: Robots and us

The exhibition continues with the topic of robots and, for example, the interaction between humans and robots in industry. A further topic of major significance is the generation and production of energy by means of technological progress. For instance, a new generation of nuclear power plants is to produce clean electricity in a way that is both safe and cost-efficient, while leaving hardly any radioactive waste behind. Research is also being conducted into the idea of retrieving energy from space, where the sun never goes down. The part of the exhibition that deals with artificial intelligence is probably the most exciting for many visitors. Today, computer programmes already analyse huge amounts of data, solve complex problems and learn autonomously. What is also being talked about is how artificial intelligence could play a supporting role in many fields in the future, for example in the health sector, as care assistants or as helpers in hospitals. In the exhibition, you can explore how robots will be put to work in the future – and you can even play a round of Tic Tac Toe with one.

Humans: For the Future

Futurium offers a playful and lively exhibition spread across a total area of more than 3,000 square metres. You need a lot of time to savour all the things Futurium has to offer – for instance, I was unable to explore the third part of the exhibition, ‘Human’, in all its details.

I am convinced that the future will be very progressive and that we as humans will develop even further than we did during past millennia. There are many ways to learn more about all of this. But one thing is clear: the future will be exciting, and certainly unexpected, for all of us.