M8D1 Research Assignment Paper: Future Predictions

uturist - this always seemed like the best job in the world. You got paid to read, watch movies, surf the web and think about what could be the next big thing or what life will be like long after we’re gone. Nobody could ever actually hold you accountable for your predictions, they were just predictions after all, a best guess. This final discussion is your chance to try your hand at being a futurist for the natural sciences. We have seen two videos that focus on the disruptive nature of social media. As Clay Shirky says “Each of us is simultaneously an individual person and a global publisher." When considering his observations on social media and those on the scientific community described by Michael Nielson, please think about where you see the future of the natural sciences in light of these observations.
How do you see the ideas of Clay Shirky and Michael Nielson converging and diverging when looking at the future of the natural sciences? Mr. Nielson seems to be hopeful but guarded in his predictions of how open source sharing of scientific research could revolutionize the fields. Mr. Shirky is more of the opinion that the revolution has happened and now we need to catch up or be left behind. Could this be true for the sciences as well? What do you see as the future for the scientific fields you discussed in our paper in light of the opinions of these authors?