A hugely defining feature of our existence is the ability to persevere through anything nature can throw at us. A lot of diseases have been cured by vaccines/anti-biotics, building architecture has improved to deal with natural disasters and the invention of fire drastically increased our ability to survive. Despite all of this, there are still a lot of things left that threaten us, but not for much longer as you’re about to find out! Here’s 10 future medical breakthroughs that will happen!
10. Tooth Regeneration
Expected year: 2040
Dental health is a big problem in today’s society as our teeth are demolished by the amount of sugar and junk food we consume. However, scientists have already had successful tooth growth in rats and this could work with humans too. It’ll take time to perfect but we should be able to get a perfect set of teeth in our lifetime (doesn’t mean you can start eating fistfuls of sugar though!).
9. Limb Regeneration
Expected year: 2070
It was previously thought to be well past our century before we would start regenerating limbs but scientists have recently discovered a very important gene. This gene prevents cell growth in damaged areas (likely to prevent tumours) but if we find a way to “switch off” this gene, we’ll have the ability to regenerate limbs. This regeneration process would take a very long time but it’s still a remarkable feat and hopefully something we see in our lifetime.
8. Malaria Cure
Expected year: 2020
Malaria is a truly terrible disease that is spread by mosquitos. It affects millions of people worldwide and complete eradication of it would be a massive achievement for humankind. This might come sooner rather than later as we already have a pill that can cure people. This pill isn’t available to everyone though and the risk of contracting malaria in the first place is still very real. Genetic modification in mosquitos, such as a gene that blocks the production of malaria, will eventually remove the disease from the planet entirely!
7. Cure for deafness
Expected year: 2030
It’s so sad for people who are deaf to not be able to experience the world like we do. This will not be the case soon though as stem cell research has allowed scientists to predict that future technologies could give them the ability to regenerate sensory cells from a person’s own skin tissue!
6. Cure for cancer
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Expected year of cure for all types: 2280
Expected year for most common types: 2070
Cancer contributes to around 13% of deaths worldwide each year, this is an incredible amount and shows just how much of a threat it is to our species. With over 200 different types, you would imagine that it wouldn’t it be in the 21st century that it would be completely wiped out, and you would be right. It’s simply too complex to solve within our lifetime but predictions suggest it would be completely gone by the year 2300. Many types will be cured before then of course, with the most harmful types to humans being cured within the 21st century.
5. AI used to greatly improve human intelligence
Expected year: 2100
Humans will become almost part-machine, able to learn any profession, martial art or master any subject in seconds. This means that our medical capabilities will skyrocket and we’ll be able to completely destroy any biological virus or disease. This will see software viruses like you get on your laptop become the main threat to us.
4. Obesity prevention drug
Expected year: 2018
This will likely be a godsend for any medical staff, there are so many issues caused by being overweight that something like this would massively increase our average life expectancy. Eating and feeling full/nourished is just your body releasing chemicals to your brain, this drug will trick your brain into thinking you’ve just eaten a full and nourishing meal. So you will be able to eat a bowl of kale and feel as full as if it were a burger!
3. Handheld MRI scans
Expected year: 2057
For a doctor to examine your body, they need to give you an MRI scan and obtain a static image, which they can then peruse. Current machines are slow, expensive and can take up entire rooms but by the year 2057, these machines will be no larger than today’s smartphones. They will offer real-time tracking of individual segments and layers of your body, allowing for cheap, accurate in-depth analysis on the spot!
2. Alzheimer’s cure
Expected year: 2036
This disease might not cause the most deaths but it can be one of the most difficult to live with. Our current medical prowess can only reduce the risk of developing this and the amount of people living with it is only going to increase over the years. Thankfully, with the help of nanobots, scientists will have a much greater understanding of our brain and be able to treat alzheimer’s properly. This will be a major landmark in medical history.
1. Superhuman powers available on a consumer level
Expected year: 2300
Humans would be so advanced that movement on a molecular level would be very possible. Put a 24th century human in our world today and they would be considered a God. Super strength, super speed, invisibility, telekinesis, ability to morph and much more will be common. What does this mean for medicine? It means it will no longer be needed as we will have obtained immortality.
