The website of Scientific American recently published an article to take stock of the top ten emerging technologies in 2020. An international expert steering group selected the top ten emerging technologies this year. The recognized technology must have the potential to promote social and economic progress, be innovative and may have a significant impact in the next three to five years.
ThisisEngineering RAEng@thisisengineering/unsplash
1 Microneedles Could Enable Painless Injections and Blood Draws
Micro-needle can realize painless injection and blood drawing.
Barely visible needles, or “microneedles, ” are poised to usher in an era of pain-free injections and blood testing. Whether attached to a syringe or a patch, microneedles prevent pain by avoiding contact with nerve endings. Typically 50 to 2, 000 microns in length (about the depth of a sheet of paper) and one to 100 microns wide (about the width of human hair), they penetrate the dead, top layer of skin to reach into the epidermis. But most do not reach or only barely touch the underlying dermis, where the nerve endings lie.
Almost invisible needles, that is, "microneedles", will bring the era of painless injection and blood test. Microneedles can be connected to syringes or patches, which can avoid contact with nerve endings, thus preventing pain. Microneedles are generally 50 microns to 2000 microns long (about the thickness of a piece of paper) and 1 micron to 100 microns wide (about the thickness of human hair). They penetrate the top layer of dead skin and enter the epidermis. However, most microneedles do not reach or only touch the dermis below, where nerve endings are located.
epidermis ![[epdms]](https://baidubox-emoji.cdn.bcebos.com/imgs/%5Bepdms%5D.png?r=2025100817 "[epdms]")
Epidermis; epidermis
dermis ![[dms]](https://baidubox-emoji.cdn.bcebos.com/imgs/%5Bdms%5D.png?r=2025100817 "[dms]")
Skin, dermis
2 Sun-Powered Chemistry Can Turn Carbon Dioxide into Common Materials
Photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide into ordinary materials
The manufacture of many chemicals important to human health and comfort consumes fossil fuels, thereby contributing to carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. A new approach employs sunlight to convert waste carbon dioxide into these needed chemicals.
Many chemicals that are very important for human health and comfort consume fossil fuels in production, which will increase carbon dioxide emissions and aggravate climate change. A new method is to use sunlight to convert waste carbon dioxide into these chemicals we need.
This process is becoming increasingly feasible thanks to advances in sunlight-activated catalysts, or photocatalysts. In recent years investigators have developed photocatalysts that break the resistant double bond between carbon and oxygen in carbo n dioxide. This is a critical first step in creating “solar” refineries that produce useful compounds from the waste gas—including “platform” molecules that can serve as raw materials for the synthesis of such varied products as medicines, detergents, fertilizers and textiles.
Thanks to the progress of photocatalytic technology, this process is becoming more and more feasible. In recent years, researchers have developed a photocatalyst that can reduce carbon and oxygen in carbon dioxide. On this basis, a "solar energy" refinery can be established to produce useful compounds from waste gas, including "platform" molecules that can be used to synthesize drugs, detergents, fertilizers and textiles.
Photo catalyst [,ft ‘ktlst]: photocatalyst
3 Virtual Patients Could Revolutionize Medicine
Virtual patients can completely change medicine.
What if computers could replace patients as well? If virtual humans could have replaced real people in some stages of a coronavirus vaccine trial, for instance, it could have sped development of a preventive tool and slowed down the pandemic. These are some of the benefits of “in silico medicine, ” or the testing of drugs and treatments on virtual organs or body systems to predict how a real person will respond to the therapies. For the foreseeable future, real patients will be needed in late-stage studies, but in silico trials will make it possible to conduct quick and inexpensive first assessments of safety and efficacy, drastically reducing the number of live human subjects required for experimentation.
What if computers can replace patients? For example, if virtual people can replace real people in some stages of vaccine trials in COVID-19, it may speed up the development of preventive measures and slow down the spread of the epidemic. This is some of the advantages of "computer simulation medicine", that is, testing drugs and treatments with virtual organs or human systems, and then inferring real people’s reactions to these treatments. In the foreseeable future, the later research will need real patients, but with the computer simulation experiment, researchers will be able to make a quick and low-cost preliminary evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of drugs and treatments, thus greatly reducing the number of living human subjects needed for the experiment.
Alex Knight@agk42/unsplash
4 Spatial Computing Could Be the Next Big Thing
Spatial computing or the next hot topic
Imagine Martha, an octogenarian who lives independently and uses a wheelchair. As Martha moves from her bedroom to the kitchen, the lights switch on, and the ambient temperature adjusts. The chair will slow if her cat crosses her path. If she begins to fall when getting into bed, her furniture shifts to protect her, and an alert goes to her son and the local monitoring station.
Imagine that Martha, who is over 80 years old, lives alone and needs a wheelchair. When Martha went from the bedroom to the kitchen, the lighting was turned on and the surrounding temperature was properly adjusted. If the cat passes in front, the wheelchair will slow down. If she falls when she goes to bed, the furniture will move quickly to protect her, and her son and the local monitoring station will be alerted.
Octogenarian [ktdnerin]: a person aged 80 to 89
The “spatial computing” at the heart of this scene is the next step in the ongoing convergence of the physical and digital worlds. It does everything v irtual-reality and augmented-reality apps do: digitize objects that connect via the cloud; allow sensors and motors to react to one another; and digitally represent the real world. Then it combines these capabilities with high-fidelity spatial mapping to enable a computer “coordinator” to track and control the movements and interactions of objects as a person navigates through the digital or physical world. Spatial computing will soon bring human-machine and machine-machine interactions to new levels of efficiency in many walks of life, among them industry, health care, transportation and the home.
The core of this scene is "spatial computing", which is the next step in the integration of the real world and the digital world. Virtual reality and augmented reality applications can do everything: digitize objects connected by the cloud, make sensors and motors echo each other, and present the real world in a digital way. Then, it combines these abilities with high-fidelity space mapping, so that computer "coordinators" can track and control the movement and mutual induction of objects when a person walks through the digital or real world. Spatial computing will soon promote human-computer interaction and machine interaction to a new height in all walks of life, including industry, medical care, transportation and home.
5 Digital Medicine Can Diagnose and Treat What Ails You
Digital medicine can diagnose and treat all diseases.
A raft of apps in use or under development can now detect or monitor mental and physical disorders autonomously or directly administer therapies. Colle ctively known as digital medicines, the software can both enhance traditional medical care and support patients when access to health care is limited—a need that the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated.
A large number of applications put into use or under development can now check or monitor physical and mental diseases or give treatment directly. This software, collectively known as digital medical care, can strengthen traditional medical care, and can also give patients support when medical services are limited, which is particularly needed in the context of COVID-19 crisis.
6 Electric Aviation Could Be Closer Than You Think
The arrival of electric aviation may be earlier than expected.
In 2019 air travel accounted for 2.5 percent of global carbon emissions, a number that could triple by 2050. While some airlines have started offsetting their contributions to atmospheric carbon, significant cutbacks are still needed. Electric airplanes could provide the scale of transformation required, and many companies are racing to develop them. Not only would electric propulsion motors eliminate direct carbon emissions, they could reduce fuel costs by up to 90 percent, maintenance by up to 50 percent and noise by nearly 70 percent.
In 2019, the carbon emissions of air travel accounted for 2.5% of the global total, and this figure may triple that of 2019 by 2050. Although some airlines have begun to compensate for their atmospheric carbon emissions, more drastic measures to reduce emissions are imperative. Electric aircraft can provide the required scale of transformation, and many companies are competing to develop it. Electric propulsion motor can not only eliminate direct carbon emissions, but also reduce fuel cost by up to 90%, maintenance cost by up to 50% and noise by nearly 70%.
offset ![[fset]](https://baidubox-emoji.cdn.bcebos.com/imgs/%5Bfset%5D.png?r=2025100817 "[fset]")
Offset n. offset n. offset n.
atmospheric ![[tmsferk]](https://baidubox-emoji.cdn.bcebos.com/imgs/%5Btmsferk%5D.png?r=2025100817 "[tmsferk]")
Atmospheric adj. atmospheric
veeterzy@veeterzy/unsplash
7 Low-Carbon Cement Can Help Combat Climate Change
Low-carbon cement can help cope with climate change.
Concrete, the most widely used human-made material. The manufacture of one of its key components, cement, creates a substantial yet underappreciated amount of human-produced carbon dioxide: up to 8 percent of the global total, according to London-based think tank Chatham House.
Concrete is the most widely used artificial material in the construction industry. According to the Royal Institute of International Studies, a London-based think tank, cement, one of its key components, produces an amazing amount of carbon dioxide, accounting for 8% of the total global emissions, but it has not been fully paid attention to.
In 2018 the Global Cement and Concrete Association, which represents about 30 percent of worldwide production, announced the industry’s first Sustainability Guidelines, a set of key measurements such as emissions and water usage intended to track performance improvements and make them transparent.
2018年，代表全球产量约30%的全球水泥和混凝土协会宣布了该行业的首个可持续发展指导方针，这是一套设计碳排放和用水等领域的关键指标，旨在跟踪性能改善，并使其透明化。
8 Quantum Sensors Could Let Autonomous Cars ‘See’ around Corners
量子传感器让自动汽车“看清”弯道
Quantum computers get all the hype, but quantum sensors could be equally transformative, enabling autonomous vehicles that can “see” around corners, underwater navigation systems, early-warning systems for volcanic activity and earthquakes, and portable scanners that monitor a person’s brain activity during daily life.
Quantum sensors are as revolutionary as quantum computers, which can promote the realization of self-driving cars, underwater navigation systems, volcanic activity and earthquake early warning systems, and portable scanners that monitor people’s daily brain activities.
Get all the hype: hype
Quantum sensors reach extreme levels of precision by exploiting the quantum nature of matter. Atomic clocks illustrate this principle. Other quantum se nsors use atomic transitions to detect minuscule changes in motion and tiny differences in gravitational, electric and magnetic fields.
Quantum sensors use quantum properties of matter to achieve extremely high accuracy, and atomic clocks are an example. Other quantum sensors use atomic transitions to detect small changes in motion and small differences in gravitational, electric and magnetic fields.
minuscule ![[mnskjul]](https://baidubox-emoji.cdn.bcebos.com/imgs/%5Bmnskjul%5D.png?r=2025100817 "[mnskjul]")
Very small; Insignificant (informal)
9 Green Hydrogen Could Fill Big Gaps in Renewable Energy
Green hydrogen can fill the huge gap of renewable energy.
When hydrogen burns, the only by-product is water—which is why hydrogen has been an alluring zero-carbon energy source for decades. Yet the traditional process for produci ng hydrogen, in which fossil fuels are exposed to steam, is not even remotely zero-carbon.
The only by-product of hydrogen combustion is water, which is why hydrogen has been an attractive zero-carbon energy source for decades. However, the traditional method of hydrogen production from fossil fuels is far from zero carbon emission.
Green hydrogen is different. It is produced through electrolysis, in which machines split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with no other by-products. Historically, electrolysis required so much electricity that it made little sense to produce hydrogen that way. The situation is changing for two reasons. First, significant amounts of excess renewable electricity have become available at grid scale; the extra electricity can be used to drive the electrolysis of water, “storing” the electricity in the form of hydrogen. Second, electrolyzers are getting more efficient.
Green hydrogen is different. It is produced by electrolysis. The machine decomposes water into hydrogen and oxygen, and there are no other by-products. Historically, electrolysis requires too much electricity, so it is not cost-effective to produce hydrogen in this way. But things are changing for two reasons. First, there is a large amount of surplus renewable energy power, which can be used to electrolyze water and "store" electricity in the form of hydrogen. Secondly, the efficiency of electrolyzers is getting higher and higher.
National Cancer Institute@nci/unsplash
10 Whole-Genome Synthesis Will Transform Cell Engineering
Whole genome synthesis will completely change cell engineering.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists in China uploaded the virus’s genetic sequence to genetic databases. A Swiss group then synthesized the entire genome and produced the viru s from it—essentially teleporting the virus into their laboratory for study without having to wait for physical samples. Such speed is one example of h ow whole-genome printing is advancing medicine and other endeavors.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, scientists in China uploaded the gene sequence of the new coronavirus to the gene database. Then, a research team in Switzerland used it to synthesize a complete genome and make this virus-basically, it can be sent to the laboratory for research without waiting for a physical sample. This speed fully demonstrates the promotion of genome-wide printing technology to medicine and other work.
Whole-genome synthesis is an extension of the booming field of synthetic biology. Researchers use software to design genetic sequences that they produc e and introduce into a microbe, thereby reprogramming the microbe to do desired work—such as making a new medicine. So far genomes mainly get light edits. But improvements in synthes is technology and software are making it possible to print ever larger swaths of genetic material and to alter genomes more extensively.
Genome-wide synthesis is an extension of the booming synthetic biology. Researchers use software to design gene sequences, manufacture them and implant them into microorganisms, so as to reprogram the microorganisms to function according to people’s wishes, such as forming a new drug. So far, the genome can only be slightly edited. However, with the improvement of synthesis technology and software, it is possible to print genetic material with longer chain and change the genome more widely.
Source: Scientific American, Reference News Network
Editor: yaning
Source: Scientific American, Reference News Network
