The Most Overlooked 21st Century Developments

Amazing technological developments have emerged this century--so many in fact, that a lot of truly great products and ideas have been overlooked. Here are a few 21st Century Developments that deserve a little more credit than they’ve received.

Technology  

Over the last few years technology has exploded in terms of the impact on our lives. It is difficult to keep up with developments, even in narrowly defined niches.  Here are a few 21st Century technology developments you may have overlooked.

3D Printers

Although 3D printers are currently still cost-prohibitive for much of the general public, some predict that someday, 3D printers will become as ubiquitous as microwaves. 3D printing has the potential to completely transform the way we think about plastic consumer goods--trips to the store could become a thing of the past as utensils, tools, and even art can be produced by printers.

Increasingly Advanced Robotics

In the 21st century, we've seen the advent of some pretty incredible robotics. Among these innovations include self-repairing robots and self-replicating robots. Other achievements include the development of high-jumping robots (that can leap a tall building with a single bound), carry as much weight as a mule, and a robot that can run a mile faster than a human ever has.

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Affordable, Quick DNA Sequencing

When the Human Genome Project got started in the early 21st century, it cost more than $3 billion to perform a genome sequencing. Recent technological advances has brought this cost down to an incredible $1,000. Some predict we'll soon have the ability to write DNA.

Better Digital Currencies

Although the first forms of digital currency actually appeared in the late 1990s, it was not until the 2009 introduction of Bitcoin that digital money really came into its own as a concept.

Now, it's starting to become more popular. It could eventually remove the need for banks. As more of the public becomes familiar and willing to put their faith in it, it could represent a huge shift in how we think about money and financial transactions.

Waste-Conversion Technology

Many people aren't aware that we now have the ability to literally transform our garbage into biofuels. It's already become a trend in several Canadian cities--in fact, it's estimated that Edmonton will soon have the ability to convert over 100,000 tons of solid waste each year. Not only can this reduce overall carbon emissions, it turns trash into a valuable commodity.

Spotify

There were a few years where it looked like piracy might completely destroy the music industry. Then suddenly in 2008, Spotify appeared. It provided users with the option to listen to nearly any song they could think of for free--provided they were willing to listen to periodic advertisements, or pay for premium service that provided higher-quality audio and no advertisements. Although nearly everybody has followed their lead, Spotify was the original and is still one of the best streaming music services. What's more, music piracy started to fall as streaming technology got more advanced.

Nissan Leaf

A lot of people are talking about self-driving cars, but we're likely at least several years from any sort of widespread release. In the meantime, the 21st century provided a lot of great new automotive technology--including the ability to purchase cheap auto insurance online. Another overlooked development, in our opinion, is the Nissan Leaf.

Sure, electric cars are still sort of a novelty; there aren't many highway-ready electrics. Currently, the best available is the Nissan Leaf. The environmental and economic benefits these cars present make us wonder why more people aren't on board yet.

Emerging Technologies that May Define the Future

While these developments might not have changed your life as much as say, smartphones, we think they're still pretty important in the scheme of things.

By  Mark Palmer	Embed
Author Bio - Mark Palmer is a small business expert and has a passion for helping entrepreneurs make the most out of their company. As a freelance writer, Mark hopes to influence others so they can have a positive business experience.