As Columns looks back over its 90 years, we also look ahead to what the
next 90 years might be like for the UW, the U.S. and the world. Using late-20th
century technology--e-mail, fax and the even older technology of the
telephone--we contacted about 50 faculty and alumni. Many turned us down. ("Too
tough," said one. "I draw a blank," said another.) Others grabbed at the
opportunity to speculate on the world at the end of the 21st century. "I kind
of enjoyed it," one professor told us. "At least no one is going to come up to
me on the street in 90 years and say 'You were wrong!' " What follows is not a
comprehensive look at the year 2088, but a mosaic of projections, guesses and
fables gathered by UW writers and complied by Columns Editor Tom
Griffin. This on-line version contains more predictions than the print version
due to limits on the number of pages we can print.
Send a letter to the editor at columns@u.washington.edu.
