With some of the modern-day television and movies foretelling doomsday viruses, end-of-the-world scenarios, and entire civilizations dying off because of technology, it is no wonder that many people are afraid of what the future holds. If we relied upon the media to forecast our future, then we would all be doomed. Alternatively, there are still plenty of real-world reasons, why people fear what might happen in the future.
现在电视和电影里总有一些对未来的预言：因为科技，世界末日终将到来，文明终将消亡。所以有很多人对未来充满恐惧。如果我们依靠媒体来预测未来，那肯定完蛋。当然，人们对未来充满担忧是有很多现实原因的。
Given the threat of global terrorism, climate change, and the possibility of nuclear war, it is understandable for some people to fear what lies ahead. Some people, however, easily forget how far we have come in recent decades, and the massive strides that we have made in several industries.
考虑到恐怖主义的威胁，气候变化，核战争爆发的可能性，我们可以理解一些人对未来的恐惧。但有些人很可能忘了，这几十年来，我们已经在各个行业走了很远，取得了巨大的进步。
Additionally, the promise of further progress in the fields of technology has some futurists optimistic that there will be a major transformation in several fields including medicine, agriculture, law enforcement, automotive, and much more. With this transformation, we could potentially eliminate many of our current world problems.
此外，鉴于当前的情况，未来学家对各技术领域的发展前景都非常看好，他们认为，在医药、农业、执法、汽车等领域都会出现重大转变，这些转变可以帮助我们解决很多世界问题。
In addition to correcting problems, we are living in an incredibly exciting and innovative time when things that were once considered science fiction can now become a part of our daily routine. As the years go by, our ability to invent and create new technologies increases, making the future more exciting than ever before. Despite what you may have heard, there is current growing research to show the days ahead may not be so dark, here are 10 reasons the future is going to be great.
同时，我们还生活在一个充满激情与创新的时代，过去那些只能在科幻小说里看到的东西，现在可能成为我们日常生活的一部分。随着时间的推移，我们发明创造的能力不断增强，这让未来变得比以往任何时候都更加令人向往。不管你听说过什么，目前有越来越多的研究表明，未来的日子不会充满黑暗。以下10个理由告诉你，未来会更好。

10.Advances in Medical Technology Will Increase Our Life Expectancy
10.医疗技术的进步会延长我们的寿命

You may be familiar with the phrase, “nothing is certain except death and taxes,” and while most of us begrudgingly accept this as our fate, the future has different plans in store for our life expectancy. Thanks to advances in medical technology, the idea of immortality may not be limited to fairy tales any longer.
你可能听过这样一句话，“除了死亡和税收，没有什么是一定的”，虽然我们大多数人都接受了这样的命运，但在未来，我们的寿命可能会有所改变。由于医疗技术的进步，长生不老可能不再是神话故事。
The average life expectancy saw a dramatic increase during the 20th century and is considered one of society’s greatest achievements. With the average lifespan currently at 81, it is expected to increase to 120 years old in the future. According to research, the average human lifespan could grow exponentially in comparison with our ancestors before us.
二十世纪，人类的平均寿命大幅增长，这是整个社会最伟大的成就之一。当前人类的平均寿命为81岁，预计未来将增加到120岁。研究表明，与祖先相比，人类的平均寿命会以指数增长。
Scientists have studied at a cellular level what makes us age in an effort to increase the average life expectancy. In the past 20 years, over one trillion dollars have been invested into biomedical research with successes shown by the tenfold in laboratory animals. Additionally, the number of scientists working on extended lifespan has increased.
科学家们一直在研究细胞层面上人类衰老的原因，希望可以找出延长寿命的方法。在过去的20年里，生物医学研究项目的投资已超过一万亿美元，有些实验中的动物寿命增长了10倍，说明这项研究有所成效。此外，致力于寿命延长研究的科学家也越来越多。
While we are young, we spend a great deal of time, energy, and finances on the next anti-aging fad. The good news is, scientists are dedicating resources into increasing life expectancy through the elimination of disease and illness. Innovations in these areas have already begun using stem cell therapies, increasing survival rates, and advancing in laboratory diagnostics.
虽然我们还年轻，但我们已经花费了大量的时间、精力和金钱来跟衰老作斗争。好消息是，科学家们正致力于消除疾病，以增加人类的平均寿命，他们已经开始创新，使用干细胞治疗，提高生存率，并推进实验诊断学发展。
There are many working theories on how we age, and how it can be stopped. What we know for certain is, it is a continued topic of inquiry for scientists.
已经有很多理论在讨论人类如何衰老，以及如何制止衰老，而我们可以确定的是，这对科学家来说是一个需要不断研究的课题。

9.Innovators Can Make Progress Using 3-D Printers
9.3D打印机可以推进人们创新

If you enjoy DIY projects or have an innovator in your family, the future of 3D printing holds some exciting new possibilities for you. 3D printing first appeared in the late 1980’s as “rapid prototyping technologies,” for its ability to quickly and affordably create prototypes. Shortly after, a patent was issued to a Dr. Charles Hull and he developed 3D Systems Corporation.
如果你喜欢DIY或者你某个家人喜欢创新，未来的3D打印技术会给你带来许多惊喜。3D打印最早出现在二十世纪八十年代后期，称为“快速成型技术”，可以快速且便宜地制作出模型。不久后，查尔斯·哈尔博士拿到了专利，并开创了3D系统公司。
As we moved into the 20th century, 3D printing has evolved into a manufacturing technology that enables the production of products, or parts. The process of additive manufacturing turns 3D models into objects by building layers. 3D printers are used in a variety of industries including medicine, aerospace, and education.
进入二十一世纪，3D打印已经演变成了一项制造技术，用于产品或零件的生产。叠加制造技术通过一层层叠加3D模型的方法来构建实物。3D打印机已经应用在医药、航空航天、教育等各个领域。
The original prototypes were unaffordable and thereby inaccessible to the public, but modern technology has made it possible to have a 3D printer in every home. While we move towards the future, we can look forward to some exciting trends. Imagine if you will, that a part breaks in your dishwasher, the standard protocol would involve a repairman, or wait for a replacement part.
最初的3D打印技术成本较高，所以无法普及，但是鉴于现代科技的发展，以后几乎每个家庭都可以拥有一个3D打印机，其未来的发展趋势也可期。想象一下，如果你家洗碗机的某个零件坏了，按常理，你得请个修理工或者买个新零件，
In a 3D-printed world, the process is as simple as looking the part up on the internet, and printing it at home, or at your neighborhood 3D printer. In addition to producing your own consumer goods, doctors will be able to print living tissue, knee replacements, and even pain medications and antibiotics. The 3D printers are even equipped for Nano-printing, which means you can print batteries the size of a single grain of sand.
但如果3D打印机普及了，这个过程就会变得很简单，你只需要上网搜一下这个零件，然后用3D打印机打印出来就行。除了打印生活用品，医生还可以用3D打印机打印活组织，膝关节，甚至止痛药和抗生素。3D打印机甚至可以装备纳米印刷，这意味着你还可以打印沙子大小的电池。