The Futures - No. 73 - Quantumrun Foresight

In this issue

The Quantumrun team shares actionable trend insights about the potential impacts of an AMOC collapse, the workers needed for the green transition, surgeons remotely operating on a pig, and the UK’s first teacher-less classroom.

Future signals to watch?

• Swiss surgeons successfully performed a remote endoscopy on a pig in Hong Kong using a video game controller, demonstrating the potential for remote surgeries in areas lacking local expertise. The procedure used a robotic system and magnetic endoscope, with real-time data transfer between Zurich and Hong Kong.
• President Joe Biden unveiled $7.3 billion in funding for 16 rural clean energy projects led by rural electric cooperatives under the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program.
• China’s shift toward electric vehicles may cause domestic gasoline demand to peak either this year or next, according to Vitol Group's CEO.
• Ford is seeking a patent for technology that would customize in-car advertising by analyzing conversations, location history, and other data from vehicle occupants.
• Chandrayaan-3 has detected over 250 seismic signals from the Moon's south pole, including 50 possibly linked to moonquakes, marking the first seismic data collection from this region since the Apollo missions.
• The EU, US, and UK, among other nations, signed the first international legally binding treaty on AI risks, focusing on human rights, democracy, and rule of law, according to the Council of Europe.
• Wind power just became Britain’s largest source of electricity, generating 32% of the country's energy in 2023, surpassing gas-fired power stations at 31%.
• David Game College in London is launching the UK's first "teacherless" GCSE class, where 20 students will learn using AI platforms and virtual reality. The AI adapts lessons to each student's strengths and weaknesses, providing personalized learning plans for more precise and continuous evaluation.

Culturally // Trending

YouTube → Mr McMahon //? X → When a new iPhone is announced //? Reddit →The twist we didn’t see coming //? TikTok → Eating an entire cucumber //? Instagram → Aesthetic Airport Trays //? Spotify → “Crazy”

?? How imminent is the AMOC ocean current collapse?

The potential collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) has scientists on edge, as it threatens to throw global weather patterns and climate stability into a tailspin. The AMOC includes the Gulf Stream and helps regulate Earth’s climate by circulating warm and cold water across the Atlantic. It has shown signs of slowing by about 15% since the mid-20th century, according to a 2021 study.

This slowdown is worrying because the AMOC’s collapse would have far-reaching consequences, including a significant temperature drop in Northern Europe and shifts in tropical rainfall. For example, Troms? in Norway could experience temperatures 35°C lower in winter than it currently does.

One reason for the AMOC’s weakening is the increased influx of freshwater from Greenland’s melting ice sheets, which disrupts the delicate balance of temperature and salinity that powers the circulation. This freshwater prevents denser, saltier water from sinking and continuing the conveyor belt-like current.

A collapse, which might occur between 2025 and 2095, could cause droughts in the Sahel region and other parts of West Africa, where precipitation patterns are linked to AMOC variability. Historically, the AMOC may have collapsed around 14,500 years ago, coinciding with rapid climate shifts during the end of the last Ice Age.

Beyond colder winters in Europe, scientists predict the effects of a collapsed AMOC to include a rise in sea levels along the US East Coast and crop failures due to a 50% reduction in land suitable for agriculture in Europe. Changes in the Intertropical Convergence Zone could lead to unpredictable rainfall patterns, devastating regions that rely on monsoons for their water supply. For instance, India and West Africa might experience drastic decreases in rainfall, severely affecting food production and economic stability. Given the uncertainties surrounding the exact timing, scientists urge immediate reductions of global emissions to mitigate the risks.

Actionable trend insights as the AMOC threatens to collapse:

For public sector innovators

• Governments in vulnerable regions can fund research and development into climate-resilient crops to mitigate the risk of food insecurity from an AMOC collapse.?This includes:
• As political instability and mass migration are likely consequences of an AMOC collapse, governments can start preparing now by establishing proactive migration frameworks and building cross-border infrastructure.?This includes:

Trending research reports from the World Wide Web

• This is how scientists use Frontier, the fastest supercomputer in the world.
• A new study suggests consciousness may be linked to quantum processes, as drug interactions with microtubules delayed unconsciousness in anesthetized rats, supporting the quantum theory of consciousness.
• Here’s a fascinating dive into how piracy has made DIY medicines more accessible.
• New research shows that four in ten children in Central London switched from car travel to walking, cycling, or public transport after introducing the Ultra-Low Emission Zone.
• New research shows that remote echocardiograms using a 5G network are as accurate as those performed in person by cardiologists.

?? The future of work under the green transition

The green transition is set to shake up the global workforce as it shifts talent from polluting "brown" industries to the growing "green" sectors of the future. According to 2023 research, many workers in brown jobs already possess the skills to transition to green jobs, but those in highly automatable jobs face greater barriers due to the specialized nature of green skills.

For example, occupations with tasks heavily focused on compliance, science, or green technology usage are growing, but not all workers can shift into these roles without targeted reskilling efforts. This creates challenges for countries like those in Southern and Eastern Europe, which are behind in developing the necessary green skillsets compared to Northern Europe.

In addition to regional differences, the future of work will see the rise of green sectors that demand a more specialized workforce. Denmark's green transition plan, aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030, exemplifies the potential for job creation. Reports from the United Federation of Danish Workers suggest that 380,000 jobs—most of them temporary—could be created in the next 30 years through projects like offshore wind farms and bio-refineries. However, this transformation will require an estimated €37.5 billion in investments.?

Despite these opportunities, many companies are still struggling to find workers with the skills to implement their environmental, social, and governance plans. A study found that 94% of companies lack the talent needed to achieve their green goals. This has led to initiatives focused on reskilling, such as those that train workers in renewable energy technologies and hydrogen fuel production. Without such targeted reskilling programs, workers in traditional industries risk being left behind.

Actionable trend insights as workers transition to a green economy:

For entrepreneurs

• Entrepreneurs can develop mobile training units that travel to industrial hubs and rural areas to provide hands-on, modular courses for workers transitioning from brown to green jobs. These units could focus on teaching skills like solar panel installation, green building practices, or managing energy-efficient agricultural techniques.?
• With many traditional construction workers needing to transition into green industries, there’s an opportunity to develop novel work tools specific to green tech, alongside sustainable, high-performance building materials specifically designed for green infrastructure.?

For corporate innovators

• Companies can form specialized task forces focused on upskilling current employees to handle the shift to greener technologies and practices.?
• Manufacturing, logistics, and construction companies could partner with community colleges and technical schools to offer fast-tracked certification programs in green skills like renewable energy project management or sustainable manufacturing processes. In return for providing funding and resources, corporations can secure exclusive access to newly skilled graduates and ensure that training programs align with their specific operational needs.?

For public sector innovators

• Governments can establish incentive programs for public-private partnerships to build localized green technology innovation labs. By offering grants or tax incentives, the public sector can attract private companies to invest in green tech R&D, creating a collaborative space for both displaced workers and new engineers to engage with cutting-edge green technologies while driving local job creation.
• Local governments could invest in creating green technology hubs in economically disadvantaged areas, providing low-cost, accessible spaces for entrepreneurs, NGOs, and small businesses to collaborate on sustainability projects. The public sector can drive inclusive growth by creating a pipeline for green job training and entrepreneurship in underserved communities while equipping workers with the skills needed for a green economy.

Outside curiosities

• COY Creator is introducing a "business-in-a-box" platform that lets creators manage content, live events, and merchandise while retaining complete control of their data.
• The modular shoes that want to compete with Birkenstock.
• Uniqlo might be wading into luxe waters with its new creative director, who happens to be the former Givenchy Creative Director.
• Instagram now allows users to comment on the popular Stories feature.
• YouTube recorded 40 billion minutes of Olympics watch time. (NBC only had 23.5 billion).

More from Quantumrun

• Read more daily trend reporting on Quantumrun.com
• Subscribe to the Quantumrun Trends Platform (free for premium newsletter subscribers).
• Corporate readers can review our Trend Intelligence Platform
• Email us at [email protected] with questions or feedback.

Finally, share your thoughts in the Substack comments below. We love hearing from you!

See you in The Futures,

Quantumrun team