I’m a huge sci-fi nerd as well, though more in a cyberpunk/fantasy style. That said, I think Sci-fi drives a lot of actual science now considering a lot of rocket scientists today are so because of Trek/Star Wars.
And once quantum computing becomes a common tool in widespread use, I think it is possible a lot of new areas will open up that today aren’t even figments of our imaginations. Just look at 3D printing. To be sure, it’s wishful thinking. but I really believe that we are on an accelerated curve. And we will either become one of those long dead civs that blew themselves up, geneticly modified ourselves into oblivion, or possibly, reach a star or two within a couple centuries if not sooner.
I tend to see the curve as decelerating. There was in fact a huge explosion in technology beginning in the early 1800’s, but I don’t see any significant advances within the last 50 years except with computing. Maybe that will lead somewhere, maybe not. I don’t know.
See my post #73. A new area to open up would be 3D printing without using additive manufacturing. I've got a 3D printer, and it's slow as molasses building an object layer by layer. Now imagine a printer that would "print" an object all at once in a 3D shape. Such are the dreams of this Star Trek fan, the creation of a replicator. The future discovery of new elements may make such a thing possible. All we would need is the means to generate appropriate force fields to direct newly created elements at the atomic level into the desired shapes. These materials would "remember" their shapes if deformed and spring back. Electronic circuitry would be embedded in the printed objects by directing which portions of the materials would allow flow of electricity.
Sound crazy? So was the idea of a transistor back in the 1950's. The idea that you could take a piece of silicone, dope it and allow or disallow the flow of electrons seemed crazy. Well, we're poised to do that and more with newly created elements.