ecological-catastrophe

The chapter 'Preamble' introduces a dual timeline narrative set in 1998 and 1962, highlighting Earth's ecological crisis in the future and the scientific efforts in the past to communicate across time. It focuses on a tachyon scientist in England trying to warn the past about impending disaster, while in 1962, Gordon Bernstein, a young researcher, detects anomalous signals that lead him to uncover the reality of time manipulation.

The chapter introduces two interlinked crises shaping the 21st century: ecological catastrophe driven by climate change and the rapid automation of labor through advances in robotics and artificial intelligence. It outlines the dual anxieties of scarcity from environmental degradation and abundance from technological automation, emphasizing the unprecedented potential for labor displacement across various sectors. The author surveys current debates and examples of automation's reach, from IBM's Watson to robotic agriculture, setting the stage for exploring possible futures shaped by these dynamics.