2007-May-12 | The latest issue of the magazine "Pictures of the Future" is out. The main topics addressed in the research magazine are climate change, the future of cities, and molecular medicine. The Siemens magazine reports on which technologies effectively limit greenhouse gas emissions and thus help combat climate change. It describes the key ways to increase the efficiency of energy generation and consumption. Using calculations for a fictional city as an example, the magazine demonstrates how currently available technologies could be used to cut carbon dioxide emissions in half if their potential were fully exploited. In the other topic areas, "Pictures of the Future" shows how big cities can be made more attractive places to live despite all their problems, and how new diagnostic methods will revolutionize medicine. The magazine is rounded out by interviews with various experts, including the head of the Charité Hospital, Prof. Detlev Ganten, and climatologist Prof. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. The main features are supplemented by a report on how researchers can view thought processes in the brain and by an article on power plants that tap the energy contained in ocean waves. The magazine can be ordered for free on the Internet.
City lights shine proverbially bright. They remain attractive because they offer their inhabitants the greatest opportunities to turn their dreams into reality. A study sponsored by Siemens shows what challenges cities, and in particular megacities, are facing around the world today. "Pictures of the Future" describes which factors make a city an attractive place to live and how technical solutions can help achieve this goal. Innovations play a key role in this regard, regardless of whether the factors involved relate to security, traffic or lighting. While cities such as London and Chicago play a leading role in the area of security, all big cities have to contend with traffic problems. And in the area of lighting, the widespread introduction of light-emitting diodes will radically change the appearance of cities in the future. In interviews, Prof. Harald Mieg talks about urban psychology, while the former governor of the state of Paraná in Brazil describes the model environmental city Curitiba.
Numerous technologies already exist for effectively reducing the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. "Pictures of the Future" investigates all of the aspects related to this issue. In the area of energy generation, for example, a substantial contribution can be made to reducing greenhouse emissions by increasing the efficiency of power plants and by using alternative sources of energy such as wind, water, geothermal power and biomass. The levers available to consumers include intelligent building systems, energy-saving domestic appliances, and the use of high-efficiency engines, lamps and piezo technology in vehicles. The magazine also showcases future technologies such as CO2-free coal-fired plants and hybrid power plants combining fuel cells and gas turbines. According to climatologist Prof. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, German companies are ahead of their competitors when it comes to dealing with climate change. He states that German businesses can benefit from the new industrial revolution because global emissions need to be halved by 2050. In an interview, Schellnhuber states that companies that invest now will later have the advantage of being able to supply their technology to the major markets of the future such as India and China.
Medicine is about to change radically. Precise knowledge of the molecular processes in our cells will enable physicians to combat cancer, cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer’s in entirely new ways. Pictures of the Future reports on in vitro and in vivo dia-gnostics and knowledge-based information technology. Laboratory tests diagnose cancer at an early stage; processes for molecular imaging use biomarkers to support diagnosis; ferrous nanoparticles support treatments; and intelligent databases reveal the relationships between genes and diseases. Recent business acquisitions have enabled Siemens to substantially strengthen its position in this field, making it the world’s first company for integrated diagnostics. Besides offering an overview of technological trends and the latest business activities at Siemens, "Pictures of the Future" shows how healthcare costs can be kept manageable and treatment improved, despite demographic change.
Reference Number: IN 2007.05.1e
Siemens Technikkommunikation
Dr. Norbert Aschenbrenner (Mr.)
Tel: +49 (89) 636-33438
Fax: +49 (89) 636-35292
