There have been and will continue to be major changes in technological development this decade. From biotechnological research being conducted by Huntingdon Life Sciences Inc to the efforts being made to overhaul the energy grid, the 2010’s will see a wide range of achievements in the science, space, and technology industries. Three advancements in particular promise to promote a renewed interest in space research and the continued evolution of quicker Internet speeds:

The new James Webb Space Telescope—NASA’s new telescope will be more advanced and powerful than any tool the agency has ever used in order to peer into the depths of space. In fact, the James Webb Telescope will be able to see further into the past of our own universe, capturing glimpses of some of the early stages of galactic formation. The telescope will give us a view of the very first galaxies that were created after the Big Bang and should promote a wide variety of upgrades and overhauls to fields related to astronomy, cosmology, and other space-related industries.

Building a space ark—The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, whose previous credits include the creation of the Internet, now has its sights on the creation of a 100 year starship that would take humans further into space than ever before. While this lofty concept may seem relegated to the realm of science fiction, multiple sources confirm that plans are underway to create an exploratory committee for the viability of the project. Perhaps the most exciting part of this development is how much independent and auxiliary research will result from such an ambitious undertaking.

The new 4G LTE network—This Internet network isn’t as cosmic as the James Webb Telescope or a 100 year space motor but the effects could actually be more universal for the people of Earth. With quicker Internet speeds and an ever-accelerated network, smartphone technology should advance as well as the demand for more complex tools, like Augmented Reality, the Semantic Web, The Internet of Things, and even holographic smartphone apps. All of this is dependent on the public buying into the need for more complex cell phone operations which the 4G LTE network, already being adopted by several major mobile providers, should allow for.

We’ll have to wait and see how quickly these advancements take shape. We can certainly expect increased Internet speed sooner than the space ark. It will interesting to see how Internet evolution on Earth affects our ability to study outer space.

Guest blogger Leo Charrel writes about technology and society for a variety of websites and blogs. He also enjoys participating in various social media forums and conversations like the one found by clicking here.