A New Era

Earth 2037AD. New York Academy of Sciences, New York. 

"Through the process of genome sequencing, and by referencing the sequences of several species such as the Chirodectes Maculatus, or the Box Jellyfish, we have been able to completely replace, as well as immunize, AIDS infected cells. This process has been in development for nearly twenty years, but a recent breakthrough in how we view the human sequence in relation to non-human sequences allowed us to complete our search for the cure to AIDS, as well as completely revolutionize modern human medicine," the leading medical researcher finished his speech by summing up the final results.

"While this process was developed in the search to cure AIDS, we on the team at John Hopkins completely believe that the same process can be used in treating most, if not all, cancers in a way much safer and more efficient than Chemotherapy or Radiation treatments," the director of medicine at John Hopkins Medical School began speaking after the leading medical researcher.

As the director finished patting the research team and themselves on the back, a moment of silence hung over the spectating audience. A silence brought on by an overwhelming awe.

The silence ended with the sob of someone in the crowd. No matter how suppressed, the cry was much like the shot heard around the world to the stunned crowd. More and more tears began to fall as the weight of such a moment began to hit the audience. 

After the tears fell, spectators began to clap. The excitement of the audience began to reach a point where it was felt throughout the whole building, even on the streets outside. 

The event was televised across the world, and much like many scientific developments of the past, no matter how much attention the event gained, it never exceeded a certain amount. This event changed that. Everyone, at the very least, knows someone who knows someone with AIDS or some various form of cancer. Thus by the time the lead medical researcher was done with his speech, billions of people were tuned in, in one way or another.

By the time the program switched off, there was no one who was watching that was not thanking the medical team from the bottom of their hearts. This was simply too impactful of a moment.

At such a monumental event as this, there was no one present happier than those involved in the development process. The names of those involved, no matter how small or insignificant that involvement may have been, will be placed in the history books.

Every individual on that team recognized that this event, that this success, was the beginning of a medical revolution.

Modern medicine has completely changed. This was the beginning of a new era of medicine.

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Earth 2039AD. InfoComm China, Beijing.

"Trial and error. Failure upon failure upon failure, have all led up to this very moment. Only after utilizing a brand new 3D Printing system were we able to finally bring the development process to a halt. While the current imperfections of our technology limited the development so far, this current breakthrough will ensure the success of quantum computing to a level never seen before," the English translator looked directly at the cameras while conveying everything the lead of China's technology development team had to say.

The translator continued to speak, now for the director of China's Technology Department, "This final development of quantum computing does not stop here. We are confident that with the leaps that we are currently making, Artificial Intelligence, Space Exploration Technologies, Nanotechnologies, and Virtual Reality technologies will all see a giant leap in the very, very near future. 

"Quantum technology has always been considered to be the next step before reaching a technological revolution, and I am proud to be able to confirm this fact today."

The importance of this announcement fell no shorter in importance than the announcement that revolutionized medicine just a few years ago. 

Everyone knew this as a fact.

That was why the impact that the announcement had on the crowd was just as significant. 

There were, of course, a much smaller amount of tears shed, but the hope for the future that will follow the release of quantum computing was high.

Everyone who was watching, both in person and over the television, knew that the progression of technology meant the progression of the world. The words that the director spoke fully settled in everyone's minds. 

This was more than just a technological revolution. This is truly the beginning of a whole new era.

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Earth 2045AD. Houston, Texas. NASA.

"All those years ago, when we here at NASA first began to work with our partners at SpaceZ, this was not the future that we had envisioned. Back then, we would not have been surprised if this process had taken several more decades. But here we are today, carrying with us the future of what will truly be space exploration," John Smith, Chief Engineer at NASA.

Tears could be seen glimmering in his eyes, as well as the eyes of all of his peers. Considering the weight that his announcement started with, it was no surprise. 

It was another 15 minutes before John Smith began to wrap up his announcement speech and reach the moment everyone was anticipating. Tears began to flow from his eyes as he continued, "Without the progress that was made in quantum computing several years ago I would not have the pleasure to stand up here... Though the construction process is only just beginning, I-- *hic* I am pleased to announce the worlds very first BioShip. Only now, with the power of quantum computing, are we able to have a completely self-sufficient ship. Water, oxygen, gravity, food, power, navigation; everything that is necessary for deep space exploration.

The only thing missing from the ship is light speed or faster than light capabilities, as well as the crew needed to operate on board.

Because the ship lacks LS/FTL, there was the necessity to include cryochambers, another portion of the ship only made capable due to quantum technologies.

Thank you for listening today, and may we all be able to one day touch the stars!"

This announcement was the straw that broke the camels back.

Over a period of 8 years, 3 monumental events that shook the very foundations of their respective fields. This wasn't just some new big wave, or some larger human revolution. This was akin to bronze in the bronze age, the farm during the Agricultural Revolution, and the factory in the Industrial Revolution.

Humanity reached the true Golden Era.

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Earth 2050AD. United Nations HQ, New York.

Leaders from around the world converged at the General Assembly in downtown New York City. 

Anyone who could see them would be able to immediately tell that there was some sort of weight on their shoulders. Despite the extremely positive attitude spread around the Globe, it could be seen that most global leaders here today were not in a mood joke.

"13 years ago, the world saw the beginning of what scholars around the world are beginning to call the Golden Era. And to call it such is no exaggeration. The world as we know it has begun to be overturned. 

It all started here in New York, making there no more perfect a place to begin this announcement to the world. 

Medicine, Technology, Engineering. Fundamental in every single way to the development of the world. But there is one more thing that is essential in bringing this Golden Era to a true beginning. Politics.

Collaboration, Cooperation, Information. None of it is possible when politics begin to interfere. 

We, as leaders of our respective countries have gathered in this spot for one reason, and to ensure the prosperity of our people and of peoples from all around the world, we hereby announce the formation of -----".

The announcement was cut of as the screen of every viewer fizzled into static. Whether it was CNN or Fox of the United States, Russia-1 of Russia, China Central Television, or the UK's BBC, every channel across the globe the was televising the General Assembly was abruptly cut off. 

Anyone around the world who was on a phone call with someone in New York was disconnected.

An deep and unsettling silence filled everyone around the world that was tuned in.

Only those there knew what really happened. Or, how it should be said, only those who weren't quite there knew what happened.

Those who were there, were now dead, or they could only be assumed to be so.

The ones close enough to see what happened, but lucky enough to live shuddered when they confirmed that what they saw really happened. 

At first, witnesses could only see a black, spherical shape, hovering above the Empire State Building of New York. But what started off as a car sized sphere grew quickly, reaching out to those 8 miles away in the blink of an eye. 

It stayed in that size much longer than it took to reach it.

A black void had taken over the center of the city.

Many an unfortunate onlooker tested their luck or succumbed to curiosity. Several hands around the sphere reached out to feel, only to come back cleanly severed, blood gushing. It was then that the witnesses realized the fates of everyone within the diameter of the sphere. 

Yet, the catastrophe wasn't finished.

After staying for nearly 5 minutes, the sphere abruptly shrank, vanishing into nothingness. With it's disappearance, a smooth crater that went 8 miles in every direction from where the black sphere came from popped into everyone's vision.

Those witness to this did not have long to take it all in, as the vacuum formed by the event began to suck everything in. A volume of more than 2000 miles worth of air was missing, and the newly formed void was desperate to fill it all.

Those closest were shredded by the currents of gushing air, and they could be considered lucky. Those further were slowly torn apart, and those further still were crushed by buildings before the currents of air could end their lives, or worse yet were being crushed as the air did so.

Civilians, businessmen and women, politicians, activists, anyone and everyone within 10 miles from the Empire State Building were either dead, or close enough.

News of such an event did not even have time to spread before a powerful voice rung across the world, and a new announcement began.

The start of a new era, ended just as fast as it began.