The World Economic Forum releases the top ten emerging technologies for 2025
2025-06-27
According to the World Economic Forum website on June 24th, at the 2025 Tianjin Summer Davos Forum, the World Economic Forum released the "Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report for 2025". These ten technologies are expected to achieve practical results in the next 3 to 5 years, helping humanity solve urgent global challenges. Structural battery composite materials: New experts in the transportation field, such as carbon fiber and epoxy resin, combine mechanical load-bearing performance and electrochemical energy storage in structural battery composite materials, and are rewriting the definition of functional materials. This "one material, two uses" feature will bring a qualitative leap to the electric vehicle and aviation industries: while the body becomes lighter, it comes with its own "power warehouse", and even the future aircraft fuselage may become a giant battery. Although the commercial application of such materials still faces challenges, once a comprehensive safety standard system is established, their promotion will significantly improve energy efficiency. Permeation power generation technology: The difference in salinity can generate clean electricity by relying solely on the difference in salinity between two different water sources, which is precisely the charm of infiltration power generation technology. After nearly half a century of material innovation and system optimization, this technology has finally achieved breakthrough progress. There are currently two main implementation paths: pressure delayed infiltration technology guides fresh water to naturally infiltrate high salinity areas through semi permeable membranes, and uses the generated hydraulic pressure to drive turbines for power generation; Reverse electrodialysis technology uses ion exchange membranes to separate positive and negative charges, and directly generates current through ion directed movement. These two methods each have their own advantages and are jointly painting a beautiful picture of energy utilization due to salinity differences. Nuclear energy technology innovation: ushering in a new era of clean energy. After a brief silence, the global nuclear energy industry is ushering in a new wave of development. With the emergence of innovative technologies such as small modular reactors, nuclear power plant construction is making great strides towards reducing costs and optimizing design. From the innovation of cooling fuels to the miniaturization of reactors, researchers from various countries are promoting the upgrading of nuclear energy technology from multiple dimensions. The ultimate goal of all these efforts is to achieve controllable nuclear fusion. Once this breakthrough technology is realized, it will bring a revolutionary turning point to the human energy crisis. Bacteria transform into 'live pharmaceutical factories': a revolution in in in vivo treatment is imminent. Scientists are transforming probiotics into miniature' pharmaceutical factories', and this breakthrough is expected to bring more economical and sustainable disease treatment solutions. The core of this technology is to implant genetic instructions for synthetic drugs into probiotics (such as specific microorganisms or fungi), making them programmable "live pharmacies". Researchers can also install "molecular switches" for these bacteria to achieve on-demand drug release. Compared with traditional pharmaceutical methods, the new technology can reduce production costs by 70% and provide sustained and stable drug supply. GLP-1 drugs: a class of innovative drugs, glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), which was originally used to treat type II diabetes and obesity, has recently shown exciting prospects in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other neurological diseases. GLP-1 RA can effectively alleviate brain inflammation and accelerate the clearance of pathogenic abnormal proteins, both of which are considered key factors in inducing neurodegenerative diseases. Intelligent biochemical sensing: the "electronic sentinel" guarding health. A sophisticated electronic device that can automatically monitor specific biochemical indicators 24/7, whether it is disease markers or water quality changes, cannot escape their "golden eyes". With the help of wireless transmission technology and self powered systems, they have achieved true real-time dynamic monitoring. This technology has made its debut in the medical field, for example, the dynamic blood glucose meter familiar to diabetes patients is its successful model. Nowadays, the application scope of these "biochemical detectives" is constantly expanding, from menopausal health management to food safety monitoring, to safeguard human safety and health. Green nitrogen fixation: The "green revolution" in the fields. In nature, nitrogen fixation can convert free nitrogen in the air into ammonia that plants can absorb. This process is the core of modern fertilizer industry, supporting nearly half of global food production. However, traditional nitrogen fixation processes are a "glutton of energy", consuming 2% of the world's energy every year and emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases. Now, scientists are putting on a "green coat" for this century old craft. The new generation of nitrogen fixation technology cleverly draws on natural wisdom: some modify bacteria and enzymes to become "micro nitrogen fertilizer factories", some design enzyme catalysts to simulate the nitrogen fixation ability of leguminous plants, and some innovators directly use sunlight or clean electricity to drive reactions. These green solutions are expected to significantly reduce energy consumption. Nanoenzymes: Artificial micro "catalytic masters" Nanoenzymes are a type of synthetic material that, although not natural products, possess functional characteristics similar to biological enzymes. Compared with traditional enzymes that need to be extracted from living organisms or synthesized through complex processes, this artificial enzyme not only has stronger stability, but also has significant advantages such as low cost and easy preparation. These miniature "catalytic masters" can efficiently promote various biochemical reactions and have been applied in multiple scenarios such as water purification and food testing. Clinical research on major diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease is making breakthrough progress. Collaborative sensing: With the rapid development of AI and other technologies, the "smart nerve" of the Internet of Everything, interconnected sensing devices are reshaping the urban operation, and also providing people with new data decision-making capabilities. Taking urban transportation as an example: when traffic signals communicate with surveillance cameras and environmental sensors, the pace can be autonomously adjusted, which not only eases congested traffic but also purifies the air in the city. From mining surveying to ecological monitoring, from storm warning to climate analysis, this web of wisdom is weaving infinite possibilities in various fields. Generative watermarking: The "anti-counterfeiting seal" of the digital age. Generative watermarking technology embeds invisible markers into AI generated content to help people easily distinguish authenticity, which not only suppresses the spread of false information but also safeguards the trust foundation of cyberspace. Tech giants are competing to expand into this field. However, the road ahead is not smooth, as users may maliciously remove or imitate watermarks, and the technological applications between enterprises are also uneven. What is even more alarming is the ethical dilemma: when real content is misjudged as an AI product, this technology that should maintain authenticity may actually become an accomplice in confusing the public. (New Society)
Edit:He Chuanning Responsible editor:Su Suiyue
Source:Sci-Tech Daily
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