This is from WIRED magazine in 1997 where authors Peter Schwartz and Peter Leyden suggest ten scenarios that could play out in the 21st century. On the one hand, this feels eerily prescient given our current world. On the other hand, perhaps the writing has been on the wall for quite a while.

We’re recording an episode of the Tao of WAO podcast tomorrow with futurist Bryan Alexander, who pretty much predicted the pandemic in his book Academia Next. I wonder what his thoughts are on this?

Ten scenario spoilers include tensions between China and US, new technologies "turn out to be a bust", Russia devolves into a kleptocracy, Europe's integration grinds to a halt, major ecological crises affect food supplies, major rise in crime and terrorism, rise in pollution increases prevalence of cancer, energy prices go through the roof, an uncontrollable plague hits, human progress halts because of a social and cultural backlash

Source: In 1997, Wired Magazine Predicts 10 Things That Could Go Wrong in the 21st Century: “An Uncontrollable Plague,” Climate Crisis, Russia Becomes a Kleptocracy & More | Open Culture