In this article, Bron Willis looks back at predictions made by scientists in 2006 about what life would be like in 2020 and then looks forward to 2040 to ask what the world will be like. The topics discussed include the sustainability of the planet, the impact of artificial intelligence, and the possibility of life beyond Earth. Hollywood films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Her, and Wall-E are also discussed in relation to their predictions of the future.