Compare
Rival technologies and futures, compared one measure at a time. Every figure links to its source and is labelled by how well it is evidenced. Where no reliable public figure exists, the cell says so.
All comparisons
3D printing methods: metal, micro-scale and in orbit
What are the smallest sizes, largest outputs and main limits reported for these 3D printing methods and factory examples?
AI and autonomous agents · Photonics and optical computingAI compute: GPUs, neuromorphic and photonic chips
How do GPUs, neuromorphic chips, photonic computing and optical interconnects compare on the energy evidence, precision or programmability limits, and deployment stage reported in their sources?
AI and autonomous agents · Experimental cross-disciplinary systemsAI tools in science and engineering: what has been checked independently
For five AI tools used in science and engineering, what has a named independent check, what is only reported by its developers, and what limits do sources name?
Experimental cross-disciplinary systems · Photonics and optical computingArchival storage: DNA versus glass
How do DNA, laser-written glass and magnetic tape compare for long-term archival storage, on density, lifetime claims, speed and deployment stage?
Energy and storage · Advanced materials and metamaterialsBattery chemistries compared: sodium-ion, solid-state and structural
How do sodium-ion, solid-state and structural batteries compare on energy density, cycle life, deployment stage and main limitation?
Neurotechnology and human augmentation · Medical technology and bioelectronicsBrain stimulation for depression: TMS, deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound
How do accelerated TMS, deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound compare for depression on regulatory status, invasiveness, course length, trial results and size of the evidence base?
Climate and environmentCarbon removal methods compared
How do the main carbon removal methods differ on storage permanence, energy demand, scale removed and verification?
Space and aerospaceDeep-space propulsion compared
How far has each way of propelling a spacecraft in space been shown to work, and what limits it?
Energy and storage · Climate and environmentElectric, hydrogen and supersonic aircraft compared
How far have battery-electric, hydrogen, low-boom supersonic and eVTOL aircraft got in flying and certification?
Robotics and artificial muscles · Energy and storageeVTOL air taxis vs helicopters
How do eVTOL air taxis compare with helicopters on range, noise, certification and passenger services today?
Energy and storageFusion approaches: tokamak, stellarator and laser
What has each fusion approach demonstrated, and what gap stands between it and power on a grid?
Experimental cross-disciplinary systems · Biotechnology and synthetic biologyLong-term data storage media
How do DNA, magnetic tape, glass, solid-state drives and orbital data centres compare on density, lifespan, speed or cost, and deployment stage?
Energy and storage · Climate and environmentLow-carbon hydrogen production routes
How do three routes to hydrogen from water compare on efficiency or energy use, longest demonstrated operation, largest scale built and main limitation?
Experimental cross-disciplinary systems · Energy and storageMaglev, hyperloop, wireless charging roads and autonomous buses
How far have fast and automated ground transport ideas got on real tracks and roads today?
Sensors, imaging and electronic skin · Climate and environmentMethane leak detection: satellites, aircraft and fibre-optic sensing
How do satellite, aircraft and fibre-optic sensors compare on the smallest methane leak they can detect and the ground they cover?
Space and aerospaceMoon base, Mars settlement or orbital habitat
How do a Moon base, a Mars settlement, a rotating orbital habitat and a crewed Mars landing compare on travel time, gravity, radiation, current stage and main blocker?
Neurotechnology and human augmentation · Medical technology and bioelectronicsNeural interfaces: implanted, wearable and focused ultrasound
How do implanted, skin-surface and ultrasound neural interfaces differ in surgery, demonstrated use, participant numbers and regulatory status?
Medical technology and bioelectronicsNew screening tests: blood, breath and eye
What do the published figures show for blood, breath and eye-based screening tests, and how far have they been tested in people?
Food and agriculture · Robotics and artificial musclesNew ways to protect crops: drones, lasers, RNA sprays and gene editing
What do four newer crop-protection methods target, how are they regulated, and what field evidence exists for each?
Food and agriculturePrecision farming: robots, edited crops and indoor farms
What does each precision farming tool change on the farm, and how much field or commercial evidence and uptake sits behind it?
Quantum technologiesQuantum computing approaches compared
How do neutral-atom and superconducting quantum computers compare on scale, error correction and their main limits, and how far is the encryption-breaking goal?
Quantum technologies · Sensors, imaging and electronic skinQuantum sensors: gravity, magnetism and secure links
What have quantum sensing and quantum key distribution shown outside the laboratory so far?
Energy and storage · Advanced materials and metamaterialsSolar cell types: silicon, perovskite and tandem
How do crystalline silicon, perovskite and tandem solar cells compare on efficiency, durability, commercial status and main limitations?
Space and aerospaceSpace elevator vs reusable rockets
What has each route to orbit shown so far, and what is still missing?
Energy and storage · Climate and environmentStoring energy for days: iron-air, heat and hydrogen
How long can each route store energy, and what public evidence shows how well it works?
Robotics and artificial muscles · Medical technology and bioelectronics · Neurotechnology and human augmentationWearable assistive robots: soft exosuits and neural stimulation
How far have soft exosuits, spinal cord stimulation and artificial muscles got in people, and what limits each one?
Why no winner column?
A battery for a grid and a battery for an aircraft are judged on different things, and lab records are not the same as products. So we show each measure separately, with its conditions, and leave the weighing to you.