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Watch out for weather police and vertical farmers
A WEATHER police force could be operating in 20 years' time to stop "cloud theft" and surgeons could install extra memory in people's minds, according to a vision of the future endorsed by Ministers today.
An agency of "future researchers" was commissioned to come up with a list of jobs which today's children could be doing in 20 years' time, in an effort to inspire youngsters to enjoy science.
But eyebrows will be raised by the bizarre list which includes "climate change reversers" who fill the world's oceans with iron filings to stop global warming and "weather modification police" who stop people shooting down clouds to steal rain. Researchers were accused of "watching too many science fiction films".
Other ideas include vertical farmers – growing crops intensively in test tubes in inner-city multi-storey buildings – flying car manufacturers and "old age wellness managers" to care for the ageing society.
Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson said: "These jobs are no longer the stuff of dreams. Today's schoolchildren could become our first generation of scientists to build a flying car or help reverse climate change."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown also lent his support, saying it showed "what might be on offer for the next generation".
But Robert Goodwill, Tory MP for Scarborough and Whitby and a member of the parliamentary and scientific committee, said: "It sounds like they've been watching too many science fiction films. It's like watching an episode of Tomorrow's World from 20 years ago."
Among the more radical of the 20 jobs produced by Fast Future for the Science: (So what? So everything] campaign are the weather modification police who will "need to control and monitor who is allowed to shoot rockets containing silver iodine into the air – a way to provoke rainfall from passing clouds".
Climate change reversal specialists will also be in demand, charged with reducing or reversing the effects of global warming. "They will need to apply multi-disciplinary solutions ranging from filling the oceans with iron filings, to erecting giant umbrellas that deflect the sun's rays," said researchers. Other jobs included body part makers and space pilots.
Fast Future chief executive Rohit Talwar said: "We're crossing the boundaries between science fiction and reality, and what we're seeing in the movies are becoming genuine career opportunities."
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
