/me presents the history of earth from the year 2020 untill 2469. 466 years is close enough to 500. Besides, I ran out of ideas...
2020: Quantum computers are perfected. The average computer is now the size of a standard paperback book. (OQO Company has one now, 2003. (not quantum, but book sized)). The average quantum computer is so cheap to make, pretty much everybody on earth has one.
2025: After the detection of an ELE (Extinction Level Event) asteroid on a collision course with Earth, the great nations come together to sign a global peace treaty. All nations are now treated equally, all using the same form of currency and laws. Languages between countries are still the same.
2030: A super-massive atomic bomb is sent aboard a Titan V rocket into space, on a collision course with the asteroid. The world hopes and prays that the mission to divert the course of the asteroid into the sun will succeed.
2040: The nuke explodes, and the asteroid is diverted into the sun. The world rejoices. The world is now sent into a second renascence of science and innovation.
2045: Holograms now perfected. Along with the study of quantum computers, the first computer that can calculate data at the speed of light is made. Fossil fuels are now depleted. Most pedestrians walk, ride bikes, or now use hydrogen or solar powered vehicles. Pollution is reduced drastically.
2055: Force fields are now available. FAL quantum computers joined with a hologram and a force field allow for the first holographic beings.
2056: With the advent of holographic people, and with the help of FAL quantum computers, AI is finally develop. They quickly learn their roll, and are accepted into society. They work peacefully with humans.
2057: The holographic AI demand to be given names. It was agreed that they may name their selves as they see fit. They also ask for their race to be known as Holomen. Terms are accepted, and work goes on as normal. The world schedule is but a mere 32 seconds behind schedule.
2060: With the advent of FAS (Fast As Light) quantum computing, a new discovery break through allows for FTL (Faster Than Light) computing. Mars has now had its first person on the planet, and safely returned.
2065: All Holomen are upgraded to FTL processors, free of charge. With the upgrades in place, Holomen become much more efficient. The need for a currency is now gone. Everything is freely available upon need.
2069: To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moon landing, we pay another visit to the moon. Machinery is left behind to do astronomical studies.
2070: Following the advent of FTL quantum computing, the subatomic particle known as the tachyon is finally proven to exist.
2080: Through trial and error, a way to communicate with no lag between the earth and the moon is developed using tachyons. This channel of communications is now known as, what most old timers would figure: subspace.
2090: After years of research, a way is found to harness the power of the tachyon. Homes are now powered by this unlimited source of power. Nearly microscopic tacyon generators now power everything from computers, to cigarette lighters, to cars and airplanes.
2100: NASA tests it's first deep space probe, which uses an enormous tachoyn drive, code named Voyager X. The mission succeeds in sending the probe to Pluto in a matter of only 23 hours.
2110: A series of VX probes are sent to deploy subspace amps to boost signal for future space missions. These subspace amps extend all the way to the Kuiper Belt.
2115: It is found that after the size of a tachyon generator has reach a certain size, the energy output begins to increase at an exponential rate. Seeing its potential, the extraordinary power is used to produce dampening fields. Large ships are now built, using the largest tachyon engines ever made.
2120: The first human flight to Pluto in the Tachyon Express is a success. Three men traveled to Pluto in a matter of 16.7 hours, with no effects from relativity. Communications with earth was at 110% power, with no lag.
2130: Tachyon engines the size of whole homes now power enormous ships that would dwarf the ancient Titanic ocean liner. With such enormous power, the need for subspace generators are no longer needed, though they are still in use, incase of emergencies. The dawn of solar system human travel, beings.
2150: A Holoman steps forward with a radical design he has been computing for the last 20 years. A design for a tachyon drive. An engine powerful enough to push a ship beyond the speed of light. Using the tachyon engine to power a coil system to generate enough power to bend space and time around the ship, a prototype Tachyon Drive is under construction.
2160: The unmanned ship dubbed Voyager III leaves docking bay and heads for orbit around earth. Once in orbit it sets a path for Pluto. After starting it's tachyon drive, it is gone in a blink of an eye. Moments later, communications from the ship come in. It has made the trip to Pluto in 1.73 seconds. The test was a success. The ship is brought home moments later.
2161: The first manned flight of the Voyager III takes place. A course is plotted to the star Alpha Centauri. The trip is estimated at 5.27 days. Communications with the ship is held in constant transmission. The flight goes without a hitch. Transmissions are received from the Alpha Centauri star system with 0.192 seconds of lag. The dawn of deep space exploration, begins.
2170: Colonization of other inhabitable planets within a 20 light-year radius of the sun begins. Minerals are mined from lifeless moons around some of these planets and used to produce buildings and space crafts, as well as other useful materials. The same government is carried over to each of these planets, now forming the Federation of Intergalactic Planets: FIPS.
2190: Colonization and exploration now extend to planets within a radius of 300 light-years of earth. At a distance of 284 light-years, staff aboard a ship picked up a distant static in sensors. After clearing the static, it was found to be a broadcast of the old earth song "Silent Night". The broadcast was found to be the earliest radio broadcast on Earth, broadcasted 284 years ago.
2195: At a distance of 371 light-years from earth, a faint broadcast is heard. It was estimated to have originated 300 light-years ahead of them, at a distance of about 671 light-years from earth.
2200: Investigating the signal discovered 5 years earlier, it is decoded and found to be of intelligent alien origin. One of the newest ships with its crew is sent to investigate. Contact is made with a peaceful alien world, who are only a bit more technologically advanced that us. At the moment of contact, a FIPS wide broadcast is made, which consists of only four words: WE ARE NOT ALONE.
2201: The advancements of the alien species allow them to translate our speech, and they share this technology with us. We quickly learn their language. Meetings are held for an information interchange: they have technology more advanced that us in some areas, we have technology more advanced than they do in some areas.
2210: The alien species, the Derazians, now have the ability for sub-light speed space exploration. They vastly increase their knowledge of their own solar system thanks to the FIPS sharing of the tachyon engine. We now also have a great technological bound, thanks the the Derazians: Instantaneous matter/energy transportation. These quickly take root in almost every home on earth, and within the FIPS system.
2220: the IMATs use very little energy to transfer matter. But they are limited to the size of a planet. When hooked to tachyon engines, it was discovered that it was possible for long range transportation. With advanced computers, a system was made for IMAT in the earth solar system was produced, as well as for solar systems within the FIPS. Ships are rarely used for inter-solar system travel, they are only used for emergencies and scientific exploration and transportation.
extended...