Outside the Studio

April is a glorious time to enjoy many areas in the northern hemisphere as Spring takes hold and blooms of all types emerge following a cold winter. Washington D.C. is no exception. Thanks to a gift from Japan over a century ago, the city has become famous for its iconic cherry tree blossoms around the Tidal Basin. The delicate pink and white flowers last about 10 days, and for many years have been surrounded by an abundance of activities during the city’s Cherry Blossom Festival. This year has provided a rare treat as the peak bloom will coincide with the large annual street parade.

Visitors from around the world are in town, especially from Asia and specifically Japan. My daily commute takes me through the Tidal Basin area. I’m always gratified to see people on the crowded sidewalks and around the trees enjoying the beauty in person, and in many cases for the first time.

The oldest trees ring the actual Tidal Basin and what most people see in photos. These trees are the second shipment of Japan’s gift planted in 1912. The first trees arrived three years earlier but were destroyed when they were found to be infested by disease and insects. Legend has it that a small group of trees from the first shipment were salvaged and replanted on land that is now a golf course at nearby East Potomac Park.

No doubt some old trees are there. It is one of my favorite places to enjoy thanks to a gorgeous stretch of road lined by younger but well established cherry trees on both sides. In some locations, they form a spectacular flowering canopy. It’s a hidden gem in Washington where anyone can enjoy the splendor of our Asian connection without the crowds.

Consider the achievements humanity has made in the past century. It is possible for someone who has reached age 100 today to have seen only animal powered transportation and farming to witnessing multiple landings on Mars. Technological advancement from the light bulb to smartphones and super computers is nothing short of staggering. With a few decades behind us to marvel at these changes, the disparity of life in many parts of the world has also grown glaringly obvious. Millions of people live in conditions that have changed very little from their ancestors. As the gap widens, so does the prospect for greater unrest and conflict.

So what could change social global dynamics over the next century? I recently read an interesting outlook for 3-D printing, an emerging technology that allows a computer driven printer to create three dimensional objects. The 3-D printing market, according to some industry observers, is expected to grow by 5000% in just the next five years. Consider the possibilities as the ability to create objects becomes more accessible to those in the scientific and medical fields, not to mention the average person.

3-D printing is already going well beyond being a new way to manufacture durable goods. The push is being made to print replacement human organs and food. The implications for the developing world is staggering in much the same way as cell phones revolutionized communication in areas of Africa and Asia that completely skipped landline technology.

The next century has the potential to dramatically foster longer lives and provide the food to sustain them, as long as the technology is used for positive advances. It appears that responsibility will be increasingly in the hands of ordinary individuals who will have more power to do extraordinary things.