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Afrimakers book: Imagine the future

Afrimakers wants the project to enable participants to re-imagine not only their present, but also their futures. This is why we have proposed a sub-project called "Imagine the Future" as a part of the initiative. 

Participants will be creating imaginary objects objects from the future A community of sci-! writers have agreed to write stories about these objects: Alex McDowell, Alastair Reynolds, Hannu Rajaniemi, Ramez Naam, David Levine and many more others.

The impact we can make tomorrow depends the opportunity to dream today.

Imagine future challenges and build the solutions to them now, what would those solutions look like?

This anthology is about rediscovering our collective imagination. It’s a trip through Africa and a look inside the minds of children solving local problems.

The result: a collection of 30 “objects of the future” and associated short stories written by celebrated science-!ction authors and DIY projects so you can also imagine the future at home!

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John12

Nigeria

Optical Science Defective Jules Verne

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"Listen to that, Peer," broke in Mr. Smith, turning to a second scientist. "Optical science defective! Optical science is your specialty. But," he continued, again addressing William Cooley, "failing with Jupiter, are we getting any results from the moon?"

"The case is no better there."

"This time you do not lay the blame on the science of optics. The moon is immeasurably less distant than Mars, yet with Mars our communication is fully established. I presume you will not say that you lack telescopes?"

"Telescopes? O no, the trouble here is about inhabitants!"

"That's it," added Peer.

First chapter

Dream 1

HOW COULD YOU BECOME A DETECTIVE

IN SPACE?

"So, then, the moon is positively uninhabited?" asked Mr. Smith.

"At least," answered Cooley, "on the face which she presents to us. As for the opposite side, who knows?"

"Ah, the opposite side! You think, then," remarked Mr. Smith, musingly, "that if one could but—"

"Could what?"

"Why, turn the moon about-face."

"Ah, there's something in that," cried the two men at once. And indeed, so confident was their air, they seemed to have no doubt as to the possibility of success in such an undertaking.

"Meanwhile," asked Mr. Smith, after a moment's silence, "have you no news of interest to-day'?"

"Indeed we have," answered Cooley. "The elements of Olympus are definitively settled. That great planet gravitates beyond Neptune at the mean distance of 11,400,799,642 miles from the sun, and to traverse its vast orbit takes 1311 years, 294 days, 12 hours, 43 minutes, 9 seconds."

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?" cried Mr. Smith. "Now inform the reporters of this straightaway. You know how eager is the curiosity of the public with regard to these astronomical questions. That news must go into to-day's issue."

Then, the two men bowing to him, Mr. Smith passed into the next hall, an enormous gallery upward of 3200 feet in length, devoted to atmospheric advertising. Every one has noticed those enormous adver-tisements reflected from the clouds, so large that they may be seen by the populations of whole cities or even of entire countries

Make

Optical Defective Project

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TWO MAGNIFYING GLASSES • STICKY TAPETWO CARDBOARD TUBES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS

--WARNING--Do Not Look Directly at the Sun or any other Bright objects using telescope, it may DAMAGE your eyes.

Be careful not to drop the magnifying glass, it breaks easily.

Slide one smaller diameter cardboard tube into another larger diameter cardboard tube.

Fix a magnifying glass at one end with sticky tape.

Look at an object though the tubes with your eye against the tape magnifying glass and holding the second magnifying glass at the other end.

Make the tube longer and shorter and move the second magnifying glass until you get a clear image.