The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Metaverse
BBC Science Focus|April 2022
Facebook recently changed its name to 'Meta' in order to position itself at the forefront of a new digital frontier called the metaverse. But what the heck is the metaverse, and what can it offer us mere mortals who do not inhabit the shiny Silicon Valley bubble?
By Dr Aleks Krotoski. Photographs Shutterstock, Alamy, AKG Images, Linden Labs and Roblox
The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Metaverse

WELCOME TO THE METAVERSE

In the beginning the metaverse was created. And to borrow from Douglas Adams this has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move”. In truth the metaverse was neither good nor bad and ever since its creation it's been imagined as place of extremes - either a utopian horn of plenty, brimming with creative expression and untold wealth, or a dystopian cyber surveillance state, leaning in to systemic abuses of power and inequality. When you start to dig in, it becomes clear that most of the people making these claims have never actually been in a metaverse. If you do go there yourself, you'll find the answer lies somewhere in between. Let's take a look inside...

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE METAVERSE?

Put simply, the metaverse is a whole lot of digital stuff that runs parallel to our physical life. That might sound like the internet, and that's because the metaverse is a bit like the internet, only with more dancing. Bear with us.

The metaverse is essentially a collection of virtual worlds, where users can meet, play games, chat and buy stuff. Mark Zuckerberg recently made the term famous when he changed his company's name from Facebook to Meta. At the same time, he showed off a new vision for the metaverse where you could be thrown into a virtual video call at any moment. Terrifying. This universe was accessed via virtual reality goggles, but today some ‘metaverses' already exist in video games like Roblox, Minecraft or Fortnite. A metaverse can even take hold in augmented reality spaces, where objects from the virtual world are projected into the real world via our screens. In short, metaverses are virtual spaces that we coexist in, free from the constraints of our fleshy meatsuits.

この記事は BBC Science Focus の April 2022 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は BBC Science Focus の April 2022 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

BBC SCIENCE FOCUSのその他の記事すべて表示
COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
BBC Science Focus

COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?

The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
BBC Science Focus

IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?

A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
BBC Science Focus

WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?

The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
BBC Science Focus

WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?

The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
BBC Science Focus

HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
THE LUNGFISH
BBC Science Focus

THE LUNGFISH

In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
BBC Science Focus

ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?

The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.

time-read
2 分  |
November 2024
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
BBC Science Focus

Should we scrap daylight saving time?

Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health

time-read
5 分  |
November 2024
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
BBC Science Focus

THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS

SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS

time-read
8 分  |
November 2024
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
BBC Science Focus

MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION

The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?

time-read
10 分  |
November 2024