Horizon scanning (also known as environmental scanning) is the foundation of strategic foresight. It is a systematic process of exploring the external environment to identify potential threats, opportunities, disruptions, uncertainties or likely developments relevant to the issue or system under study. The goal is to better understand the nature and pace of change.
The basic elements of horizon scanning are weak signals, i.e. early signs or events whose occurrence is perceived as unknown or unlikely but with potentially significant disruptive or transformative impact if they occur. The posts listed below in the FACTA section describe events, phenomena, or facts that may have a crucial impact on future developments, and in the FUTURA section, they assess their possible future consequences.
In May China fired 12 "smart" satellites into orbit. Each satellite carries an AI computer that can crunch about 744 trillion calculations every second and talks to its neighbours through 100 gigabit-per-second laser beams. Working together, the first dozen already reaches roughly 5 quadrillion calculations a second and store 30 terabytes of data....
The Oilfields (Regulatory and Development) Amendment Bill passed through the Indian Parliament in mid-March 2025 aims to modernize India's legal framework for oil and gas exploration by broadening the definition of mineral oils to include various hydrocarbons like crude oil, natural gas, and shale oil, while excluding coal and helium. It introduces...
China plans to construct a deep-water station in the South China Sea. The presence of valuable natural resources like methane hydrates, cobalt, and nickel intensifies interest in these contested waters. This represents a strategic shift not only due to the extraction of natural resources but also the location and strengthening position in the South...
According to available information, this mobile station can serve over 10,000 users in a three-kilometre radius, providing high-speed, low-latency, and secure connectivity. It maintains a total throughput of 10 gigabits per second, with latency under 15 milliseconds, even while military units travel up to 80 km/h (50 mph) in challenging...
European Commission awarded SpaceRISE consortium the concession to develop, deploy and operate the Union´s satellite system IRIS2 (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite). SpaceRISE consortium includes European satellite network operators SES SA, Eutelsat SA and Hispasat SA and was contracted to create a system...
China has unveiled a plan to become the world's leader in space exploration by 2050. This initiative, led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China National Space Administration, and the China Manned Space Agency, outlines a wide range of space activities, including the exploration of Mars, Jupiter, and Venus, research into black holes, quantum...
China may be on the verge of a breakthrough that could significantly improve the efficiency of its semiconductor production. A laboratory based in Wuhan announced that it has successfully tested a chip based on silicon photonics, although specific details remain unknown. Current chips, which rely on the transmission of electrical signals, are...
