It seems possible that �€œSunshot Challenge�€ to bring down the cost of solar energy to one dollar per watt will be met before the 2017 deadline set by the US Energy Secretary Stephen Chu.  A couple of American companies have already succeeded in producing photovoltaic cells for a dollar per watt at the lab level. However, the market price hovers between $1-3.  It is quite possible that a Chinese company may beat American companies in meeting the challenge announced by the US Energy Secretary.

For many American and Chinese solar energy companies, the question is no longer whether the cost of producing solar panels will come down. The question is whether they can replace silicon and some of the rare earth elements used in producing solar panels by some versions of copper and iron so that raw material would be available when the price comes down and demand swells to terawatts.

When - and not if - solar energy becomes competitive in comparison with coal thanks to American and Chinese scientific endeavours, climate change and pollution will no longer be feared. This may take two or three decades.

By the time solar energy occupies a central place in our life, the amount of water required for irrigation may be about half to one third of the current requirements. Since more than 70% water, 90% in case of several African and Asian countries, is used for agriculture, such a significant improvement in water efficiency in farming will make lot of fresh water available for other purposes. Also, by that time, conveyance losses will reduce to 10% as most pipes will have software issuing alarms about leakage.  This will reduce wastage of water in a big way. Finally, waste water will be converted into fresh water using nanotechnology. Such a prospect of increase in water supply is possible because of scientific breakthrough already achieved in Israel and the United States (and also in Singapore and Europe).

The shift from thermal energy and water scarcity to an era of clean energy and clean water will help reduce diarrhoea, malaria, and respiratory disease. Moreover, in the next two to three decades, gene level bio medical intervention will be able to tackle cancer, heart ailments and Alzheimer�€™s disease. New devices will enable a handicapped person to connect his or her brain to varied gadgets and enjoy life like anyone else. Hundreds of labs across the United States, Israel, China and Europe are involved in original research to change the concept of health.

All of these changes will only be possible with extremely fast computers. China is ahead of the rest of the world in producing and installing petaflop computers, leaving IBM and other conventional industry leaders behind. Of course, Americans are trying to catch up.

If humanity is on the verge of overcoming problems that have persisted for millennia, we have to thank billions of dollars of investments, persistence of the best minds, and determination of educational institutions in three countries �€“ the United States, China and Israel,  besides  Europe.

However, the same three countries that have created extraordinary spirit of enquiry and creativity, which has made scientific endeavours feasible, are the countries that are obsessed with control and dominance. Uncle Sam does not blink his eye while killing thousands of innocent people in Afghanistan and Iraq, all in the name of protecting democracy and freedom.  Of course, when people actually vote the way they want in the Palestine or Lebanon, elections are considered irrelevant and democracy is treated as something subservient to an amalgamation of theocracy and monarchy elsewhere in the same region. Of course, the focus on the Middle East is flavour of the current season.  American love for its version of freedom has in the past deprived thousands of people in Latin America and Asia of freedom to protest, freedom to speak and even freedom to live.

Israel�€™s much admired ability to launch thousands of start-ups collapses into a deep chasm of immorality when some other nation wants to launch just one start up �€“ its state on a land sanctioned by the United Nations. The same pool of minds which are capable of producing the fastest chip and most efficient irrigation tools take pride in bombing farms and houses, arresting thousands of young men, making pregnant women wait at check points for hours and harassing passengers at the Ben Gurion airport including those from friendly countries if the Israeli security suspects that these passengers might have been exposed to a mile of truth.

Unlike the United States and Israel, China does not directly attack other nations. It has better means, such as an international cultural revolution. The Chinese method is to provide millions of dollars in grants to cruel dictators who repress or impoverish their own people, while giving China access to natural resources and whatever else. This way China has emerged as a great supporter of economic development just as the United States is a supporter of freedom and Israel is supporter of the United States.

The United States, China and Israel together present the most significant paradox of life. Their dedication to science can transform human life as never envisaged before in history. Alas, their political ambitions can lead to violence and wars capable of terminating human life from the planet. Which side of the paradox will finally triumph over the other will determine how the twenty first century will shape.