The Ubiquitous Networks

In the past, "network" referred to a chain of radio stations hooked up by wire-and, long before that, to intersecting roads, canals, railways and telegraph lines. Nowadays the term might refer to viral marketing, a way of finding a job or spouse, the means by which Netflix or Amazon knows which movies you will like, a map of the brain, the sentinel nodes in an epidemic, a grassroots political campaign, the collection of experts who can solve an energy crisis, or a cell of terrorists.
The reality today is that networks are betting more and more powerful. You may not own a cell phone, a BlackBerry, a laptop or even a credit card. But, thanks to your Social Security number and your latest purchase at the drugstore, your information has probably been scooped up into a database with the records of millions of other people who hate technology, too. Connections are a fundamental condition of being human--from our neural and immune systems to families and friendships. Many of these networks thrive, in large part, because of the Internet. Digital technology creates new pathways to link like-minded people once separated by geography, economic status, ethnicity, religion or race.Social networks can help incredible scaleup of communities.
The 28 essays published as part of the Forbes Anniversary Edition may help you see networks you hadn't thought about before or make connections you never thought possible. Music, MySpace, massive multiplayer role-playing games-they are all connected here . Must read

Labels: Emerging Technologies, Emerging Trends, Global Networks, Social Networks