dias.gilbert

· 14 Dec 2021

Follow Following

Metaverse – The Past, Present, and Future (Part 1)

A world within a world, a different dimension, a realm where reality becomes intertwined with the digital world – That's how people see the metaverse.

Science fiction fans may have some idea what I am talking about. The concept of metaverse has opened up infinite possibilities for humanity. How?

Well, for starters, you can attend a virtual concert in its full glory from the comfort of your home. Indeed, I am talking about the historic Marshmello concert that brought in millions of participants back in 2019.

Even Ariana Grande hosted her "Rift Tour" earlier in 2021 on Fortnite!

The pandemic has changed how we perceived the internet world. Since the COVID-19 hit, billions of people have started relying on virtual communication. For example, schools shifted to ZoomSchools, and workplaces enforced work-from-home initiatives.

For me? The virtual world was the only way to meet friends, family, and colleagues.

It was a tough time for all, but the metaverse gained numerous inhabitants. The foot traffic skyrocketed – The Google Trends' Index found multiple search results for the term since March’21.

But it all started with a big bang! Yes, the universe making kind – only artificial and more contained.

A Brief Introduction

The internet describes the metaverse as a hypothesized representation of the World Wide Web. But, it has now gone beyond mere hypothesizing. Metaverse is genuinely an online realm, beyond time constraints, where virtual reality exists.

It is a true amalgamation of reality (our world) and the internet (digital world).

From Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), to Augmented Reality (AR), the meta-revolution is already here. Besides, we have all heard the news about Facebook turning into Meta, right?

This VR, MR, and AR market is expected to reach a whopping USD 300 billion by 2024 at its current growth rate.

There are games made in Virtual Reality, eCommerce usages, and more. NFTs and cryptocurrencies are a way in which we monetized the metaverse.

So, it is already here, and it may have been here for years – lurking in the cracks of reality.

Everybody knows what is happening, but not what has happened.

For example, did you know that the concept of metaverse dates back to 1992 or even before that? If that sounds intriguing to you, keep on reading.

I am going to walk you through its meaning, it's beginning, and its present. Furthermore, I am creating a three-part series – each focusing on the different timelines of the metaverse.

Enjoy, and let's go into the metaverse, shall we?

The Meaning of the Metaverse – A Hoax or a Reality?

Robot uprisings, AI taking over, and being attacked by intelligent technology or even a distorted reality – That's how we see an internet revolution.

All thanks to the video games, movies, and TV shows showcasing the "bad" of the technological revolution. But the true advancement is reflected in the metaverse. This entity was a mere concept 40 years ago but has broken all the shackles of reality now.

In its essence, I consider metaverse to be a series of ones and zeroes. That's what the internet is all about and, the metaverse is a vast code altogether.

At the same time, I also consider the metaverse to be a combination of numerous technologies. Some of them include AR, VR, and "live" videos in a digital universe.

No, it is not a hoax.

A Reality, Nonetheless

Indeed, we are at the cusp of an internet revolution. The metaverse has not been perfected yet, and it requires work and tweaks. Moreover, for some people, this concept resonates with science fiction concepts.

Well, mainly because a science fiction author birthed the term. (More on that later)

Besides, it is the true iteration of our very beloved internet. Imagine that you love the concept of "happiness," and it exists in its realm holding all your thoughts as a digital extension of you.

Weird example, but that's what the metaverse is. It is a digital world within our four-dimensional world.
In this universe, there is the continuous support of the 3D environments in an online virtual world. But, how does that work?

It works seamlessly due to the use of conventional and personal computing methods. Similarly, it requires VR and AR headsets to be seen and accessed.

These headsets act as a portal into a realm that we created but can never touch, feel or see. Platforms like VRChat and games like Second Life are actual examples of the metaverse.

The supporters of this universe envision a way forward. They consider this to be a place where they can play, stay connected and work independently.

In concept, you can be whoever you want in this virtual realm. However, it has already begun to change our idea of reality by successfully organizing virtual trips, conferences, and concerts.

But, how did it all start? What made the metaverse a fundamental concept? Let's find out!


The History of the Metaverse – The Past Defines Us All

Specific technologies gave rise to possibilities. And possibilities facilitated new ideas.

Even then, we owe a massive chunk of this development to the mobile internet era. There was a spark with the first mobile phones and the deployment of 2G. Then, it started to become a wildfire as it entered the wireless network and the WAP digital browser.

Back then, the version of the web was "primitive" but accessible.

What do I believe? I consider the BlackBerry 85x series to be the biggest spark of all. It acted as Gaia for the "on-the-go internet/data" generation!

Then came the iPhone, paving the way for today's virtual era.

Every small step for humankind was a giant leap for the metaverse. Everything we did, led us to the moment we are living in. But, what did we do?

I have crafted a timeline. Feel free to take notes and intrigue your friends on Fortnite.

The First Wave of 1881
Every revolution has a father, and for the metaverse, it was Thomas Edison. He "literally" created the first spark. He commercialized electrical power, which was only adopted slowly by different industries.

Imagine if he had not pushed for this development? We would still be in the dark ages!

The Second Wave from 1910 to 1930
Thirty years after the first stations, the mechanical power skyrocketed to 50% instead of 10%. Moreover, by 1929 it became 78% and kept rising. New technologies were designed around the implication of electricity, rather than the other way round.

The things that you access every day were a luxury in the 1900s!

The Sixty Year Journey till 1991
During this time, the world witnessed electrical utilities and numerous technological marvels. Steam energy turned into electricity for specialized work. Indeed, the industrial revolution facilitated the rise of the internet.

Internet was Born in 1991
Tim Berners-Lee invited the world into the World Wide Web on 6th August 1991. This collaboration aided the access to the internet for the common people.

Without it, the world would have been different, and there won't be a metaverse!

The Novel that Changed it All in 1992 – Snow Crash
Indeed, it was science fiction that gave birth to the idea of a metaverse. Writer Neal Stephenson successfully coined the term "metaverse" in his novel Snow Crash.

If you love sci-fi, I would highly recommend reading this book holding all the secrets behind human-avatar interactions. It also contained software agent implementation and the representation of 3D virtual space as a metaphor for reality.

Email Spamming Prevention in 1993 – Proof of Work
With new technologies in place, marketers found a perfect way to contact new leads. Hence, the advent of email spamming led to creating a concept that helps with computer security to prevent this spam.

Soon after being successful, it became a legit verification software for blockchain technologies. You can use proof of work in cyber currency mining, which is based on powering the computer.

The Concept of B-Money by Wei Dei in 1998
After six years of quiet, a computer engineer revealed the concept of a decentralized but distributed cryptocurrency. Wei Dei called it B-money, but it never became successful.

I find it ironic because the framework of Bitcoin (I like to call it metaverse currency) is "exactly" similar to this, but it emerged numerous years later.

Age of the Twins in 2002
The digital twin concept refers to the "digital counterpart" of any physical object. It was first introduced by Michael Grieves, who proposed this concept for product lifecycle management.

A Second Life – The First Online Virtual World in 2003
Philip Rosedale developed the Second Life, which has now become a significant precursor for both our universes. Besides, it did not have the necessary bandwidth and resolution to offer an optimal experience.

Roblox Changed it All in 2006
I loved scavenging through Roblox during the pandemic. Here, you can develop, access, and play games in the metaverse along with interacting with people.

Roblox is the first "true" essence of the metaverse we have seen.

Currency of the Metaverse – Bitcoins Introduced in 2009
Cryptocurrencies or digital currencies are the economic assets of the metaverse. Therefore, the bitcoin network was born in 2009, now the most crucial crypto trading asset.

There is a mystery behind the founder! Some say the founder is the one who mined the genesis Bitcoin block (Number 0). His name was Satoshi Nakamoto, and he gained 50 bitcoins.

Along with that, blockchain was also created, serving as the public transaction ledger.

The World Was Not Ready for Ready Player One in 2011
Earnest Cline was the first writer to introduce the concept of actual Virtual Reality to youngsters. The Spielberg adaptation only gave vivid imagery to the incredible novel.

Non-Fungible Tokens in 2012
In December of 2012, the concept of NFTs representing unique items instead of fungible tokens became popular. It had information encoded in bitcoin and was significantly related to the blockchain atmosphere.

This project was headed by Vitalik Buterin – the co-founder of Ethereum, in 2015.

Decentraland – The First VR platform in 2015
In 2015, the world saw a Virtual Reality platform through a "proof of work" algorithm. This game had real estate plots, which became famous during the NFT boom of 2021.

Pokémon GO of 2016
This game changed the virtual world overlay and made us understand how it connects to the real world. Even I played this game when it first came out.

I used to go around my house, using my GPS to locate new virtual creatures. They appeared in the real-world location for any player.

Indeed, an accurate representation of the virtual world.

Fortnite of 2017
This game represented how the metaverse will look like and what cryptocurrency is all about. It has a user base of over 350 million!

As you can see, the metaverse has come a long way. From an initial spark to a wildfire – it is here, and it is going to stay.

All we can do is embrace it and accept the changes in technology.

The Way Forward – 2018 and Beyond – A Beginning With No End

After this, we saw changes in cyber currencies and witnessed concerts in the metaverse. But I will talk about that in the next chapter since 2018 falls under the metaverse "present." Moreover, the evolution of the metaverse will only lead us into the future.

Mark Zuckerberg is on a mission to revolutionize Meta (formerly Facebook) and incorporate ideas like the Horizon Home, VR chats on Messenger, and more.

In the next #ThoughtProvoking post, I will talk about Facebook's transformation into Meta. And also brush up on the changes in NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and more.

I will also mention in detail – the accurate application of the metaverse and its usability. You can use it in your office, for business, and even real estate.

If you want to sneak a peek into the world of the metaverse, make sure to play Fortnite, invest in crypto, get NFTs or attend an online concert. Somewhere down the line, I will also talk about the anatomy of the metaverse, obviously in an easy-to-understand manner.

Are you ready to dive into the realms of Virtual Reality? Keep yourself updated with my three-part series.

#ThoughtProvoking
#Metaverse
#TheHistoryofMetaverse