These signals can be data points, observations or insights from the field that carry significant, if uncertain, implications for the future. Whether specific data points that might be weak signals of emergent change, or multiple signals pointing to a wider trend, our authors discuss why they matter and what they mean for the year ahead.

Across the range of ideas explored, this year we saw three core themes emerge from our Signals.

Play is a fundamental human activity that has been long neglected, and this year that is set to change. The resurgence of the idea of public diners, once a reality in the UK of the 1940s, showcases a growing movement to address other fundamental aspects of our lives, nutrition and community. And the rise of metascience, where science is turned on itself, is challenging the fundamentals of how we understand and tackle social problems.

Efforts to better understand the complex communication networks of plants will strengthen our farming practices and improve how we manage ecosystems. North Sea nations seeking to collect and share vast amounts of wind energy are pioneering energy islands, huge offshore hubs for energy generation. And the race to find, purify and use the moon’s frozen water deposits shows how the space race is heating up.

AI-powered parenting apps that parrot the wisdom of known experts are entering the home via our pockets. And in the wider world, advancements in humanoid robotics are leading us to consider the etiquette conventions when human and robot paths start to collide – which may be sooner than we think.

Check out our interactive Signals gallery below to find out more, or scroll down to read the full set of articles.

Want to explore our Future Signals in real life? Join us at our Future Signals event, hear from the authors and explore our Signals gallery in central London.