Information

There has never been more information freely available than there is now. We are now at a phase of civilisation where information costs almost nothing to reproduce or transmit. It is so abundant and readily available that it is finding useful and accurate information that has become the important thing.

One significant aspect is that information can now completely describe the physical structure of material items and can be communicated to automated fabrication machines which can then manufacture the artifact, reducing the requirement to transport material goods great distances to the end user (as happens generally now) – most of the journey will effectively be spent as information being transmitted at the speed of light. (See section on turning virtual designs into physical objects).