"Now, I invite Roshni to the stage," Veer said, standing up from the stage. Roshni came on stage and began her speech.
Roshni said, "Thank you, Mr. Veer. We are in the year 2080, and the world is in devastation. This destruction didn't happen in just one day; it has gradually built up over many years to such an extent that now stopping it seems almost impossible. Our home, our Earth, is burning like fire.
Due to the rising temperatures, glaciers are melting, causing floods in many places, and people's homes, villages, and cities are being destroyed. Villages and cities near rivers are at higher risk. People have become homeless, and no ray of hope is visible. Death looms at every step. Areas that haven't yet been affected but are at risk have been placed on high alert, forcing people to leave their homes.
New diseases are arising every day, and people's health is being severely affected. Doctors are trying their best to create an affordable and effective vaccine that can be used by every common person.
While there is a vaccine available that will prevent you from ever getting sick, its cost is very high. Many people have taken this vaccine. Its effect goes beyond just preventing illness; it prevents aging too, unlike anyone else who will age at twice the speed. Some even say there's a vaccine that will ensure you never die—unless there's an accident.
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is at its peak. While it has made our work easier, it has also destroyed our privacy. There are daily cases of deepfake AI. People are so insecure now that it's hard to tell when someone's video will be faked.
People are deeply troubled by this. No one can say for sure which video is real and which is fake. Often, these fake videos lead to fights. To track such crimes, many cybersecurity companies are monitoring these activities and catching cybercriminals. Now, videos and audios are not accepted as evidence in courts.
Machines have become extremely advanced, and they can now perform almost every task. People now appear to just be a name in companies. This has had a significant impact on unemployment. Now, if you order something online, the delivery person won't deliver it; a robot or drone will deliver it on the same day.
We've built millions of machines and software to save time and energy. While these have made our daily lives easier and connected us better, do we still have time and energy? Are we truly happy? Philosophers have always asked these questions.
Governments have only been giving people false assurances, and they continue to do so in this era. Governments show us a beautiful picture of the future, but they are far from achieving it. They are hiding their incompetence well, and it seems like they have no control left. In many places, especially for those who have migrated from their homes, people are struggling to find even one meal a day. Hunger has tightened its grip, and it seems it won't let go until it has taken lives. As always, the poor are left with only the scraps.
It's not that people aren't happy, but only those who have made their arrangements are. Some people have settled on Mars and have started their businesses there. Others have made their lives so comfortable on Earth that they don't care about anything, but deep down, they too want to go to Mars, knowing that Earth can only support them for a limited time. Mars is slowly becoming like Earth, and efforts are rapidly underway to make it habitable. Elon Musk and his company are credited with making life possible on Mars. However, many others and their companies have also contributed to this mission.
No matter how much we pretend, the truth is that life has become very difficult for an ordinary person. Every day, politicians around the world give speeches in Parliament about national and global problems, diseases, and hunger. But everyone knows the difference between what is said and what is actually done, especially when it comes to politicians.
Going to Mars is not that easy; first, you need to be wealthy, and second, you must be healthy, as there's no place for sick people. But this rule doesn't apply to everyone.
If you're not healthy, you might not be able to get a Mars card, which is your ticket to Mars. Frauds exist, and some people have been tricked into paying large sums for trips to Mars. One person was scammed out of 18 billion dollars, but the fraudster was eventually caught. This kind of scam is possible because of AI, with people making fake videos about Mars trips, and some fall for it.
There is evidence of a planet that is exactly like Earth. A group of people has traveled from Earth to this planet, which is hundreds of light years away, to ensure the survival of humanity there. Space travel has become quite ordinary now. It's like how taking a flight used to be in the past, and now it's like boarding a spaceship. Every week, spaceships leave for Mars, and some return. It now takes about one to two months to travel from Earth to Mars.
There's a shortage of drinking water, making it more expensive. New gadgets have arrived, and now you don't need a mobile phone to make calls; just a pencil-like gadget will do. The situation has become so critical that no one can live without an air filter mask. Everywhere, there is pollution.
Unemployment has risen so much that people have started considering unemployment as their job. There's an overwhelming amount of e-waste. Everyone is only thinking about their own benefit, and no one is inventing things to save Earth. Everyone just wants to fill their wallets.
Roshni struck a small pose and said, "Isn't everything I've said the truth? Isn't this exactly what is happening in the world? Who created this world? We did! So I ask you, who will make this world better? There's still time. Let's make this world beautiful again." With that, Roshni sat back down.
The sound of applause echoed. Roshni had shown everyone the mirror to the events happening in the world.
Veer came to the stage and invited Kabir to speak. Kabir approached the mic and said, "I thank you all for inviting me here."
Kabir continued, "It's strange that we only began to value our home, this Earth, this environment, when it is suffering from a fever, and if we don't save it now, we all know what will happen.
We are not separate from this environment; we are a part of it. Our biggest mistake has been not taking care of it. I don't know why our ancestors didn't emphasize keeping the Earth clean. This should have been everyone's responsibility.
But let me tell you, the day to clean this Earth is not in the future—it starts today. We need to make new inventions to make this Earth green again. We know that any work begins with thought, but it's completed only when action is taken."
Finally, Kabir said, "Thank you for listening to me so kindly, and I hope you all will contribute to making this Earth and its environment clean and safe. Thank you!"
Some scientists are searching for a way to open the door to the multiverse, including Kabir. Kabir is 31, of average build, and works at Universe Science and Research Corporation (USRC), which he owns.
Kabir started USRC with his late father, Mr. Mohan, when he was 21. His father, an astrophysicist, died in a car accident a year after the company was founded. After his father's death, Kabir took over the company and managed it well.
Kabir is considered a genius. He completed his 12th grade at age 12, his post-graduation at 16, and his Ph.D. at 21. He married his girlfriend, Mahira, when he was 21, and they have a five-year-old daughter named Sophie.
Dr. Kabir believes that if we can solve the multiverse puzzle, we can solve Earth's problems. He explains that they are looking for a way into a multiverse where nothing has yet happened like Earth's devastation.
Kabir has been working on solving the multiverse puzzle for the past 10 years with a team of 7 people. According to Dr. Kabir, their research is very close to the results, and he believes that in the near future, they will solve the puzzle of multiverse travel.
Kabir and Veer are friends. Veer runs an NGO focused on raising awareness about saving the environment. He often emphasizes saving trees and planting new ones. In fact, he inherited this passion from his grandfather."
Kabir and Veer rarely get to meet. They live in the same city, but they don't meet often. However, today is special. Veer has invited Kabir as the chief guest for an event on environmental awareness. Therefore, Kabir, along with many others, has come to participate in the program.
After the event, Veer asked Kabir, "Kabir, how far has your research come?" Kabir replied, "It may take some more time; we're very close." Veer asked, "I saw your interview in the 'Multiverse: The Next Home' documentary. You said we could enter a world through the multiverse that would be clean and perfect, a world like our Earth or a Xerox copy of our Earth."
Kabir replied, "Yes, that's true." Veer then asked, "But do you think we won't destroy that Earth?" Kabir answered, "Yes, that's the hope. Right now, all we can do is hope." Veer responded, "But when we have, as you said, trillions of multiverses—other clean Earths—what will happen? The moment one Earth gets ruined, we will just move to another, like changing clothes. But all this will teach us that we always have an option, and we will just keep destroying the worlds we go to."
Kabir said, "What can we do? If people still don't understand, we need to make them realize that taking care of our home is our biggest responsibility. Otherwise, if we keep destroying our home, it will have a very negative impact on other things too."
Kabir continued, "And it seems that we need to set some rules for the multiverse, like how many multiverses we can go to." Veer asked, "But what if the formula for entering the multiverse falls into the wrong hands? It could be a threat to the entire universe." Kabir said, "Yes, that's absolutely possible."
Changing the topic, Kabir said, "We'll deal with all that later. Tell me, what's going on with you?" Veer replied, "You know, it's so difficult to make people understand. Convincing them to save trees, keep the environment clean—it takes a lot of effort. Even then, people choose to stay ignorant."
Kabir said, "Hmm, that's true." They talked for a while, and then Kabir's phone rang. Kabir took out his old-model smartphone from his pocket, picked up the call, and said, "Yes, Venky?" He kept the phone on his ear for a while and said, "Alright, I'll be there soon." Hanging up, Kabir said to Veer, "Veer, let's meet some other time. I need to leave now." Veer asked, "What happened?" Kabir replied while leaving, "I'll explain later over the phone."
Saying this, Kabir left. Now, you might be wondering, given the high-tech world, why did Kabir choose such an old phone? The simple answer is, Kabir prefers a simple life.