Via Ken MacLeod (whose new novel, The Execution Channel, is out now and well worth the asking price) comes news that the UK Ministry of Defence has been playing the futurist game by producing a [PDF] report on possible problems the world could face in the near future – most of which have been mentioned in science fiction stories at one time or another. It’s interesting to see an organisation like the MOD finally waking up to the realities of our time – even if they’re a little late to the party.