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Americans largely optimistic, but wary, about future technology

Most Americans expect technology and science will one day bring about useful inventions like custom-grown human organs developed in labs. But their optimism comes with concern about the potential social changes of futuristic technology.

A national survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center found that 59 percent of respondents believed upcoming technological and scientific changes would make life better in the future while 30 percent believed society would be worse off.

Most of the optimism was found in improvements to health and travel. Eight out of ten people believe scientists within the next 50 years will learn to grow new organs in a lab for those who need it.

When asked what inventions people would most like to own, respondents listed flying cars, bikes, personal space crafts. They also cited health improvements for longevity and cures to major diseases. About half of the people questioned said they would be interested in riding in a driverless car.

Asked about more controversial technologies, attitudes soured. Two thirds of people thought it would be a change for the worse if prospective parents could alter the DNA of their children to improve intelligence, health or athleticism. Likewise, two thirds of respondents thought it would be a change for the worse for lifelike robots to care for the elderly and ill. Only a quarter of people said they would be interested in a brain implant to improve memory or mental capacity, and only a fifth would eat meat grown in a lab.

The results also showed some wariness around inventions already in the marketplace such as Google Glass, a head-mounted wearable computer. More than half of Americans believe people would be worse off if they wore devices that constantly showed them information about the world around them.

The survey was conducted between Feb. 13-18, 2014 by landline and cell phones among 1,001 adults. It was conducted in English and Spanish and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.