Humans have a unique ability to adapt to their environment, and advancements in technology have further strengthened our adaptability. This has been evident, for example, in January’s distance learning: we transitioned classes to the online world, keeping us safer during the global pandemic. 

Unlike other adaptations in history, when changes might have taken hundreds of years, we adapted relatively quickly to pandemic life, by using masks and hand sanitizer, having temperature checks, and staying home more. Yet it is technology that has allowed us to maintain some other aspects of our lives, such as our ability to continue to learn, virtually. With technology’s help, communication in our daily lives may soon be even more virtual, with Facebook’s Metaverse. 

Metaverse is “a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users.” Essentially, we will soon be able to access the virtual-reality world to communicate with each other. Facebook even changed its branding to “Meta” to reveal its endorsement of this Metaverse, which it said reflects “our commitment to this future.” Owning the social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Meta says it is “the next evolution of social connection.”As exciting or scary as this technological evolution may sound, companies like Meta are already setting the foundation for our virtual futures. 

What might the Metaverse look like in our daily lives? We would no longer have to worry about the commute to school or the short walk to the local convenience stores because everything would soon be available virtually. With a press of a holographic button, school, shopping, and social media would be accessible. On top of that, in a Meta world of fewer vehicles and less pollution, there would be significant benefits for global sustainability, a challenge the world struggles with daily. 

The idea of an entirely virtual world remains controversial. Although the Metaverse has many benefits, its relative novelty casts a shadow of uncertainty on its implementation. But with the tumultuous state of the world, the Metaverse is an inevitable future we must prepare to face. With the pandemic’s push for vaccines, we have learned that humans survive because of scientific and technological advances. The Metaverse will be yet another brilliant adaptation to enhance humanity’s arsenal against crises.