20-Year Prospect
While there are billions of years of Earth history to study, paleontology has only scratched the surface of the geological record. That means there'll be plenty for you to discover over the next couple of decades. But what changes lie ahead in the world of digging up fossils, besides one day creating Star Trek-like transporters that can just beam all of the bones out of the ground (and all of the fun out of the profession)?
One answer: robot dinosaurs. Yes, we realize that's the most unrealistic combination of words since "pirate ninja," but we swear it's a real thing. Bite-sized robotic versions of massive ancient lizards are helping paleontologists discover facts about the creatures that may otherwise have been impossible.
If you can't study the actual dinosaurs, mini-robo-dinos might just be the next best thing—at least until they get hungry and start eating people. Sounds like a good idea for Spielberg's next film...