The good folks over at MIT urge us not to despair over our current economic woes and the seemingly insurmountable problems we have so generously bequeathed to our children.

And to what can we ascribe their optimism about the future? The Rapture! Oh, sorry, that's what these people are  counting on. Actually, the MIT researchers are betting that technology will help bail out our economy and address a few other nettlesome issues to boot.

Whether it's biosolar cells, household robots, electrochemical energy, or a giant fan to push away the sun to mitigate global warming (OK, that's my idea), the MIT whizzes offer hope for the future. You can read about their predictions here.

Hat tip to CNET.com, which has a nice slide show on the MIT prognostications.