The advances of the internet also have far-reaching implications for healthcare and the quality of our lives. For those aren't able to visit a doctor in person, the practice of telemedicine represents the future of healthcare. Using videoconferencing or smartphones, doctors can examine patients remotely - whether they're diagnosing a common cold or evaluating a stroke symptom - which helps save lives while cutting down on costs and other resources. Telesurgery, which enables doctors to operate on patients despite not being in the room, is dramatically expanding healthcare opportunities for people in underserved communities. And the internet is bringing health practitioners together to learn from each other and collaborate on new advancements. This is happening both within hospitals and across borders: Johns Hopkins, for example, has partnered with Hospital Moinhos de Vento in Brazil to share medical knowledge, research, and best practices with the doctors and staff there.

By Latha Sambhu