Metaverse

Regarded as the next iteration of the internet, the metaverse is where the physical and digital worlds come together. As an evolution of social technologies, the metaverse allows digital representations of people, avatars, to interact with each other in a variety of settings. Whether it be at work, in an office, going to concerts or sports events, or even trying on clothes, the metaverse provides a space for endless, interconnected virtual communities using virtual reality (VR) headsets, augmented reality (AR) glasses, smartphone apps, or other devicesThe metaverse as a term was coined in Neal Stephenson's 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, where humans, as avatars, interact with each other. In Stephenson's novel, the metaverse refers to a digital universe that can be accessed through VR. As a plot, it has been used in several works of science fiction, including the Matrix films, and served as a source of inspiration to the founders of Google, Amazon, and Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg’s repeated references to the metaverse throughout 2020 and 2021 saw the concept gain mass global attention