I can't remember the name of the phenomenon, but there's a theory that technological progress happens in cycles.

The first half of each cycle contains large spurts of innovation and change which result in big shifts to how the world works (internet, vaccines, the automobile, jets, nuclear power/weapons).

The second half contains incremental improvements on those big innovations and focus more on convenience/leisure (social media connecting the world, uber, netflix, airbnb, etc).

We're currently in the second incremental half, but things like Space X (mars colonization, cheap rockets), CRISPR (gene therapy curing numerous ailments), and the like, tell me that we're not far away from the beginning of another paradigm shift innovation phase.