Neither naive escapism into virtual worlds, nor the technological ultra-topia of space colonization will save us from facing the big, uncomfortable questions. With this year's theme Welcome to Planet B, Ars Electronica is an invitation to take part in an exciting thought experiment: What if we had already mastered the great challenges of the 21st century? How would we live (together)? And most importantly: What would our path there have looked like?

We will need every bit of technology, but the biggest innovation project has to be ourselves, our ability to rise to the challenge as a global community — a reinvention of humanity! Planet B is not the second chance for another place where we can continue as before, it is the cipher for the indispensable, new and in many forms completely different life and action on this only planet that exists for us.