Global perspectives in the metaverse

Neal Stephenson's 1992 novel, “Snow Crash,” introduced the term “metaverse” to describe a virtual reality space that is a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual reality. In the novel, the metaverse is a sprawling virtual environment where people interact as avatars in a 3D computer-generated space. It became a pivotal concept that inspired discussions and predictions about the potential of a fully immersive virtual world.