By Blake Deshazo

The Selma Times-Journal

Experts on the University of Alabama’s faculty made some bold predictions for 2015. This marks the 34th year in a row the school has released the top 15 predictions for the new year.

Dr. Andrew Billings, director of the Alabama Program in Sports Communication, predicts that Beijing will get the nod to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, which would make it the first city to host both the summer and winter games. He will see if his prediction holds true on July 31 when the host city is announced.

Billings also predicts NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will not have as much power as he did in 2014 when it comes to punishing players for committing crimes and misbehaving.

Registered dietician, Sheena Quizon Gregg, predicts that despite people being encouraged to cook at home, three square meals a day will no longer be a common practice. Gregg thinks more dine on the go options will cause the downfall of the tradition.

The controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act will slowly simmer down in 2015, and the demand for primary care physicians will increase as people see the benefits of the ACA, predicts Dr. Richard Streiffer, dean of the University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences.

Brian Taylor, an instructor in the department of clothing, textiles and interior design, predicts the 1970s will be back in style. He predicts suede, fringe and tie-dye will be trendy again in 2015.

Stephanie Sickler predicts interior designers will use nature-inspired colors to create a peaceful look.

According to Ahmad Ijaz, who works in the College of Commerce, the growth of transportation equipment manufacturing will cause the economy to grow by 2.6 percent. Ijaz also predicts that lower gas prices will only negate some of the rising cost of groceries.

Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian predicts that cars will be more connected to the Internet in 2015, making them more like smart phones on wheels.

Younger people will be more drawn to using social media like Snapchat and Yik Yak, while the older crowd will stick to using Facebook in 2015, predicts Susant Fant, a marketing instructor. Fant also predicts that smaller businesses will hire employees with social media skills to increase their online presence.

Astronomy professor William Keel predicts that NASA will reveal solid evidence of water on Mars in 2015.

Dr. Jason Bara, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, thinks the use of natural gas will replace the use of coal thanks to low prices.

While Elizabeth Warren has not announced she will run for president, UA analyst Dr. George Hawley predicts she may get the Democratic nod over Hillary Clinton.

If any large changes come to the Common Core Standards in 2015, they will be because of state efforts rather than federal, predicts math professor Jeremy Zelkowski.