15 technologies from science fiction became reality

Science fiction often introduces us to a fictional future worlds that seem to be nothing more than the imagination of their creators. However, only in the last 100 years mankind has made incredible technological progress and no small role in this was played just science fiction, are nearly endless generator of new ideas. In fact, much of what was first shown or told in books and films eventually became part of our present. Of course, some things described there, are still at an early stage of real development, some of which science has just not reached, but there are many examples of already implemented ideas.

Today let’s talk about 15 things and technologies, first predicted and described by the authors of popular scientific stories, and now is part of our contemporary world.

1. In 1865, the author of the novel “From the earth to the moon” Jules Verne wrote about the first journey of man to the moon. Some of the events and details described in the book, surprisingly coincide with the real mission to land a man on the moon, what happened just 104 years later.

Sending real astronauts of the American space Agency NASA to the Earth, like the characters in the novel, happened in Florida. The command module of the spacecraft NASA was called “Columbia”, a fictional spacecraft in the novel consonant “Columbidae”.

NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “buzz” Aldrin made a successful walk on the lunar surface in 1969 (the third crew member Michael Collins remained on the ship). But the three heroes of the novel so the moon and not stepped.

In fact, NASA recognized that between the novel and the real mission “Apollo 11” were other similarities. For example, the space Agency noted that the shape and size of the fictional space ship “Columbiad” similar to those that were in the spacecraft of the mission “Apollo”.

The novel also described that with the progress of the mission “Columbiad” people could watch from ground-based telescope. When in 1970, had a serious accident with “Apollo 13” telescope Space center, Johnson watched the machine, which was 300,000 kilometers from it.

2. First shown in 1966, the famous Communicator from “Star trek” looked like a folding phone. Despite the fact that, in reality, engineers have been mining still since 1960-ies, Motorola introduced the first cell phone only in 1973.

10 years later, in 1983, the Motorola mobile phones has entered the market. The device was large, heavy and very expensive, but the American company in subsequent years continued to improve the technology. The first folding mobile phone Motorola introduced in 1989 and it was similar to the Communicator from “Star trek.”

A few years ago The Wand Company have created a modern replica of a Communicator. The device, presented in 2015, has an aluminum body and uses wireless charging technology. It also has some Bluetooth functions, and in memory saved some of the phrases sounded in the TV series “Star trek”.

3. Three-dimensional holograms science fiction tells us for decades. Princess Leia via a holographic message system requested the help of Obi-WAN Kenobi in the 1977 film. Since then, different companies have tried to bring this technology to reality.

In 2017, one Australian startup Euclideon has presented a multiplayer holographic table, very similar to the one that was shown in the original kynoselen “Star wars”. However, instead of chess, it’s meant to work. Using special glasses to interact with created on its surface holograms can four people at once. Despite the fact that the invention Euclideon was generally received with great scepticism, in November 2018, various media outlets reported that the company is soon going to bring its holographic technology to the consumer market.

4. “Star trek” was one of the most valuable sources in terms of ideas of futuristic technologies. In addition to the Communicator, we here also showed a 3D printer capable of creating food, and various items of everyday life.

Last year the new York nonprofit organization Mattershift announced the development of special membranes on the basis of carbon nanotubes, which allow you to divide and merge together the molecules. The Forbes edition with reference to the head of the company Rob McGinnis wrote that by using such membranes, scientists will be able from the conventional set of molecular blocks to create almost anything.

“We are talking about the possibility of producing matter out of thin air. – quoted edition of Machinse. — Imagine that you took one of these devices to Mars. With it, you will be able to create food, fuel, building materials and medicines from the Martian atmosphere and soil, taking with it all from the Earth.”

In the same paragraph it is necessary to add that many companies are now developing consumer versions of 3D printers for the production of food.

5. The Iron man suit became instantly iconic with the release of the first issue of Marvel Comics. In reality, people soon will move in the flying suits, but some of the features of high-tech armor Tony stark may soon to the us military.

The U.S. army is developing a program TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit) is a robotic exoskeleton for special forces, able to improve human abilities on the battlefield. For example, in addition to high-tech armor, TALOS is equipped with a special system for continuous monitoring of the environment and receiving information from flying drones, and surface and ground tracking equipment and intelligence.

The costume will be easy, but at the same time very durable; equipped with life support systems, who will monitor the vital signs of the soldier. In addition, TALOS will be equipped with a system of three-dimensional automonitoring that will help staff to determine the direction of the approaching enemy vehicles. As reported by Military Times, the beginning of the testing of the exoskeleton TALOS could begin in the summer of 2019.

6. In yet another science fiction novel by Jules Verne, “20 thousand leagues under the sea” published in 1870, tells of a fully electrified submarine “Nautilus”. In reality, at that time, submarines had already existed, but were mechanical.

A year later, after the affair had been launched the experimental French submarine “Gymnote” (“Eel”). She used an electric powerplant and in this respect more like “Nautilus” is Correct, than the submarines that were created before the publication of the novel.

Rosalind Williams, historian of technology at mit in an interview with National Geographic once said that “Nautilus” is actually not much different from modern submarines, for example, the same bathyscaphe “Alvin”, launched in 60-ies and working on lead-acid batteries.

7. Jules Verne also predicted that people would one day be listening to the news, not just read them in the Newspapers. A prediction he made in 1889, but the first broadcasting took place before the 1920s.

“Instead of the printed version of Earth Chronicle is to verbally appeal to its subscribers, and they will be able to learn the most interesting stories of the reporters, officials and scientists of the day,” wrote Verne in the short story “In the year 2889”.

First issue of news on television that people can watch only after 30 years since the first broadcasting.

8. Antiutopia in the novel “brave new world” by Aldous Huxley, written in 1931, referred to the pills (drugs) “soma” changing a person’s mood and act as modern antidepressants. Two decades after the book’s publication, scientists started the development of these antidepressants.

In the novel almost all people have used soma since it helped to solve most psychological problems. In reality, for the first time a link between depression and brain function were discovered by scientists only in 1951. A group of doctors from new York found an unexpected change in the mood and behaviour of patients with TB after the fact began to give a drug called iproniazid. People suffering from severe pain suddenly became happy. Three years since this study, researchers from North Carolina observed the opposite effect in patients who were given the drug Raudixin, designed to control blood pressure. One of the patients after receiving the drug attempted suicide.

Scientists quickly came to understand that between depression and brain are linked and have developed drugs that help to cope with the state of oppression and apathy. Since then, millions of Americans are “hooked” on antidepressants. For example, one of the most popular made in 1998, is a Prozac.

9. In the novel “Liberated the world” by Hg wells written in 1914, is referred to the manual of grant of uranium, “capable of infinitely explode.” Three decades after the release of the book, the United States launched two nuclear strikes on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Describing the principle of operation of the first atomic bomb wells in his book even specifies that it will be dropped from the plane and were horrified seeing how harmful it can be nuclear weapons. In the “Liberated world” of the atomic bomb was used in the ongoing war. On the ruins of the new, “liberated the world” survivors are creating a global government, striving for unity and opposition to possible future wars.

The Smithsonian magazine said that represented in the novel by H. G. wells’s atomic bomb was significantly different from those that were used in world war II.

“They continued to explode. Depending on their size — days, weeks, months; as the elements inside continued to radiate energy as a result of degradation, accompanying the process by creating mini-volcanoes, bring death and destruction.”

10. In the fantastic animated series “the Jetsons”, released in 1962, was shown high-tech watch with a display showing color video. For example, the youngest son of the family, Elroy Jetson, loved to watch them on the TV series “the Flintstones little Family” and to communicate through them with other family members. Some of the functions shown, then, are present in modern smart watch. Yes, we do not look with the help of these devices the television, but may use them for phone calls, view photos and monitoring their health.

A few other shows in the “Jetsons” technology also appeared in the real world a few decades later since the show ended. We are talking about the same drones and holograms.

11. Nuclear physicist Jack Cover developed the first Taser in the 1970s. He called the device a “Taser” in honor of one of the inventions of Tom swift’s (the hero of the eponymous series of books and genius inventor) — electric gun having features similar to those that can be found in modern tasers.

Cover has set out to create a Taser blasts after a series of hijacking in the 1960-ies. The scientist wanted to air marshals that are present on each flight, could use such weapons for neutralization of terrorists and thus with minimum risk to passengers. Now tasers are used by police.

Recent years, these devices are subjected to severe criticism on the part of physicians. Last say that tasers can provoke heart attacks.

12. Video calls nowadays are most often committed via such programs as Skype and FaceTime, but the technology shown in science fiction long before that, there were the first such services. For example, one of the earliest references to this technology can be found in the 1927 film “metropolis”, which shows the analog Videophone, mounted on the wall. The hero of “metropolis” has used four different dial to find the right frequency and make a call.

Over time, video technology in science fiction became more and more advanced. For example, in the 1968 film “2001: a Space Odyssey,” Kubrick video was made using the number input on the keypad, mounted in a large phone. And in the 1989 film “Back to the future II” video calling system can show on the screen information about the person with whom the conversation was held: favorite drink, Hobbies, family status and so on.

13. The term “credit card” was used in the novel Edward Bellamy’s “Looking backward” in 1887.

The protagonist of the novel who falls asleep in 1887 and awakes 113 years later, after learning that his home has turned into a socialist utopia. At that time the image of the credit card with which to pay for goods or transfer money from one account to another is perceived as science fiction. However, Bellamy accurately predicted the principle of operation of such card, describing even the ability to use them abroad.

True universal credit card first appeared in 1950 in the United States. Everywhere in American society, they were used only a few years later.

14. In the 1953 novel “451 degrees Fahrenheit” ray Bradbury wrote about the “shells” — a tiny radio that performs the functions of the modern Bluetooth devices (headphones and headsets). Today millions of people around the world listen to music and take calls on wireless AirPods.

In addition, the novel describes the many other things that today have become our everyday life. For example, it describes how people communicate with their friends through some of the digital walls that have some similarities with the current social platforms like the Facebook.

15. The author of science-fiction Isaac Clarke, after visiting the electronics exhibition World’s Fair in 1965, predicted the dawn of vehicles with “robot brains”. 50 years later, companies such as Waymo (and many others) began the development and testing of unmanned vehicles.

In his article in the New York Times presented what may be the exhibition of World’s Fair 50 years since.

“A lot of effort will be focused on the development of vehicles with “robot brains”. These cars, after the desired predetermined destination, will take you to him yourself instead of relying on the slow reflexes of a human driver,” Asimov wrote.

Unmanned vehicles today are still undergoing tests, but their proponents argue that such transport can significantly reduce accidents on the road.

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