A lot of people turn to psychics to get predictions on what will happen in the future. I turn to science fiction. Really good science fiction has predicted tons of really awesome things that we get to use on a daily basis. Sure, we don't have flying cars, but we do have a lot of other cool stuff that was thought up in a book or movie and then made real by a badass scientist. Here is stuff from science fiction that already exists.
Moon Missions
It is insane that we have created the technology to allow human beings to walk on the moon. The first ever science fiction movie was about some people who build a rocket ship and fly to the moon, and less than 70 years later we actually made it there. That means that there are probably people who saw A Trip To The Moon as a child and in their lifetime saw the first man walk on the moon for real. That's why I'm keeping my hopes up that Wall-E will one day happen. Those flying chairs look super comfortable.
Cell Phones
A lot of you may not realize this, but there was a time when taking a phone with you everywhere you went seemed like something out of Star Trek. People would leave their houses and then not know if anyone was trying to get in touch with them until they got home and checked their message machine. Now cell phones are so common that most people don't even have land lines anymore. We're too connected now. I'd leave my phone at home if I wasn't so worried about missing an important call from a babe.
Iris and Fingerprint Scanners
Iris and fingerprint scanners are the most secure way to keep something locked up. As long as no one plucks your eye out like in Demolition Man or cuts your hand off like in every other movie, then you'll be able to keep everyone from looking at the search history on your internet browser. What are you hiding that you need so much security?
Video Chat
Video Chat is one thing from science fiction that I thought would never work right when I was a little kid. The first time I Skyped with my sister who was studying abroad on the other side of the world was when I first realized that we are living in the future. I thought the future was going to be a lot more neon, but I'll settle for video chat.
Invisibility
This is just like in the Predator. It's a suit that you wear that bends light to make you look like a slight blur to anyone looking at you. It's probably a good thing that this isn't available to the public. I would definitely use it to rob banks, spy on babes, and hunt down Carl Weathers in a jungle.
iPad
If you've ever read Ender's Game then you know that the kids spend a lot of time playing on their "desks" which are pretty much identical to iPads. The "desks" are small touch screen computers that the kids can use for school, but mostly use to play games on. Just like me! I've never gotten my iPad to help me contact an aliens, but someone has had to have made an app for that by now right?
The Internet
Despite Al Gore trying to take credit for inventing the internet, I think that honor goes to Mark Twain. He wrote about it all the way back in a short story from 1898. This is why I think we should change the name of the internet. From now on it shall be known as the Twainosphere and everyone shall be required to wear a white suit and giant fake mustache while using it.
Killer Robots
Killer robots are one of the most important villains in all of science fiction. Just about any long running series is going to have a killer robot at some point. Robots used to be all nice and friendly. They'd do a dance or help you load your NES, but that's about it. Now, the US army has created robots that look like miniature tanks. They can be outfitted with all kinds of weapons like machine guns and rocket launchers. I feel so safe knowing that a robot army is protec... Why are you pointing that at me, robot?!?!!
What thing from science fiction that doesn't exist do you hope someone will invent next? Let me know on twitter @zachlunch or in the comments below!
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