Historically, hunter-gatherers spent their days tirelessly on the search for their next meal. Today, we are tirelessly on the hunt for the next innovative idea. But where do these ideas come from? Are they brilliant ways to fulfill the needs of our ever changing lives or are they the products of innovation catching up to the brilliant minds of science-fiction authors? Here are 15 books that accurately predicted today’s technology.
1. Neuromancer by William Gibson (1984) – The Web
Seven years before the world wide web became popular, Gibson predicted a global network of millions of computers. Although the internet was already in its infancy, he saw a world of communication back when the idea of a personal computer was a luxury and a novelty. He also predicted the threat of computer hackers in cyber space.
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2. The Machine Stops by EM Forster (1909) – Skype
Long before the creators of Skype were even a thought in their grandparent’s mind came the revolutionary idea from Mr. Forster. He described it like this, “…the round plate that she held in her hands began to glow. A faint blue light shot across it… and presently she could see the image of her son, who lived on the other side of the earth, and he could see her.”
Slowly technology has been catching up to Forster: 55 years later AT&T introduced the first picture phone. In today’s society of fast-paced and mobile living, Skype is practically a necessity from business video conference calls to keeping up with your family.
3. The City And The Stars by Arthur C. Clarke (1956) – Virtual Reality
This year marked a turning point for virtual reality video games. However, two years before the first video game was even invented Clarke wrote about a city completely run by a computer, even its residents. Instead of attending movies for entertainment, the residents would enter into a “saga” or phantom world where they are active participants in a different reality. A 2002 young-adult novel, Heir Apparent by Vivien Vande Velde explores virtual reality in a similar light where it is popular to visit arcade-like locations where your mind can enter into popular video games.
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke (1968) – iPad
Clarke’s predictive instincts around what the future would look like are almost unnerving. Just 12 years after predicting virtual reality he would predict the popular iPad or as he calls it in his novel, “newspad”. A virtual newspad that works similarly to today’s tablets that is constantly updating from communication satellites, which were not invented yet either.
5. Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner (1969) – Satellite Television
Set in 2010, the number of accurate predictions found in this book are uncanny. However, one incredible yet underappreciated technology that we use daily is satellite television.
Satellite television today is exactly how Brunner described, allowing for global channels and communication. Today there are 1 305 satellites that orbit the earth with many different global applications that wouldn’t be possible without satellite technology.
6. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1950) – Earbuds
“And in her ears the little seashells, the thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk and music and talk coming in, coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind.” The description given by Bradbury looks an awful lot like Apple’s original design for earbuds. Allowing both music and communication like many earbuds today, Bradbury was 51 years ahead of our modern technology.
7. Ralf 124C 41+ by Hugo Gernsback (1911) – Solar Power
Hugo predicted the use of solar energy by 67 years when the first solar powered calculator was produced. Today solar energy is more than a concept, it is a movement toward creating a better world powered by sustainable energy. As it becomes more affordable it is more practical for homes and businesses to switch to solar for an energy source.
8. Nick and the Glimmung by Philip K. Dick (1966) – 3D Printing
Although this children’s novel takes a rather silly approach to the future, this novel demonstrates a very important part of our technological history. When a large plastic-like alien can print a copy of anything presented to it, this book moves from childish to revolutionary. 3D printing has become more and more accessible to people especially for technological and medical purposes and it is believed we may even have them in our homes one day soon.
9. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979) – Audio Translating Apps
When traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language it is practically a necessity to have a translator app with you. In Adam’s novel where a pair of friends escape Earth before it’s demolition, they use a “universal translator” that allows for real-time translation of any language in the universe. Thirty-four years later, we are able to use the same concept through apps.
10. Cyborg by Martin Caidin (1972) – Bionic Implants
Mixing man and machine has been a fascination ever since the concept was born and 41 years after publishing his novel, in 2013, the first bionic leg implant was performed. The world of prosthetics has made great strides since the 1970s.
Whether science fiction is the source of innovation or innovation comes from necessity, historically sci-fi has predicted our future. So take a page from one of these brilliant books and you too could be the next great innovator.
