Isaac Asimov was a pretty cool guy. He's famous for his science fiction (I, Robot, the Foundation series), but he wrote or edited more than 500 books, fiction and non-fiction alike. And in 1964, he wrote an astounding piece for the New York Times envisioning the World's Fair of 2014.
Here's the thing about science fiction: It's often more about the present than the future. Unencumbered by the details of today's world, science fiction can make audiences think about modern issues without getting bogged down with the details and prejudices that might make them less open-minded. It's also really hard to predict the future, so if science fiction was truly just a genre designed to let readers place bets on future events, it would've been outlawed years ago.
But Asimov's predictions of next year from the perspective of 49 years ago? They're not perfect, but they're pretty good. In fact, I might go so far as to say they're the best I've seen. So let's take a look at what a visionary science-fiction writer from the last century envisioned for the world we live in today.
Glow lights and underground apartments
One thought that occurs to me is that men will continue to withdraw from nature in order to create an environment that will suit them better. By 2014, electroluminescent panels will be in common use. Ceilings and walls will glow softly, and in a variety of colors that will change at the touch of a push button.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon