Science has evolved so much in such a short space of time. It wasn't so long ago that sliding phones were the biggest thing in the world. Nowadays, if you don't have a touchscreen smartphone, you're considered way behind with the times.
Such ideas were previously thought of as pure science fiction, created solely for our entertainment. But touch screen devices aren't the only inventions that science has understood and learned to develop. In fact, there are many things that science has learned from science fiction. While the ideas aren't the exact blueprints for success, they laid the foundation for engineers and inventors to bring an author's dream into reality.
Here is a list of cool, real inventions that were originally inspired by science fiction.
1. Submarine
Jules Verne has a reputation for being the "father of science fiction." This doesn't come much of a surprise if you happened to take a look through his body of work. You could even build this entire list from Verne. Some of his most famous writing includes the likes of "Journey to the Center of the Earth", "Around the World in Eighty Days", "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and "From the Earth to the Moon."
But just looking at "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", in particular, Verne describes a ship that travels underwater. Led by Captain Nemo, the submarine named Nautilus had much grandeur, having had a ballroom and organ on board.
Verne's vision had such an impact that it inspired inventor Simon Lake to take action on his underwater exploration obsession. Lake first read this novel as a young child which inspired him to make his own submarine, the Argonaut.
Verne was so thrilled that it was brought to life that he letter to Lake congratulating him on the feat.
2. Mobile Phone
The first mobile phone was seen in the original Star Trek. While the show was actually canceled after just three seasons, the franchise lived a much longer life, going on to inspire generations to come.
One of Star Trek's most famous gadgets was a wireless phone that referred to as the "communicator."
Fast-forward to the 1970s and the first mobile phone was invented. Martin Cooper, the original inventor, claimed that his invention was directly inspired by the "communicator".
3. Artificial Intelligence
Karel Capek, a Czech author, predicted the invention of robots back in the 1920s with his play "R.U.R", also known as "Rossum's Universal Robots." It shows the classic of an artificial intelligence uprising; the robots are first used by humans for labor, but as they become smarter, they realize that they don't need their human creators and fight back.
AI is now used in all sorts of industries, from helping you decide what movie to watch, to website chatbots. You may be using AI more in your daily life than you realize.
4. Taser
This next invention that science learned from science fiction came from a series of children sci-fi books in the early 1900s. It was based around a character named Tom Swift and it ended up having a major influence on some of our most the inventors like Steve Wozniak.
Tom Swift used a stun gun throughout the series. When the first taser was invented by Jack Clover of NASA, he named it after his love for this series.
How much so? Well, the word "taser" is actually an acronym for "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle..."
5. Self-Driving Cars
Isaac Asimov attended the 1964 Worlds Fair, after which he wrote a column in the New York Times thinking about what the world would be making in fifty years time. One of his ideas was a "robot-brain" car that could drive by itself.
Around fifty years later, it seems like his prediction proved correct. Many companies today, including the likes of Tesla, Google and Uber are all working on creating vehicles that can drive by themselves. In the case of Tesla, this has already been made into a reality.
6. 3D Printer
This is another cool invention that came from Star Trek. The Enterprise had an interesting tool they called the "replicator" which was essential a 3D printer. It could create almost anything on-demand, including food.
While the 3D printers of today can't quite make your favorite meal appear from nothing, they are being used for all sorts of applications. Some companies are even 3D printing houses and trailers. They don't cost much to build compared to traditional housing and can be constructed within 24 hours.
7. Earbuds
Fahrenheit 451 is one of the best sci-books ever. Set in a dystopian world where books are outlawed, it has been studied in American schools for years. The book describes the use of gadgets to distract people from what's going around them. One of the main sources of distractions is seashells that fit snug in the ear.
The book describes seashells as "thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound, of music and talk coming in, coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind."
Now, transistor radios were around at the time of the movie's release, as were headphones, but they were very bulky and unsightly. But Ray Bradbury (author) envisioned a world where small earbuds could be used to listen to music and for conversation.
Seashells didn't arrive until 2001 when Apple released the iPod. Today, earbuds are worn by almost everyone with a smartphone, whether it's working out in the gym, on the commute to work, or even at home.
8. Atomic Power
The final invention that was inspired by science fiction is atomic power. The idea first came from H.G. Wells, albeit this time it's not a gadget.
He first explored this idea in the 1913 novel, "The World Set Free". Wells' vision inspired Leo Szilard to develop the world's first nuclear reaction, paving the way to atomic power at the atom bomb.
Wells envisioned atomic power for more than just a weapon, but it's still a testament to his greatness that he could imagine such technology.
