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I love watching sci-fi films and seeing worlds with insanely cool and convenient technologies. As I get older I see more and more of these becoming fact. Here are 10 examples of things I once considered science fiction. |
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1. Moon travel |
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| 1902’s A Trip to the Moon is considered the first sci-fi movie ever made. At the time the story of astronauts blasting off a bullet-shaped ship to visit the local moon residents was far-fetched fiction. |
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2. Replicators |
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| A machine with the ability to quickly make a copy of physical objects was an idea that science fiction called replicators. While today’s 3D printers take longer than in the realm of fiction, the reality is here. |
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3. Self-tying shoes |
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| A memorable invention seen in the Back to the Future trilogy was Marty McFly's self-tying shoes. Thirty years later Nike have introduced a pair of shoes that do just that. |
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4. Submarines |
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| Science fiction writer Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea predicted the submarine all the way back in 1869. Nowadays it’s a no-brainer that we navigate the seas with a submarine, although they're not as chic as Verne’s vision of dining rooms and paintings. |
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5. Cybernetic reading |
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| While not as invasive as brain implants, in Singapore researchers are working on a device to be implanted in your finger and ear. This device allows word recognition and oral translation. A dream-come-true for those with poor sight. |
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6. Flying cars |
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| Ever since The Fifth Element was released with its dazzling flying car chase scenes, there’s been renewed interest in owning a flying car. With Terrafugia’s TF-X roadable aircraft topping a 200mph (320km/h) speed, the idea of a flying car is tangible. |
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7. Memory erasers |
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| What everyone remembers about 1990s Men in Black movies, besides Will smith’s catchy song, is the cool flashlight that could zap away memories with the touch of a button. It’s not as fun as the movie device, but New York scientists are developing a drug that could block memory retention. |
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8. Moving walkways |
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| In the 1960s, The Jetsons’ moving walkways seemed like all the other elements of the show, science fiction. Nowadays we don’t think much of flat escalators or travelators. |
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9. Personal communicators |
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| Star Trek was the cutting edge of sci-fi ideas back when it first premiered in the 1960s and the idea of a personal communicator was wild. Who could have imagined that our modern day smartphones way surpass their vision? |
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10. Mosquito drones |
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| This idea of tiny flying robotic drones that could follow you, take your photo and inject you with diseases dominates many science fiction stories. A real life drone was introduced at a 2007 robotics conference, actualizing this once fictional idea. |
