A timeline of the distant, disturbing future

If humans still exist millions or billions of years from now, they’ll have to deal with supervolcanoes, supernovas and other civilization-threatening calamities.

Decades ago, dreamers, scientists and futurologists envisioned life in the 21st century as something straight out of “The Jetsons.” There would be flying cars, moon vacations, dinners in a pill and a variety of fashionable metallic jumpsuits.

While many of the past predictions are wildly inaccurate, our ancestors did get some things right. Forty percent of the 135 advanced technologies predicted in 1960 to become reality by 2010 are real technologies today. Take a look at what the past got right (cellphones and the Internet) and what they didn’t (the intelligence pill and the 4-hour workday).

What the future looked like way back when

Flying cars were a popular prediction, and in 1940, Henry Ford said, “Mark my words: A combination airplane and motorcar is coming.” In 1973, Henry Smolinski tried to bring such a car to market by fusing a Cessna Skymaster plane with a Ford Pinto; however, Smolinski and his pilot were killed when a wing strut detached from the car. The FAA approved the first flying car in 2010, which sells for more than $200,000.
 
According to a 1968 Mechanix Illustrated article, by 2008, Americans will travel between climate-controlled domed cities in cars that don’t require steering and reach 250 mph. Auto accidents will be a thing of the past, thanks to traffic computers that keep vehicles 50 yards apart. Google has tested a self-driving car, but sadly, more than 30,000 people die in U.S. car accidents each year.
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Gallery: What the future looked like way back when

What the future looked like way back when…

Homes in the 21st century were expected to be dramatically different places. In 1966, Arthur C. Clarke wrote in Vogue magazine that houses would fly by 2001 and entire communities would head south for the winter or relocate simply for a change in scenery. Meanwhile, Mechanix Illustrated thought all homes would be assembled from prefabricated modules, allowing homes to be constructed in a day, and building materials would be self-cleaning, so no paint or siding would ever chip or crack.
What the future looked like way back when

In 1969, the 21st-century office was expected to look something like this, providing the average office worker with a typewriter, video recorder and photocopier. However, other futurists predicted a much more technologically advanced office, with workers making calls on their “TV phones” and using tablet computers with “infrared flashlight” writing utensils.
 
The average workday would be just four hours, according to Mechanix Illustrated, but that doesn’t mean we’d have free time to visit our friends in other domed cities. Our ancestors thought we’d need that extra time to keep up with the world’s rapid technological advances. Jobholders were expected to rent tapes from libraries after work and bring them home to watch on TV as part of necessary ongoing education programs.
Read more of What the Future Looked Like Way Back When.

Decades ago, dreamers, scientists and futurologists envisioned life in the 21st century as something straight out of “The Jetsons.” There would be flying cars, moon vacations, dinners in a pill and a variety of fashionable metallic jumpsuits. While many of the past predictions are humorous and wildly inaccurate, our ancestors did get some things right. Here, we’ll take a look at what the past got right (cellphones and the Internet) and what they didn’t (the intelligence pill and the 4-hour workday).
What the future looked like way back when

What’s next? Predictions from the Institute for the Future
The ‘gamification’ of science, a renewed interest in space and even teleportation are predicted.

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Sustainable Skyscraper Absorbs Carbon Dioxide

This impressive new skyscraper is just a concept but it may soon be added to Taichung, Taiwan’s skyline. Designed by Vincent Callebaut, the Biotic Arch would be a revolutionary and creative skyscraper that would also be one of the most environmentally friendly buildings to date.

The Biotic Arch would acquire electricity from a mix of bio, solar, and wind energies. The Arch also takes in excessive carbon thanks to its living facade and vertical gardens. This would help the Taichung Government reach their overall reduction policies, not to mention, help with their proximity to China and their carbon footprint.

The Biotic Arch is also a creation for Taiwan’s centennial and honors the local architecture while looking towards the future. This proposal is an excellent creative idea that we are bound to see more of as our world continues to grow.

Read more at My Modern Met