Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down The Best Futuristic Technologies From Science Fiction

People Break Down The Best Futuristic Technologies From Science Fiction
photography of Astronaut beside satellite
Photo by NASA on Unsplash
Make us preferred on Google

Science Fiction has often been a predictor of what technologies might be possible in the future and has occasionally guided scientists in developing new tech.

Efforts to create a Universal Translator are ongoing, though none have yet reached the level of real-time translation seen in Star Trek.


Redditor I-Like-Being-Alone asked:

"What are your favourite examples of advanced technology from Science-Fiction?"

Replicators

"Star Trek replicators"

-sadh*ndjob

"Yep. Any consumable item, at any temperature, perfect everytime."

-Fickle-dill-pickle

"Yes. I want nachos. With cheese, and beef, and beans, and salsa, and tomatoes, and sour cream, and olives."

"I live in Japan, obtaining some of those items is nearly impossible. I weep. Even Taco Bell nachos bel grande would be welcome at this point."

-ClancyHabbard

Infectious Luck

Giphy

"The positive viruses from Red Dwarf - sexual magnetism virus and luck virus"

-Item_Successful

Capsule Corp To The Rescue

"Capsules from Dragonball. We would save so much area just from parked cars alone."

-pvtskittels

"A portable house and car sound amazing"

-Zorro5040

​Instantaneous Travel

"Teleportation; whether we're talking Star Trek, Dr Who, etc. Flying/driving needs to become a leisure activity"

-MrBlusie

"But most forms of teleportation would just bring up The Ship of Theseus Paradox since most forms of teleportation breaks the user down and reconstructs them elsewhere. Are we truly the same person or were we just killed and a clone was placed to replace us?

-ForgottenForce

You Could Be Anything

"The Omnitrix. The fact that you can use this device with millions of alien samples and walk around in their shoes and use their unique traits is pretty cool. Plus you could become a superhero...or a supervillain, whichever you choose lol"

-WrathfulBroly

"All good fun till you turn into something that can't survive in Earth's atmosphere and implodes from the pressure difference."

-Northerleyfire

"Hopefully there would be some form of safeguard to prevent that... But that would depend on the device working correctly, and a competent user... 🤪"

-4rd_Prefect

Really Fast Travel

"Surprised not to see literally any of the multiple forms of FTL tech yet. Warp drive, slipstream, slipSPACE, wormhole tech, stargates…"

-Sawsamurai

"Right. All of the other things are mere convenience. If we can figure out FTL, we can literally control the galaxy."

"Problem is, it's probably not possible. That makes me sad."

-heuristic_al

Instant Big Mac

"This is a silly one... I always wished the microwave thingy from Spy Kids was real. The one where, it looked like a candy bar before putting it in there and then BOOM Big Mac?"

"That's honestly something I think was always pretty cool."

-Storm137

New-Old Tech

"Mine would have to be a particular in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. Basically, it's a voice-to-text-typewriter. The character misspeaks while dictating to the device and so she has to throw out the paper and start again. I love how the idea of a word processor just didn't come to him. It shows how there's so many innovations that couldn't be easily predicted."

-SmartAlec105

"Like Dick, who imagines robot teachers or super computers that run the world but they all run on tape."

-RavioliGale

It Sonics Things

doctor who television GIF by BBC AmericaGiphy

"The sonic screwdriver"

-SavageCabbageGG

Just So Useful

"A Star Trek's tricorder. A portable device which can tell me what something is or wha's wrong with someone? So good."

-Megidra989

Some of these are certainly fantastical and seemingly impossible, but an iPhone would seem completely absurd to someone from 100 years ago. Anything is possible.

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

John Ritter and Jason Ritter during 2003 Sundance Film Festival - "Manhood" Premiere.
Clayton Chase/WireImage

Jason Ritter Opens Up About Seeing Most 'Beautiful Sunsets' Right After Dad John Died In Poignant New Interview

More than two decades have passed since John Ritter died unexpectedly, leaving his family to navigate a loss that Jason Ritter is still reflecting on today.

During a recent appearance on Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, Jason Ritter, 46, talked about the surreal weeks and months that followed his dad’s death. As Jason recalled, “It felt like the world was upside down.”

Keep ReadingShow less
A close up of Shirley MacLaine.
Amanda Edwards / Contributor/Getty Images

Shirley MacLaine Just Made A Rare Appearance At 92 To Promote A Screening Of 'Sweet Charity'—And Fans Are Loving It

One has to have a pretty impressive résumé or pedigree to be deemed a "legend." But few would argue that Academy Award Winner Shirley MacLaine is, indeed, a legend of the silver screen.

After being discovered by a Hollywood producer as an understudy in the Broadway musical The Pajama Game, MacLaine launched to almost instant Hollywood stardom after appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's The Trouble With Harry, going on to a prolific, almost 70-year career.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Fox News

RFK Jr's Phone Interrupts Autism Alert Announcement With Hilariously Fitting Ringtone In Viral Clip

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attracted attention for his hilariously fitting ringtone while speaking in Minnesota on Friday about a new National Autism Missing and Endangered Person Alert Initiative.

The new federal initiative, led by HHS in partnership with the Justice Department and FEMA, is intended to improve the response when autistic children or adults go missing. The program will build on existing missing-person procedures and FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to develop a national framework for autism-related cases.

Keep ReadingShow less
John Stamos
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP

John Stamos Just Showed That He's Still Got It At Age 63 By Posing For A Selfie In His Birthday Suit—And Fans Are Sweating

John Stamos from Full House may be a card-carrying member of the AARP nowadays, but he's still got it—and he's got the naked selfie to prove it.

Full House's own Uncle Jesse just turned 63, and to mark the occasion he took a nude selfie on Instagram, and it's got fans saying "have mercy."

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump waving green flag at IndyCar race
Doug Mills/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Roasted After Video Of Him Aggressively Waving Start Flag At IndyCar Race Around D.C. Goes Viral

President Donald Trump was widely mocked after video footage of him waving the starting flag for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Sunday went viral.

Washington, D.C., hosted the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Sunday, turning downtown streets, including part of Pennsylvania Avenue, into an IndyCar circuit as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Keep ReadingShow less