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

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 America Giphy

"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

Hillary Clinton; Liam Ramos; Tammy Duckworth
Alex Wong/Getty Images; Columbia Heights Public Schools; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Dems Blast ICE After 5-Year-Old Minnesota Boy Is Detained On His Way Home From Preschool

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Illinois Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth were among the Democrats who condemned ICE after agents detained 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father on their way home from preschool in the Minneapolis area.

Ramos is the fourth student from the Columbia Heights School District to be swept up in the Trump administration's nationwide immigration crackdown. District officials and a family attorney confirmed the boy and his father are in custody at an ICE facility in Texas.

Keep Reading Show less
Karoline Leavitt; Donald Trump
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Gives Bonkers Excuse After Trump Is Spotted With Massive Bruise On His Left Hand

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was called out after she gave a dubious excuse for what happened to President Donald Trump after he was spotted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday with a large bruise on his left hand.

Last year, rumors swirled that Trump was on his deathbed after he wasn't seen for several days and the White House cancelled his public appearances, a development that fueled speculation in large part because of Trump's recent health problems, which include a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency and sightings of a harsh bruise on his right hand.

Keep Reading Show less
A group of men sitting on lawn furniture
men sitting on chairs
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Men Reveal The Mistakes They See Younger Guys Repeatedly Making

There are countless male stereotypes.

Stereotypes which, sadly, still remain all too true among far too many oblivious men.

Keep Reading Show less
Troye Sivan (left) and a screenshot from the now-deleted video posted by an aesthetic doctor critiquing the singer’s appearance (right).
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; @drrzayn/Instagram

Singer And Actor Troye Sivan Speaks Out After Plastic Surgeon Says He Should 'Re-Twinkify' Himself

Out of all the unsolicited advice that circulates online, being publicly critiqued for aging may be one of the most jarring, especially when it comes from a stranger with a platform and a medical title.

That was the experience Australian singer, songwriter, and actor Troye Sivan recently unpacked after a plastic surgeon posted a video dissecting his appearance without permission.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshots from @its.avelyn's TikTok video
@its.avelyn/TikTok

Woman's Hack For How To Find The Sweetest Oranges At The Grocery Store Is Both Hilarious And Helpful

Let's be honest, in this economy, groceries are atrociously expensive, and we could use every shopping and saving hack we can find.

TikToker @its.avelyn delivered when she shared a fellow TikToker's hack for finding the sweetest navel oranges at the grocery store, allowing us to buy the fruit we want and get our money's worth in the process.

Keep Reading Show less