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

Robot dancing and falling
@ErenChenAI/X

Viral Video Of Robot Dancing Like Michael Jackson Before Crashing Hard On Some Stairs As Crowd Looks On Has The Internet Cackling

Videos of robots absolutely losing their minds in hiliarious ways are starting to become a genre all their own, and the latest entry is one heck of a specimen.

The internet is howling at a video of a robot dancing for a crowd to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" before losing its little robot mind when it ran into some stairs.

Keep Reading Show less
Donald Trump
Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images

The White House Just Praised Trump As 'The President Who Does It All'—And Critics Instantly Turned It Around On Them

On Tuesday, May 19, the White House's social media team decided MAGA Republican President Donald Trump needed an ego boost. So the account posted a photo of the POTUS in front of construction taking place at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for his planned vanity project, an oversized golden ballroom that will dwarf the rest of the White House.

The White House post came just days after Trump shared his own weekend flurry of social media posts praising himself and attacking his perceived enemies.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshot of JD Vance
@atrupar/X

JD Vance Just Tried To Call Out Democrats' Hypocrisy Over 'No Kings' For A Completely Mind-Numbing Reason

Vice President JD Vance was roasted after he attempted to accuse Democrats of hypocrisy for supporting the "No Kings" movement even as they applauded King Charles during his recent state visit.

King Charles addressed a joint meeting of Congress last month, becoming only the second British monarch to do so after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who spoke in 1991. His speech came as Trump has repeatedly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over Britain’s refusal to back the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The broadly unpopular war has only added to Americans' grievances.

Keep Reading Show less
John Travolta poses during the Propeller One-Way Night Coach photocall at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival.
JB Lacroix/FilmMagic

John Travolta Just Explained Why He's Wearing His Much-Memed Berets At The Cannes Film Festival—And It Makes Sense

Among the glamorous gowns, tuxedos, and carefully curated red-carpet looks at Cannes, John Travolta somehow managed to steal attention with a collection of berets. After the photos sparked jokes across social media, the actor offered an explanation that is admittedly more researched than most people expected.

Travolta, 72, addressed the now-viral fashion choice during an interview with CNN, revealing that his repeated beret appearances weren't random. While promoting his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, at the film festival, he rotated through black, brown, and cream berets, often pairing them with wire-frame glasses and a neatly trimmed beard.

Keep Reading Show less
Jake Lang
Ryan Murphy/Getty Images

Washington Nationals Ban Jan. 6 Rioter After He Unfurls White Nationalist Banner Targeting Immigrants During Game

During the Washington Nationals baseball team's game day "Salute to Service" honoring veterans and those currently serving in the military, a racist White nationalist banner was unfurled in the upper deck.

The banner promoted a far-right website and called for someone to "save America" by deporting over 100 million.

Keep Reading Show less