National Geographic on How Science Fiction Informs the Future
Word would travel of scientist Giovanni Aldini’s electric reanimation experiments on dead criminals in 1803 to author Mary Shelley before the 1818 publish of her book Frankenstein. It was an instance of science informing fiction. In turn, Shelley’s masterpiece would then inspire scientist Earl Bakken to develop the first wearable, battery-operated pacemaker. This is only one example of science fiction triggering the pursuit of scientific advancement. From Jules Verne’s predictions of moon travel to Star Trek, Minority Report, The Jetsons, and so many others forecasting video chat technology, the symbiotic relationship has informed design, technical capabilities and beyond. Head over to National Geographic for a video detailing the intricacies of it all—and offering up many more examples.
Via nationalgeographic.com link opens in a new window
