Science fiction, above every other genre, has the potential to expand our horizons and seek out what is possible. Many of the folks behind the original cell phones, for instance, were partially inspired by Star Trek’s communicators. And, in time, smartphones came to take their place — and an increasingly large role in modern society. You can get surprisingly good results with sharing tips like these on your TikTok account as you will find your target audience there. For guaranteed results buy tiktok likes.
While I’m still bummed phones — or communicators– no longer have that satisfying click when you slam them shut, it’s also proof positive that some of the most important inventions of our time are forged in the creative minds of science fiction’s most visionary creators.
So we’ve compiled our list of the coolest tech in science fiction — the stuff we wish our real-world scientists would hurry the hell up on.
Downloading Kung Fu, The Matrix
No, the Matrix was not the first sci-fi world to come up with the idea of pushing data from a computer straight into the human brain. But it’s definitely got the most pseudo-realistic version of it — and one that still seems pretty damned cool.
For starters, all the data pushed to Neo’s neocortex came from discs that had to be loaded in. Neo would learn the new ideas instantly, but there was clearly some toll. And each concept had to be loaded one by one. That’s very definitely not how the brain works, but something about that seems a bit more plausible than dumping abstract concepts or even whole worlds into someone’s head. But maybe that’s just me.
Dope-ass screens, Minority Report
Long held to be the gold standard of sci-fi human-machine interfaces, The Minority Report showed holographic touch screens that were controlled with special gloves. This later became the visual inspiration behind much of the tech in Iron Man (2008).
Needless to say, having gesture-based computing like this would be incredible. And I eagerly await the day when it’s a reality. Again, scientists, make with the science and then give me that thing.
Lightsabers, Star Wars
Of course, OF COURSE, there’d be lightsabers. They’re lightsabers. Goddamn. These are among the most iconic weapons in all of science fiction. We played with some faux ones a few weeks ago.
There honestly isn’t much else to say. Yeah, scientists, I get that it’s really hard to make a hand-held device that can project a beam of energy at who-the-hell-knows temperatures without burning the user, but… It’d be cool. C’mon. Please?
Time Machine, Primer
There are a thousand time machines we could have put here. The time machine from Time Machine, for instance. But this one gets the pass because, so far as I think anyone can tell, its mechanics of time travel are paradox-free. Granted, that means the plot’s the most complicated thing this side of relativistic physics, but… Better than being my own grandpa — looking at you, Phillip J. Fry.
Everything from Men in Black
Men In Black
If we had to pick one device from Men in Black, it’d be none other than neuralyzer. But honestly, the entire point of the series is surreptitiously advanced tech. Who the hell wouldn’t want a “Ford POS” some rockets and laser beams and shit? James Bond ain’t shit.
Hoverboard, Back to the Future
This, along with the flying car and the jetpack, are the trio of classic “Why the hell don’t we have these yet,” technologies. In the case of the hoverboard, we did actually get something similar-ish, but definitely not like what we see in the film — boards that don’t work on water. Unless, of course, you’ve got power. That’s very important to remember.
Anything from Star Trek
Okay, I know it’s kind of cheating to have two anything’s on the list, but there isn’t really a major tech in Star Trek that wouldn’t be amazing. Hyper-advanced computers, awesome non-lethal weapons, tremendous power production, transporters, etc. That’s kind of the thing, when you make utopian science fiction, everything tends to be pretty great.