Sci Fi Predictions from the 20th century

Previously, I discussed the birth of Sci-Fi in the 1800's. That's right. The Regency and Victorian Era birthed Sci-Fi.

Now let's discuss the 20th century when it spread to TV and movies and made a major impact on the humans on Earth.

The inventions & discoveries made in the 1900's are far too many to list, so I'll just state some major ones that impacted Sci-Fi writers.

Nuclear Power

Rocketry

Antibiotics

The internet

Concept of Artificial Intelligence

Photography/Cinematography

Mass production of:

  Air conditioners   

   Personal Computers

   Photocopiers

   Airplanes 

   Automobiles

   Radios/televisions

   Transistors

   Lasers

   Wireless Technology

   Tracking systems (radar, Dopler, GPS, Satellite)

   Global network systems (cash machines

  Advanced transmission systems(wireless, Fiber Optics)

Add to this two World Wars and a string of undeclared wars and a great deal of people began to long for a better time in the future, while pessimist could see how the bad would just get worse.

Here are some predictions that came true:

Author C. Clarke predicted Video Games in his 1956 novel, The City and the Stars. Two years late the first real-life video game arrived.

He also predicted the iPad. in his 1966 novel, 2001: A Space Odyssey.  In it he has a device called a Newspad that sounds remarkable like the iPad.

Ray Bradbury predicted ear buds in his 1950 novel, Farenheit 451. The real ear buds were created by Apple in 2001

Upon writing these examples, I have to ponder. Do sci-fi writers predict well, or are they inspiring inventors to create their fabulous ideas. Given both may pull from the fertile pool I believe they both could easily derive the same ideas on their own. But it is not impossible to conceive  that upon reading about this fabulous Newspad, Steve Jobs was intrigued and set about creating a real device to match Clarke's imaginative one. 

So, what's your favorite Sci Fi creation that you want developed in the 21st century.