Technological progress is impossible to ignore. Just 20–25 years ago, mobile phones were more of a luxury than a communication tool. Mobile internet wasn’t even a consideration, nor were services like e-scooter rentals or food delivery. However, science fiction has introduced us to a range of potentially feasible inventions that seem to remain perpetually a few decades out of reach. These ideas and concepts emerged as early as the early 20th century – or even earlier – but significant progress in these areas remains elusive.
Clean Energy
The idea of transitioning to renewable or inexhaustible energy sources dates back to the late 19th century. The first electric car prototype appeared in 1899, and the first hydroelectric power plant was built in 1895. At that time, not all cities even had street lighting. The topic gained renewed attention after World War II, with the scientific community increasingly citing global warming and the urgent need to reduce harmful emissions. In the 1970s, optimistic predictions about a rapid transition to clean energy abounded. Futuristic concepts of next-generation electric cars appeared in magazines, and some European countries began installing wind turbines. The primary focus, however, was on solar panels. While these technologies are functional today, they still fall far short of meeting global energy consumption needs. Currently, coal and natural gas account for 60% of global electricity production. The most promising energy source remains nuclear energy, which doesn’t align with common notions of cleanliness and safety.
Colonization of the Moon or Mars
On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. Remarkably, just eight years later, on July 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the Moon. The incredible speed of technological advancements left little doubt that humanity would soon become an interplanetary species. First, the Moon would be colonized, then Mars. These ambitions were reflected in the popular culture of the time, with hundreds of sci-fi films and novels about space. One of the earliest computer games, Spacewar, embraced the theme. Humanity had conquered the oceans, dominated the skies, and set its sights on the stars. The first detailed project for a permanent lunar base was developed in the USSR by the early 1970s. The United States also aimed to establish a presence on the Moon, with projects like Horizon and Lunex. A few years were thought to remain before the start of colonization. It seemed inevitable that by the turn of the millennium, humans would be living on the Moon. Today, the timeline has shifted again, with Mars colonization now planned for 2045–2050 – still, perpetually, 20 years away.
Artificial Intelligence
The concept of a man-made thinking entity dates back to the Middle Ages, with tales of golems and animated corpses. A strictly scientific notion of AI emerged in the mid-20th century, alongside the invention of the first computers. Engineers were confident in the rapid development of the technology. Computing power increased while computers became more compact. The next step was to place a powerful processor in a humanoid shell. Today, many people use tools like MidJourney or ChatGPT, making it seem like the future has arrived. However, these are merely generative programs. Neural networks have indeed achieved breakthroughs but remain entirely dependent on the operator’s intent – and intelligence. Compare your AI-generated drawings to more professional work: the same tool is used, yet the results differ dramatically. It seems we’re just 10–20 years away from creating general artificial intelligence.
Teleportation
The idea of instantaneously transporting living beings and objects across great distances has been a staple of science fiction. Over the 20th and 21st centuries, concepts of teleportation have evolved significantly. Initially, the focus was on portals functioning like elevators: step in one door and emerge on the other side of the world – or even in another star system. Scientists have always been skeptical of this approach. First, such technology violates fundamental physical laws. Second, portals would need to be built first. While feasible on Earth, sending portals to other planets presents obvious challenges. Today, the concept of copying the original object is more popular. A teleporter wouldn’t move matter but instead transmit detailed information about it, down to the exact arrangement of atoms. The object would then be recreated at the destination. Recent discoveries in quantum mechanics suggest this might be possible. The spin (or impulse) of one elementary particle, “A,” can be transferred to another particle, “B,” at a distance. This is a significant breakthrough, theoretically enabling faster-than-light information transfer. However, practical applications for physical objects remain decades away.
Cryonics
Thanks to science fiction, everyone knows what a cryogenic capsule is, even if they’ve never seen one in real life. The concept is simple: preserve a body in a frozen state for years – or even centuries – with the possibility of revival. American writer James Bedford was cryonically preserved in 1967 and remains stored by the Alcor Life Extension Foundation. Today, several thousand people have signed up for cryonics services. However, the practice is often perceived as a scam, similar to buying land on the Moon or other celestial bodies. Cryonics companies only begin preservation after legal death is declared; freezing a living person would be considered murder. Currently, there is no way to revive a complex organism after artificial stasis. Nevertheless, in 2016, a group of 69 scientists signed an open letter supporting cryonics. Leading experts are optimistic about the technology’s potential, and successful experiments with microorganisms offer hope for breakthroughs. Still, the first human revivals remain decades away – and earlier preservation methods may have been fundamentally flawed.
