Scientist's 'Ruthlessly Imaginative' 1925 Predictions For the Future (theguardian.com)
- Reference: 0175809311
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/31/2020202/scientists-ruthlessly-imaginative-1925-predictions-for-the-future
- Source link: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/29/scientist-archibald-low-ruthlessly-imaginative-1925-predictions-for-the-future-come-true
> When the scientist and inventor Prof Archibald Montgomery Low predicted "a day in the life of a man of the future" one century ago, his prophecies were sometimes dismissed as "ruthlessly imaginative." They included, reported the London Daily News in 1925, "such horrors" as being woken by radio alarm clock; communications "by personal radio set"; breakfasting "with loudspeaker news and television glimpses of events"; shopping by moving stairways and moving pavements. One hundred years after Low's publication of his book The Future [1]some of his forecasts were spot on . Others, including his prophecy that everyone would be wearing synthetic felt one-piece suits and hats, less so.
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> Researchers from the [2]online genealogy service Findmypast , have excavated accounts of Low's predictions from its extensive digital archive of historical newspapers available to the public and included them in a [3]collection on its website of forecasts made for 2025 by people a century ago. Low, born in 1888, was an engineer, research physicist, inventor and author. A pioneer in many fields, he invented the first powered drone, worked on the development of television, was known as the "father of radio guidance systems" for his work on planes, torpedo boats and guided rockets and reportedly attracted at least two unsuccessful assassination attempts by the Germans.
"It's amazing that a century ago, one visionary scientist could predict how emerging technology -- in its infancy at the time -- could have changed the world by 2025," said Jen Baldwin, a research specialist at Findmypast. "It makes you stop to wonder how the advancements we see around us today will be experienced by our own descendants."
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/dec/29/scientist-archibald-low-ruthlessly-imaginative-1925-predictions-for-the-future-come-true
[2] https://www.findmypast.com/home
[3] https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/history/2025-predictions
Easy job (Score:2)
Either say "we've invented everything, nothing will change" and you'll be forgotten if incorrect... Or predict a bunch of the most likely stuff and people will only pay attention to the stuff that seems correct.
I predict robots become the new poor, and the poor become completely disposable rabble kept away from the rich by their robots.
Sounds like sci-fi writers (Score:2)
"It is the distant year 2015. Mankind has reached all corners of the galaxy and sets its sights on the universe."
"prophecies" (Score:3)
It's cool that he was imaginative but some of those examples aren't impressive if you go and look at the history of those technologies? The first escalator patent was in 1859. Radio was a mass medium in the 1920s and alarm clocks were invented 50 years earlier. It seems obvious from there to invent a clock radio... Usually when you look it's not the concept of a thing that is the barrier it's the underlying technology i.e. the details. It's just mildly interesting because 2025 was mentioned.
Re: (Score:2)
A scientist making prophecies? Maybe the author meant predictions?
Re: (Score:2)
I think his idea of a clock radio was the clock would pick up a universal time signal (what we call the WWVB today) and set off an alarm at a predetermined time. I don't see how that is any more advantageous than using a mechanical analog clock with wind up bell though.
Not a "futurist"? (Score:2)
> was an engineer, research physicist, inventor and author.
At least he wasn't called a futurist though it could be valid. I have been to conferences where authors carry that stupid term.
Too bad the felt suit didn't catch on. Nice and soft.
Re: Not a "futurist"? (Score:1)
I have a cotton/poly or all-synthetic one-piece pajama suit. It *is* cozy. But it's not my first choice for any activity other than sleep or vegging out in front of the tv.