Here is a pretty cool infographic (in English) that talks about science fiction books that mentioned technologies or scientific advances that did not exist at the time their authors wrote their works and which have since been invented or discovered.
So, in 1870 when Jules Verne published Twenty thousand leagues under sea he anticipated by almost 100 years the invention of an electrically powered submarine capable of the same feats as the Nautilus.
Which shows that the overflowing imagination of authors of futuristic novels is sometimes not so far from reality... just a little ahead of time!
Besides, the question often arises as to whether it is the authors who anticipate the future or the inventors who are influenced by their readings... I'll let you be the judge!
Article updated on March 31, 2025 by Byothe
