Fascinating Graphic Shows How Long It Took for Sci-Fi Tech to Become a Reality

Science fiction is characterized by advanced technology that might appear at the time to be impossible to ever create. However, many works of science fiction have successfully speculated on what could be. There are so many examples of science fiction technologies that became a reality in the future. This fantastic graphic from AI PRM shows us how much time has passed between the fictional technology’s release and the actual technology’s creation.

A classic science fiction theme is space exploration. Humans have dreamt of visiting the moon since the 2^nd century with Lucian of Samosata’s A True History, which featured a Greek ship blown to the moon in a storm. Hundreds of years passed before humans finally set foot on the moon in 1969, a feat that people in the 2^nd century could only dream of. Rocket-powered spaceships were imagined by Cyrano de Bergerac in 1657 before becoming a reality in 1944. Edward Everett Hale’s 1869 short story, The Brick Moon, featured a structure launched into space to hover in orbit with people aboard. These stranded characters lived similarly to those who occupied the first space station in 1971.

The graphic explores many other types of technology, including communication tech, robotics, AI, computers, health and biometrics, and futuristic weapons. This graphic puts technological progress into context for science fiction fans.