Ahead Of Its Time: Yesterdays Tomorrow

I’ve always been a fan of science magazines. You know, they give a glimpse into the future... what we today can expect to see tomorrow. It’s a wonderful way of seeing ourselves as a species. With idealism we imagine, and almost grasp the future. We see the perfect solution for uncivilized people to live together as a civilization. It may be a hopeless affair, but we don’t know until we’ve tried it. A good thing is always worth a shot, no matter how small.

Anyway, this thread will encompass a varied set of articles that was once considered to be our future. In some instances it came true, in others, not so much. But do not despair, our future is still to be determined, even though we are creating it as we speak. However, I encourage you to visit the links I provide, because I can not mention everything I get from the source, I hope you will read it yourself. This is more to spark interest, the links I provide will do the rest.. I hope.

By the way, this is mostly for entertainment purposes, rather than educational. Why? Because it’s more fun. Education should be more fun anyways.

3D Color-TV is Here! (Jul, 1958)

Remote operator of nuclear reactor can now view in depth and color

By LOUIS E. GARNER, JR.

Three-dimensional coior-TV is now providing realistic viewing of adjustments inside a nuclear reactor. Use of stereo allows the precise depth perception necessary for correct positioning of controls, and use of color-TV permits quick identification by the control operator of reactor equipment in the dangerous area where no human is safe.

Source

Early LCD Projector? – Scanning Method Brings Television Movies (Feb, 1933)

THE progress of television has long been retarded by the lack of an efficient light source which could react instantaneously to the fluctuations of incoming radio currents and at the same time be powerful enough to project the image upon a large theatre screen.

Source

Tesla; you might enjoy this one, it is a multiple paper article. Open the source to see all the pages.

Radio Power will Revolutionize the World (Jul, 1934)

Radio Power will Revolutionize the World

by NIKOLA TESLA As told to ALFRED ALBELLI

Tesla’s World of Tomorrow

“We are on the threshold of a gigantic revolution, based on the commercialization of the wireless transmission of power.
“Motion pictures will be flashed across limitless spaces . . .

“The same energy (wireless transmission of power) will drive airplanes and dirigibles from one central base.

“… In rocket-propelled machines . . . it will be practicable to attain speeds of nearly a mile a second (3600
m.p.h.) through the rarefied medium above the stratosphere.

“. . . We will be enabled to illuminate the whole sky at night . . . Eventually we will flash power in virtually unlimited amounts to planets.”

Source

Animated Statue Smiles and Displays Her Dimples (Jun, 1934)

ALMOST human is “SHE,” work of Courtenay Pollock, well known sculptor of London.

With the aid of a small electric motor, “SHE” is smiling, coy, demure, or scornful as her master wills. Rolling her eyes about in an enchanting manner, she even displays a lovely set of dimples.

This “living” model is on display in one of the leading department stores of London. A cordon of police are required to keep the crowd moving and traffic clear in the streets.

The skull is made up of hinged sections, each of which are controlled separately through levers and switches. Gears and levers connect each part to the driving motor.

When a tinted rubber covering is slipped over the “skull,” eyebrows and hair attached, and a bit of cosmetics applied,

“SHE” is transformed into a beautiful, vivacious young lady.

Source

Ancient Seer of Modern Marvels (Aug, 1941)

Ancient Seer of Modern Marvels

Nylon and air-conditioning wouldn’t have surprised Sir Francis Bacon. He predicted them, along with most of our other present scientific wonders, over 300 years ago!

by Tyche Ayres

WILL we soon be broadcasting smells?

Three centuries ago, when the Earl of Essex was flirting with Good Queen Bess of England, a genius sat down and wrote an amazing prediction of the wonders of science which were to be realized in our day.

Writing in an era of intellectual darkness, when alchemists and wizards practiced their black arts, this astounding man foresaw the airplane, television, movies, submarines, automobiles—almost the whole range of modern discoveries.

Source

Living Germs from other worlds brought to Earth by Meteors (Apr, 1933)

Living Germs from other worlds brought to Earth by Meteors

By Robert E. Martin

SPELLBOUND at a microscope, Prof. Charles B. Lipman, University of California biologist, recently gazed at what he believed to be the first living creatures from another world ever observed. Tiny germs—some round, some rod-shaped—swarmed beneath the lens. Despite their minute size, they were as fascinating to a scientist as any hypothetical man from Mars.

Source

New Efforts May Harness SUN LIGHT (Oct, 1934)

SUNSHINE, our greatest source of potential power, is now largely wasted. It is highly probable, however, that a few years hence science will find a way to harness the mighty energy of the sun’s radiation. Solar engines and solar heating apparatus will then make it economically practicable for us to use at least a small portion of our now-wasted sunshine to run our factories, light our streets, cook our food, and warm our houses. In the United States we use, each year, something like a half billion tons of coal, a half billion barrels of oil, and fifty billion horsepower hours of water power for heat, light, and power.

Source

The most interesting articles is probably the one about Francis Bacon's book 'The New Atlantis' and the article with Nicola Tesla.

Bacon almost seems clairvoyant in his 'predictions', and he conjures up some astonishing similarities to our modern technologies. Mind you he wrote this hundreds of years ago. It takes some interpreting, but do you think he might have a real idea of what his future held, which is our present? Or is it more like philosophical ramblings?

And how about Tesla? He foresaw some very intruiging stuff! But it seems many of his ideas didn't come to fruition. Why is that? Can it be that he was and still is unparalleled in his understanding of science and electricity, and that no one has been able to match his intellect?

These are great! I love them! I was just thinking the other day about the video that talks about home shopping on a computer connected to a camera in the store! Ha ha. And if the customer wanted to see a particular item, the salesperson would hold the item in front of a camera! Wow, it's just amazing.

I've always heard that no idea is new, and even in the auto industry, one might be amazed to see that many modern conveniences were already implemented in the 50s and 60s. One car even had a record player in it that was designed not to skip!

reply to post by Divine Strake


Thanks for the amusing reply! The video you're referring to, is that on youtube? Would be fun to watch it if you could embed it for us.

I've always heard that no idea is new

Yeah, right? I think what these articles show, is that much of what's been developed over the recent years were really conceived of many, many years ago. Quite intruiging, really. I especially like the article about Francis Bacon where he (arguably) alludes to technology we have today as well. That was about four hundred years ago, I'd say that is very interesting.