Thread: 20 things you (probably) didn't know about Science Fiction
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Old 02-25-2008, 08:05 PM   #77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Jordan View Post
I suppose Wells' use was of a larger-scale, i.e., for buildings or entire cities, rather than individual cooking... but the point is well-taken.
Then according to this he was only 29 years late, rather than thousands:
http://www.rise.org.au/info/Tech/geo/index.html

I do like the idea of retro-prediction though, it allows people to be much more accurate than otherwise. But in the same vein, predicting obvious consequences of existing technology is not very special. In that sense stuff like AC Clarke's prediction of radio communication via artificial satellite instead of via bouncing signals off the moon was extrapolating quite narrowly. I'm more impressed by predictions of unexpected revolutions, like pre-WWII handheld computers. Or, honestly, by plot twists that involve things that are obvious once they're pointed out - like one short story where shooting a laser rifle inside a diamond temple was foolish
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