Biggest sci-fi tech disappointment

[AlboOfBorg]

Ok so for the past 100 years or so science fiction has been pumping out some pretty incredible ideas as to what our near and far future would bring us in terms of technology. So... where have scientists "dropped the ball" in terms of developing technology for us?

I'd have to say interplanetary flight. We can barely even reach the moon again and many sci-fi authors have had us reaching other solar systems by now.

 

[Garrovick]

I don't think so.

We could go to the Moon everyday with current technology, but why? 100 years ago writers didn't know the Moon was a completely useless piece of rock.

As far as the rest of science fiction, when writers create space travel, they use their unlimited space travel debit cards and their access to unlimited science development resources.

On top of that, there are still an unlimited number of problems right here on Earth that need the attention of the Science Community and the limited number of available "dollars".

Space travel will come eventually.

Just not in the time line Star Trek created back in the 1960s.

 

[bdb]

We could go to the Moon everyday with current technology, but why? 100 years ago writers didn't know the Moon was a completely useless piece of rock.

Completely useless? Surely you don't mean that?

 

[USS KG5]

I would not say it is completely useless. NASA actully think a moon base would be a great place to test long term survival equipment for a mission to Mars - where we may even find useful things.

 

[Garrovick]

We could go to the Moon everyday with current technology, but why? 100 years ago writers didn't know the Moon was a completely useless piece of rock.

Completely useless? Surely you don't mean that?

Currently, at this point in time for Earth technologicaly, it is.

There is nothing there we need, in the future could the Moon be useful? Maybe, but not now.

Except for maybe the WOW factor of going there to sightsee.

 

[captcalhoun]

rocket packs.

fuck flying cars, i want my goddamn rocket pack.

 

[Ariadne]

Petri-dish grown meat or other synthetic food.

That would be very useful.

 

[AlboOfBorg]

Petri-dish grown meat or other synthetic food.

That would be very useful.

The vegitarians would be very happy!

 

[Hitman]

Perhaps the exploration and colonization of, at least, the Solar System is my biggest disappointment.

 

[T J]

Yeah, we should be on Mars by now... bastards!

 

[anais]

Hoverboards, definitely hoverboards.

 

[zephramc]

Manned exploration of the solar system. Seven years ago should have marked the year that we set out for Jupiter aboard the Discovery. Of course her on-board computer would have killed all but one member of the crew, but still...

I want my glorious future in space promised 40 years ago.

 

[RevDMV]

We could go to the Moon everyday with current technology, but why? 100 years ago writers didn't know the Moon was a completely useless piece of rock.

Completely useless? Surely you don't mean that?

Currently, at this point in time for Earth technologicaly, it is.

There is nothing there we need, in the future could the Moon be useful? Maybe, but not now.

Except for maybe the WOW factor of going there to sightsee.

Helium 3, lots of it...

 

[flux_29]

^ It would make a great place to set up a large telescope. Even better if it's on the dark side of the moon.

 

[David cgc]

Petri-dish grown meat or other synthetic food.

That would be very useful.

That's actually coming along. I understand they've grown thin sheets of animal muscle in the lab, they just need to figure out how to stimulate it's growth to properly shape it despite it not being attached to an animal or getting any exercise.

They've even been able to synthetically grow the less complicated organs, like the bladder. They culture the cells from the patient's bladder so they grow around a biodegradable scaffold, and once it's done, boom, rejection-free organ transplant.

 

[TheSeeker]

Bionics. Where's the six million dollar man?

 

[Deckerd]

Even better if it's on the dark side of the moon.

You didn't really mean to say that, did you?

 

[Jim Steele]

It's maybe a tad unfair to hold our technological advances to the standards set out by science fiction authors. Especially when so many of them, even the good ones, were quite short sighted. Although I agree that we should be alot further on the space exploration front by now.

One area where we've surpassed most of science fiction's wildest ideas is in computing power. Even if you compare today's tech with what we had in 2004, it's light years ahead. No really, think about it.

 

[MilitaryCoo]

Even better if it's on the dark side of the moon.

You didn't really mean to say that, did you?

Yes, yes (s)he did.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

Stepford wives. I want me a Stepford wife, dammit! Now get on it!