Since its beginning, sci-fi has allowed people to criticize ways of the past and present while dreaming about what the future of humanity will be like. Because so much science fiction is based on the future of humans, and because technology has become such a significant part of our lives, it makes sense that futuristic technology would be a significant detail for science fiction writers to consider.

But science fiction writers considered other elements of the future too, and as a result of such imaginative possibilities in popular stories, many of the ideas were then explored by the fans living in the real world. While the inventions and ideals that were successfully created or expressed were ultimately brought to life by someone else, the science fiction writers that first dreamed them up certainly also deserve some credit for the ideas.

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While this could easily just be a list of all the technological advancements that have come about as a result of science fiction tales, it can actually be credited with many more elements of the modern world than that. Science fiction is a genre that deliberately contemplates the future of the human race, in different futuristic scenarios. However, no matter what setting or plot line a sci-fi story follows, it almost always reflects something about humanity, as a species or as a society.

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As a result of this reflective storytelling, many sci-fi stories have even influenced the political and moral structures of the world that we live in today. It has also affected a lot of fashion trends, even currently as NASA merchandise and space-themed products in general are trending. In nearly every element of the society we live in, science fiction has somehow either influenced it or nodded to it.

HG Wells, Jules Verne and several other early sci-fi authors were known for their creative and futuristic worlds. Several of the ideas they imagined were not only utilized by other great sci-fi stories, but also have since then come to be reality. Again, while this could easily be a simple list of technological advancements preconceived by the world of sci-fi, some in particular seem worthy of noting.

Perhaps the earliest example of real technology being created based on a concept from a science fiction story can actually be credited to the mother of science fiction herself, Mary Shelley. In Shelley’s Frankenstein, which is widely considered to be the first science fiction story, Dr. Frankenstein brings his creation to life by using electrical currents to jump start the heart. Many years later, that idea — which, came from the mind of an 18-year-old girl — was brought to life in 1947 by a man named Claude Beck. He used two metal pieces and an electrical outlet to send a jolt through the heart of a dead patient and revive them. This is a piece of technology known today as a defibrillator, and is found not only in hospitals but in public spaces worldwide in case of sudden heart attacks or other emergencies.

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A surprising amount of technology that we use today was in some way first imagined in a science fiction book, show, or movie. Technological advancements ranging from earbuds, cell phones, and A.I., to driverless cars, bionic limbs, robots and even space stations can all ultimately be credited to science fiction. Beginning in 1927 with the silent film, Metropolis, and extending into the modern additions to the Star Wars and Star Trek universes, sci-fi films and television have taken us to literal other worlds. This genre has been so impactful in its ability to pave the future of humanity that it has even begun to influence our moral views of the way we live. As scientific advancements allow humans to be more conscious of their interactions with the world around them, sci-fi stories become more and more relevant.

Several recent advancements that can easily be linked to morality have roots that can be traced back to science fiction. In many ways, the genre helped pave the way for racial and gender equality in film, as several notable sci-fi shows and movies, like the original Star Trek, have set an example and continue to set an example that illustrates the importance of diversity. Another example is lab-grown meats, which first appeared in an 1880 story by Mary Bradley Lane. Even global warming and overpopulation was widely discussed in a science fiction piece, the 1973 film Soylent Green.

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For decades now, science fiction has been a popular medium for allowing people to reflect on how far they’ve come and how far they still have to go. Its vibrant worlds and endless possibilities make it the perfect genre for creating innovative concepts and as long as people have a future to dream of, sci-fi will likely always be a lens for doing so.

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Source: Wikipedia - Technology in science fiction