How inventions once depicted in science fiction can help students think about the possibilities of technology in the future

After numerous blogs on the subject of D&T in the classroom, I would like to think I have earned the opportunity to indulge in a mix of two loves of mine: technology and film. So today's blog is simply the result of a bit of daydreaming while watching a film about a killer drone.

As an avid follower of technology and gadgets, I began to wonder just how many inventions, once simply science fiction (or fantasy), have actually become a reality in the 21st Century. Also, how many were prophetic - think Blade Runner's dystopian future cityscapes that look just like contemporary downtown Tokyo - and how many simply planted the creative seed needed to nurture an idea until technology caught up.

This might well make an interesting discussion for your class and an alternative take on the "chicken or egg" conundrum. So, join me as I recall a few notable technologies once considered the stuff of science fiction that have become reality:

14th November 2017