10 Times Fiction Predicted Real Events
This article looks at 10 moments when works of fiction seemed to predict real-life events years before they happened.
- Sophia Zapanta
- 3 min read
Stories often imagine possibilities long before they become reality. At times, fictional works have appeared to foreshadow actual historical events, inventions, or disasters. These examples show how creativity and speculation sometimes align closely with the future.
1. Futility and the Titanic (1898)
Morgan Robertson on Wikimedia Commons
In 1898, author Morgan Robertson published the novel Futility, about a massive ship called the Titan. The fictional vessel was described as “unsinkable” and struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Fourteen years later, the Titanic disaster unfolded in almost the same way. The similarities between the book and the tragedy remain striking.
2. Ray Bradbury’s “Wall Screens” in Fahrenheit 451 (1953)
Agavekonyvek on Wikimedia Commons
Bradbury described homes where people watched large, wall-sized television screens that dominated daily life. At the time, TV was still small and rare. Today, flat-screen TVs and home entertainment systems mirror his description. His fiction reflected a future dominated by screens.
3. H.G. Wells and the Atomic Bomb (1914)
OgreBot on Wikimedia Commons
In The World Set Free, Wells imagined a new type of weapon based on atomic energy. He described bombs that could destroy entire cities and forever change warfare. Decades later, the atomic bomb was developed and used during World War II. His vision was chillingly accurate.
4. The Simpsons and Donald Trump’s Presidency (2000)
20th Century Studios on Wikimedia Commons
An episode of The Simpsons aired in 2000 showed Donald Trump as a former U.S. president. At the time, it was a satirical and unlikely scenario. Sixteen years later, Trump was elected president in 2016. The prediction became one of the show’s most discussed coincidences.
5. Jules Verne and the Moon Landing (1865)
Stbalbach on Wikimedia Commons
Jules Verne’s novel From the Earth to the Moon described a spacecraft launch that resembled the Apollo missions. His story placed the launch site in Florida and even calculated a flight path similar to NASA’s real one. More than a century later, astronauts followed a nearly identical journey. Verne’s imagination foreshadowed real space travel.
6. The Wreck of the Titan and Lifeboat Shortages
Internet Archive Book Images on Wikimedia Commons
Beyond predicting the iceberg collision, Robertson’s novel also described the Titan carrying too few lifeboats. This detail matched the Titanic tragedy in 1912. The lack of lifeboats became one of the main reasons for the high death toll. The fictional warning went unheeded.
7. Arthur C. Clarke and Satellites (1945)
ITU Pictures on Wikimedia Commons
Clarke, a science fiction writer and inventor, wrote about the idea of communication satellites in geostationary orbit. He predicted they would transform global communication. Just two decades later, satellites were launched and proved him right. Today, satellites power everything from GPS to the internet.
8. Stand on Zanzibar and 21st-Century Issues (1968)
Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons
John Brunner’s novel depicted a world in 2010 with mass shootings, widespread terrorism, overpopulation, and corporate dominance. Many of these issues resemble the global challenges of the 21st century. His story also mentioned leaders and policies that feel familiar today. The novel is often called prophetic.
9. Orwell’s 1984 and Mass Surveillance (1949)
Megalit on Wikimedia Commons
George Orwell imagined a society under constant government surveillance, with “Big Brother” watching every move. At the time, this was a warning rather than a reality. Modern surveillance cameras, online data tracking, and government monitoring echo his concerns. His novel remains a reference point when discussing privacy.
10. The Simpsons and Smartwatches (1995)
Miguel Mendez on Wikimedia Commons
In a 1995 episode, The Simpsons showed a character using a wristwatch to make a phone call. At the time, wearable technology was not yet developed. Smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch later made this fiction real. The show’s casual detail became a prediction.