15 Weird Predictions About the Future That Came True
Some predictions seemed absurd at the time, but history proved them right.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
People have made some pretty strange predictions about the future, and somehow, a few of them actually came true. Ideas that once sounded impossible are now part of everyday life. Writers, inventors, and even TV shows guessed things like video calls, AI, and space travel long before they happened. These surprising predictions prove that the future is sometimes easier to predict than we think.
1. Jules Verne Predicted Moon Landings
Unknown author on Wikimedia Commons
In 1865, Jules Verne wrote *From the Earth to the Moon, *imagining a space capsule launched from Florida. A century later, Apollo 11 took off from the same state and made his vision a reality. The details of his prediction were eerily accurate, from the launch site to the size of the crew.
2. Mark Twain Predicted His Own Death
A.F. Bradley on Wikimedia Commons
Mark Twain was born in 1835, the same year Halley’s Comet passed by Earth. He predicted he would die when the comet returned, and in 1910, that is exactly what happened. He called it his “departure with the comet,” and fate seemed to agree.
3. H.G. Wells Predicted Atomic Bombs
George Charles Beresford on Wikimedia Commons
In 1914, H.G. Wells described a terrifying weapon in *The World Set Free, *a bomb that would keep exploding long after impact. Decades later, nuclear weapons turned his chilling vision into reality, changing the world forever.
4. Nikola Tesla Predicted Wireless Communication
Napoleon Sarony on Wikimedia Commons
In 1909, Nikola Tesla talked about a device that could fit in your hand and allow communication across the world. Today, smartphones are exactly what he envisioned. His ideas were dismissed at the time, but he was decades ahead of his era.
5. The Simpsons Predicted Smartwatches
20th Television Animation on Wikimedia Commons
In a 1995 episode, *The Simpsons *showed a character talking into a wristwatch as if it was a phone. Nearly two decades later, smartwatches became part of everyday life. The show has an uncanny record of predicting the future, and this was just one of many examples.
6. Edward Bellamy Predicted Credit Cards
Philpott on Wikimedia Commons
In 1888, Edward Bellamy’s novel *Looking Backward *described a cashless society where people used a card to make purchases. The concept was futuristic at the time, but today, credit and debit cards have replaced cash in many places.
7. Ray Bradbury Predicted Earbuds
Alan Light on Wikimedia Commons
In *Fahrenheit 451, *published in 1953, Ray Bradbury described tiny “seashell radios” that fit into ears. This sounds exactly like modern earbuds and Bluetooth headphones, which have become an everyday accessory.
8. Leonardo da Vinci Sketched Flying Machines
Octave Chanute on Wikimedia Commons
Centuries before airplanes existed, Leonardo da Vinci sketched detailed designs for flying machines. His ideas were not taken seriously at the time, but today’s helicopters and planes are proof that he was onto something.
9. Philip K. Dick Predicted AI Assistants
Arthur Knight on Wikimedia Commons
Philip K. Dick’s *Ubik *featured AI assistants that responded to voice commands, much like Alexa and Siri today. His vision of talking machines was ahead of its time, but now, AI assistants are part of everyday life.
10. Star Trek Predicted Video Calls
Niusereset on Wikimedia Commons
In the 1960s, *Star Trek *showed characters communicating through video screens, something that seemed futuristic. Now, video calls are a normal part of work, socializing, and daily life.
11. Aldous Huxley Predicted Antidepressants
Henri Manuel on Wikimedia Commons
*Brave New World *described a society where people took a drug called “soma” to maintain happiness. While not exactly the same, modern antidepressants have changed how mental health is treated.
12. Futuristic Predicted Self-Driving Cars
U.S. Army Research Laboratory on Wikimedia Commons
Decades ago, people imagined cars that would drive themselves. Now, autonomous vehicles are being tested and developed worldwide, which makes that vision closer than ever.
13. George Orwell Predicted Mass Surveillance
Cassowary Colorizations on Wikimedia Commons
In *1984, *George Orwell described a world where " Big Brother" watched everything people did. Today, security cameras, online tracking, and data collection make his prediction feel uncomfortably real. The idea of constant surveillance is no longer fiction; it is everyday life.
14. Isaac Asimov Predicted Smart Homes
Phillip Leonian on Wikimedia Commons
In 1964, Isaac Asimov predicted homes that would respond to voice commands and adjust lighting, temperature, and security automatically. Today, smart devices like Alexa and Google Home do exactly that. What once sounded futuristic is now just a normal part of modern living.
15. The Jetsons Predicted Robot Vacuums
Hanna-Barbera on Wikimedia Commons
The *Jetsons *had Rosie the robot, who cleaned the house without human help. While we do not have full-on robot vacuums, modern vacuums have taken over the chore of cleaning floors. The show’s futuristic vision was not so far off after all.