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1926: Visions of Future Tech & Society
9 Dec
Summary
- 1926 saw predictions of television and the end of diseases.
- Experts foresaw synthetic materials replacing natural resources.
- Aviation advancements promised global travel in under 10 days.
A look back at 1926 reveals a world buzzing with predictions about the future, many of which echo our current technological landscape. From the nascent stages of television, described as "moving pictures and images painted by beams of light," to the growing confidence in its imminent arrival, a century ago anticipated a future where visual communication would transform society.
The "synthetic age" was proclaimed, with scientists exploring the creation of artificial materials to overcome resource scarcity, envisioning substitutes for wood and rubber. Even the prospect of synthetic nutrition was contemplated, though the idea of replacing meals with pills seemed unlikely then, as it might today.
Furthermore, the era foresaw dramatic advancements in travel. The dawn of commercial aviation promised a connected world, with projections that a global trip could be completed in under 10 days. This era also saw significant medical progress, with insulin therapy becoming widely accepted as a life-extending treatment for diabetes.
