Science Fiction into Science Fact?

Selanit asks: "I'm a student of English literature at the University of Colorado, in Boulder, with a pronounced interest in all things tech as well. Next term I'll be taking an Independent Study course which combines the two -- the topic will be 'Influences of Science Fiction on Real-World Tech.' The professor and I are still trying to assemble a reading list. So here's my question: what science-fiction novels have had a particularly noticeable effect on the development of technology? I'm mainly interested in books that have been written since World War II. The line of inquiry is not limited to computers; any kind of link between sci-fi and hard tech will do (e.g. Cap'n Kirk's communicator == prototype mobile phone). Books that have lent a name to a technology are also interesting (like the 'Little-Endian, Big-Endian' terms which were lifted from Gulliver's Travels, or 'Babel Fish' from Douglas Adams)."

Comments

Re:English Major Idiot

[hairport77]

very wet of you . . . as in blanket.

someone mod me up!

[sledd_1]

I've got an original one:
'Survivor' is nothing more than Niven/Pournelle's Dream Park series...

wooo-haa

Isn't that what science fiction is all about?

[burts_here]

I thought that science fiction was about predicting the future, sci-fi usually has gadgets, the best work is originall work , volla, original gadgets...!!! hehe!!!
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