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Science Fiction into Science Fact?

Posted by Cliff on from the our-imaginations-turned-into-reality dept.

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)."

3 of 892 comments (clear)

  1. A classic in the field by BillyGoatThree · · Score: 1, Troll

    "CyberCheating" by Joe Schmoe, written in 1988. He details a world-wide "web" of computers devoted to doing other people's homework. Today's version of that technology: Ask Slashdot

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    324006
  2. This is utter crap! by joshamania · · Score: 1, Troll

    I wish I had seen this story earlier and posted so that more of you good readers could hear my most vocal opinion on this topic. I cannot stand it when people think that some guy is sitting in a lab at Motorola thinking, "Okay, how do we make Captain Kirk's communicator?".

    This whole idea is complete bullshit. Just because some writers come up with some nifty ideas doesn't mean that they are in any-way-shape-or-form responsible for the development of such technology. Even if the Star Trek communicator (in the original) looked differently, we would still have Motorola flip phones, because it is a good way of making the design more compact.

    SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS ARE JUST THAT! THEY ARE NOT INNOVATORS (unless you count Clarke...)

  3. Thanks from original questioner -- pls mod up by Selanit · · Score: 4, Troll

    Thanks for a great response to my question! I've read many of the comments already, and liked a lot of the suggestions.

    The reading list is not likely to include Neuromancer. Why? Because I read that one this term in a different course, with the same professor. We've already decided not to allow any overlap on the reading lists between the two courses. We are likely to be reading some early Heinlein, possibly Waldo Inc. Many people have suggested reading Jules Verne, and that is certainly a possibility; I was hoping to do more twentieth century stuff, but we'll certainly consider starting with some older material.

    Tonight (or possibly tomorrow night) I will read each and every post which has been submitted (even the -1 posts). I may contact some of you via email for further discussion on some of the more interesting points raised.

    Thanks again for all the terrific comments!