SF readers know that science fiction authors are well ahead of the game; for example, consider the napcap rental facility from Larry Niven's 2003 novel Saturn's Race:
She punched her card into the Napcap's slot. The lid lifted and she crawled inside. It shooshed down. The inside received her as a womb. The prospect of rest triggered an avalanche of yawns, and she was asleep before the lid sealed fully back in place. (More)
Update: 24-Feb-2024: As far as I know, the first use of the phrase "sleep pod" in science fiction is from Mantis (1967) by Chris Boyce. End update.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 2/9/2023)
Gaia - Why Stop With Just The Earth?
'But the stars are only atoms in larger space, and in that larger space the star-atoms could combine to form living matter, thinking matter, couldn't they?' - Robert Castle, 1939.
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Gaia - Why Stop With Just The Earth?
'But the stars are only atoms in larger space, and in that larger space the star-atoms could combine to form living matter, thinking matter, couldn't they?'
Microsoft VASA-1 Creates Personal Video From A Photo
'...to build up a video picture would require, say, ten million decisions every second. Mike, you're so fast I can't even think about it. But you aren't that fast.'