Science Fiction
|
Timeline
of Science Fiction Ideas, Technology and Inventions
|
Date | Device Name (Novel Author) |
1900 | Aerocar (from The Abduction of Alexandra Seine by Fred C. Smale) A personal flying vehicle. |
1901 | Homeworld (Home-World) (from A Honeymoon In Space by George Griffith) One's planet of origin. |
1901 | Cavorite (from The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells) An antigravity metal; when it cools, whatever it covers will be impervious to gravitational forces. |
1901 | Translatophone (from My Translatophone by Frank Stockton) A device that performs mechanical translation of one language into another. |
1901 | Breathing Dresses (from A Honeymoon In Space by George Griffith) A special suit and apparatus for survival on the surface of the Moon. |
1903 | Vandelite Gun (from The World Masters by George Griffith) An artillery device that freezes the explosive material for firing so it doesn't explode in the gun when it fires. |
1903 | Aerial Navies (from The World Masters by George Griffith) Use of vast numbers of air-ships (planes) to overwhelm land defenses. |
1903 | Death-Ray (from The World Masters by George Griffith) A thin ray of electric light that melts flesh away from the bone. |
1903 | Joystick Controls w/Remote Display (from The Land Ironclads by H.G. Wells) A fire-by-wire remote-controlled weapon system. |
1904 | The Terror (from Master of the World by Jules Verne) An amazing vehicle capable of attaining tremendous speeds - in many different ways. |
1905 | Glass Dome (from A Modern Utopia by H.G. Wells) Protective cover for cities. |
1907 | Gravitation Screen (from On The Martian Way by Harry Gore Bishop) Shields a spacecraft from the gravity of a planetary body. |
1907 | Interplanetary Radiograph Station (from On The Martian Way by Harry Gore Bishop) Network of communication in the solar system. |
1907 | Tik-Tok (from Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum) A mechanical man. |
1907 | Neutral (Point) (from On The Martian Way by Harry Gore Bishop) The point at which the gravitational pull of the sun and that of a planet cancel each other out. |
1908 | Etheroneph (from Red Star by Aleksandr Bogdanov) Spacefraft fueled by radioactive materials. |
1908 | Minus-Matter (from Red Star by Aleksandr Bogdanov) Material that negates weight. |
1909 | Breed Humans For Machines (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) Carefully cull the strong, resilient humans in favor of weakness, that the human race might be more adapted to life in the Machine. |
1909 | The Machine (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) A single vast contrivance that supplied all the needs of the world's millions of solitary inhabitants. |
1909 | The Book of the Machine (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) The only book needed for life in the vast Machine. |
1909 | Machine Apartment (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) Each person lives isolated in their own room, supported by a vast planetary machine. |
1909 | Telemedicine Apparatus (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) First reference to a device that allows physicians to examine or aid patients at a distance. |
1909 | Cinematophote (Blue Optic Plate) (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) The first reference to a tablet-sized, handheld screen. |
1909 | Video Communicator (from The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster) A device that carried both voice and image, letting the two parties see each other. |
1910 | Automaton Chessplayer (from Moxon's Master by Ambrose Bierce) The first chess-playing computer. |
1911 | Iridium Spirals (Street Lights) (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Streetlights provide sunlight at night. |
1911 | Personalized News (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) First reference to news that is customized to the needs of each individual subscriber. |
1911 | Tele-Motor-Coasters (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Powered skates for personal transportation. |
1911 | Artificial Cloth (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The creation of fabrics without organic natural fibers. |
1911 | Language Rectifier (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The first reference to machine-translation of human languages. |
1911 | Electric Rifle (from Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle by Victor Appleton) A device that shoots an electrical charge. |
1911 | Alohydrolium (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The lightest metal. |
1911 | Space-Sick (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Uneasiness associated with space travel. |
1911 | Automatic-Electric Packing Machine (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A device able to pack randomly shaped objects combined into a single package automatically. |
1911 | Aerocab (Aeroflyer) (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A electric flying taxi, or car. |
1911 | Telautograph (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) First fictional reference to a fax machine. |
1911 | Actinoscope (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A device that used a pulsating polarized ether wave to judge the distance to an object (a RADAR) |
1911 | Appetizer (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) An amazing adjunct to science-based restaurants; a room that increases appetite with gas! |
1911 | Gyrocar (from Two Boys in a Gyrocar the story of a New York to Paris motor race by Kenneth Brown) A two-wheeled, self-balancing automobile. |
1911 | Radar (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Detection of objects at a distance. |
1911 | Detectophone (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) First use of the idea of a voice-activated machine. |
1911 | Menograph (Mind-Writer) (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Direct translation of thought to paper. |
1911 | Telephot (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A device that combined the functions of telephone and television; a phone with a screen. |
1911 | Demagnitizing Ray (from The Lord of Labour by George Griffith) A beam of radiation that makes even the strongest steel as brittle as chalk. |
1911 | Gravity Nullification (Gravity Screen) (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Gravity annulled in its entirety in a small area. |
1911 | Steelonium (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A remarkable kind of steel that did not rust or corrode. |
1911 | Helio-Dynamophores (Sun-Power-Generators) (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) Photo-electric elements which transformed the solar heat direct into electric energy. |
1911 | Hypnobioscope (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) The first fictional reference to sleep teaching. |
1911 | Sub-Atlantic Tube (from Ralph 124c 41 + by Hugo Gernsback) A tunnel under the ocean; the shortest distance between the two points. |
1912 | Automated Restaurant (from A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) Food is prepared and served entirely automatically. |
1913 | Poison Space Cloud (Etheric Poison) (from The Poison Belt by Arthur Conan Doyle) A deadly cloud of gas large enough to envelop the solar system. |
1914 | Sustained Atomic Reaction (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) The idea that a sustained reaction could lead to an atomic explosion. |
1914 | Sunray Tank (from Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) A device that stores sunlight itself for use as an energy source. |
1914 | Atomic Bomb (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) A weapon that uses an atomic chain reaction as an explosive force. |
1914 | Atomic Engine (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) A motor running on atomic fuel. |
1914 | Radioactive Ruin (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) The aftermath of atomic war is generations of ruin. |
1914 | Artificial Food (from The World Set Free by H.G. Wells) Food produced without soil, chemically. |
1915 | Food Tablet (from John Jones's Dollar by Harry Stephen Keeler) All of your nutrients in one easy-to-swallow form factor. |
1915 | Zoom Call Visaphone System (from John Jones's Dollar by Harry Stephen Keeler) An amazingly early description of a modern zoom call on a big screen monitor. |
1915 | Pocket wireless phone (from John Jones's Dollar by Harry Stephen Keeler) An entirely portable, pocket-sized, telephone. |
1916 | Scientifiction (from Thought Transmission on Mars by Hugo Gernsback) Writing that combines science and fiction. |
1917 | Ray gun (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) A weapon that projects a beam of destructive force. |
1917 | Open-Air Moving Picture Shows (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) Public news outlets |
1917 | Telephone Funnel (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) A kind of two-way public loudspeaker. |
1917 | Tele-Photophonic Attachment (from The Messiah of the Cylinder by Victor Rousseau) A device that permits a telephone funnel to see as well as hear. |
1918 | Magnetic Elevator (from The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs) A device that uses very powerful electromagnets for propulsion. |
1918 | Aero Bus (Flying Bus) (from What Not: A Prophetic Comedy by Rose Macaulay) A flying bus. |
1918 | Photophone (from The Planeteer by Homer Eon Flint) A device that provided a view of the other booth. |
1920 | Robotess (from R.U.R. by Karel Capek) A female robot. |
1920 | Living Metal Cubes (from The Metal Monster by Abraham Merritt) Tiny metal cubes and pyramids that work together to create larger shapes. |
1920 | Spinning Mill for Veins (Artificial Organs) (from R.U.R. by Karel Capek) The manufacture of artificial organs, digestive tract, veins - body parts. |
1920 | Robot (from R.U.R. by Karel Capek) A (usually human-shaped) artifact with the same kinds of abilities as a human - this is the first use of the word 'robot'. |
1921 | Phonographic Locks (from A Journey to the Year 2025 by Clement Fezandie) Doors that open using voice recognition. |
1921 | Pocket-Wings (from A Journey to the Year 2025 by Clement Fezandie) Individual powered flight. |
1922 | Membrane (from We by Yevgeny Zamyatin) A listening device. |
1923 | Wireless Access Point (from Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells) Infrastructure that provides power and wireless communication. |
1923 | Acoustic Apparatus (Osophone) (from Acoustic Apparatus by Hugo Gernsback) A device that used bone conduction to transmit sound. |
1923 | Clockwork Man (from The Clockwork Man by E.V. Odle) A man from the future with an embedded mechanism to manipulate time. |
1923 | Networked Telephone Answering Machine (from Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells) A device that would accept verbal messages and store them for replay from any remote station. |
1923 | Parallel Universe (from Men Like Gods by H.G. Wells) An entirely separate realm or universe that exists along with our own; it may be wildly different or vary from ours by only a tiny degree. |
1925 | Quadraturin (from Quadraturin by Sigizmund Krzhizhanowsky) Substance that creates more space when applied to walls, floors and ceilings. |
1925 | Blaster (from When the Green Star Waned by Nictzin Dyalhis) A device that shoots a beam of energy that destroys whatever is in its path. |
1926 | Artificial Life (from Across Space by Edmond Hamilton) Creating living beings from inorganic elements. |
1926 | Starship (from War in Space by Raymond Quiex) A vehicle for space travel. |
1926 | Gyro-Hat (from An Experiment in Gyro-Hats by Ellis Parker Butler) Hidden in a top hat, this device cures staggering and reeling, for whatever reason. |
1926 | Bolognium (from Transactions of Amer Soc for Steel Treating by Edgar Bain) Very early fictional element, courtesy of metallurgists. |
1926 | Vacuum Suit (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) An early description of a space suit, and the first use of this now archaic phrase. |
1926 | Tentacle Machines (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) Enormous robots, cylindrical of body, tentacular of arms, autonomous of brain, sinister of intent. |
1926 | Flexible Metal Arms (Tentacles) (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) An interesting description of how mechanical tentacles might function. |
1926 | Blue Ray of Death (from Across Space by Edmond Hamilton) A ray that reduces an organic being to ash instantly. |
1926 | Artificial Brain (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) A non-organic device structured like a human brain. |
1926 | Atomic Energy Motor (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) An engine which utilizes atomic energy. |
1926 | Atomic Machine (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) A device that shrinks and expands its wearer. |
1926 | Electric Typewriter (from Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets Some Minor Inventions by Clement Fezandie) A typewriter that used the power of electricity to strike the letters onto the paper, rather than the finger muscles of the typist. |
1926 | Vocal Typewriter (from Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets Some Minor Inventions by Clement Fezandie) A device that accepts spoken dictation and produces printed copy. |
1926 | Automatic Judge (from Dr. Hackensaw's Secrets Some Minor Inventions by Clement Fezandie) Automatically listens to the plaintiff and defendant and provides a just verdict. |
1926 | Computer Vision (Artificial Eye) (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) A device which, attached to a suitable computer, will allow the device to see. |
1926 | Robot Wheel (from The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton) An enormous vehicular robot in the shape of a gigantic wheel. |
1926 | Transparent Dome Helmet (from The Man from the Atom by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) A spacesuit helmet that can be seen through. |
1927 | Paralyzing Cone (from The Atomic Conquerors by Edmond Hamilton) A device that paralyzes the muscles. |
1927 | Repulsor Ray (from The Time-Raider by Edmond Hamilton) Fires an invisible beam of electrons for propulsion. |
1927 | Cold Ray (from The Atomic Conquerors by Edmond Hamilton) A device that pulled warmth from anything it was aimed at. |
1928 | Hyper-space (from The Invisible Bubble by Kirk Meadowcroft) A realm or parallel universe in which it is possible to travel much faster than light. |
1928 | Meteor-Sweeps (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Maneuver to chase down and destroy meteor showers that threaten celestial navigation. |
1928 | Videophone (from The Golden Girl of Munan by Harl Vincent) A person-to-person communication device offering sight as well as sound. |
1928 | Meteorometer (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A device that warned space ships in flight about oncoming meteors. |
1928 | Hall of the Council (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) An enormous council chamber, fit for a galaxy. |
1928 | Heat Transmitter (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Device which captures solar energy close to the source and then beams it in concentrated form to outer planets. |
1928 | Telechart (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) An interactive metal plate upon which were displayed celestial objects for interstellar navigation. |
1928 | Pain Ray (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Creates pain by nerve induction. |
1928 | Space-Lanes (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Well-traveled routes through outer space. |
1928 | Repellor Anti-Gravity Rays (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Device provides support for planet-side air travel. |
1928 | Disintegrator Ray (Dis Ray) (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A device that projects a beam reducing matter to nothingness. |
1928 | Jumper (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Inertron belt results in effective weightlessness. |
1928 | Ultron (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Very handy material is invisible and non-reflective. |
1928 | Ultraphone Ear-Disc (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Wireless receivers that fit directly over the ears; they also offered noise reduction. |
1928 | Chest Disc (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A voice activated wireless transmitter. |
1928 | Concentro (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Concentrated synthetic food rations. |
1928 | Rocket Gun (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) In essence, a bazooka. |
1928 | Inertron (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Material with all the properties of heavier metals, but lighter. |
1928 | Fur Pressure-Suit (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) A warm pressurized suit for use in the airless void of space. |
1928 | Airlock (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) An intermediate chamber between airless space and the interior of a space craft. |
1928 | Flying Harness (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Device allows free movement in the air. |
1928 | Grantline Comptometer (from Beyond the Stars by Ray Cummings) Key-driven computer/calculator that easily solves even calculus problems. |
1928 | Anti-Gravity Belt (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A device which, when worn, reduces exposure to the effects of gravitation. |
1928 | Death-Beam (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Ravening pale beams of light used in space battles. |
1928 | Ultrophone (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A means of communication that transmits and receives simultaneously. |
1928 | Ultron Wire (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) Invisible metal makes the thinnest, strongest wire. |
1928 | Gravity-Screen (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A device that shields an object from the effects of gravity. |
1928 | Viewplate (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A flat panel viewing display. |
1928 | Universal Sterilization Law (from A Biological Experiment by David H. Keller) All young people were sterilized, and replacement people were generated artificially. |
1928 | Aeroplane Baseball (from The Educated Pill by Bob Olsen) A standard-sized baseball making possible non-standard pitches. |
1928 | Stilt-Legged Chairs (Walking Chairs) (from Vandals from the Moon by - Marius) An alien conveyance. |
1928 | Decay Ray (from Vandals from the Moon by - Marius) A mysterious ray that seems to hasten Time for whatever it illuminates. |
1928 | Spacecraft Landing Wings (from Vandals from the Moon by - Marius) A means of cutting speed from orbit, then landing. |
1928 | Metal Worms (from Vandals from the Moon by - Marius) Huge wriggling metal war engines. |
1928 | Atoplane (from The Moon of Doom by Earl L. Bell) An airplane powered by nuclear energy, capable of tremendous speed and distance. |
1928 | Raytron Apparatus (from Beyond the Stars by Ray Cummings) A device for aerial surveillance; the image was transmitted back to the user. |
1928 | Telestereo (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A disk, upon which the projected image of the distant sender appears. |
1928 | Space Buoy (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A marker in space. |
1928 | Neutralizing Wall (from The Golden Girl of Munan by Harl Vincent) A barrier that stops electrical and mechanical vibrations, rendering the protected area effectively invisible. |
1928 | Private Space Cruiser (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A fully space-worthy ship under private ownership. |
1928 | Harvest Power From Stray Energy (from The Golden Girl of Munan by Harl Vincent) A means of collecting enough energy from stray electronic impulses to power a device. |
1928 | Atomic Percolator (from The Golden Girl of Munan by Harl Vincent) Make coffee with radiation. |
1928 | Floater (from Armageddon: 2419 A.D. by Philip Frances Nowlan) A device that allows the user to literally float in the air |
1928 | Vibration-Propelled Cruiser (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A spacecraft with a propulsion system relying on waves in spacetime itself. |
1928 | Attractive Ray (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) A beam of radiation that pulls. |
1928 | Synthetic Babies (from A Biological Experiment by David H. Keller) A means of gestating eggs to term is found. |
1928 | Psycho-Phone (from A Biological Experiment by David H. Keller) A device that recorded and played back the thoughts of the user. |
1928 | Auto-Car (from The Revolt of the Pedestrians by David H. Keller) A personal vehicle for indoor and outdoor use. |
1928 | Steering a Star (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Steering a star, altering its path, taking it to a new location. |
1928 | Needle Pipe (from Beyond the Stars by Ray Cummings) A device that could project slivers of metal at near light speed. |
1928 | De-atomizing Ray (from Crashing Suns by Edmond Hamilton) Beam of energy causes matter to fly apart. |
1928 | Negative Acceleration (from Skylark of Space by E.E. 'Doc' Smith) Turning a torchship through a half-circle, thereby applying force in the direction of motion, slowing the ship down. |
1928 | Electric Diaper (from The Psychophonic Nurse by David H. Keller) A diaper that will indicate when it is wet. |
1928 | Mother World (from The Moon of Doom by Earl L. Bell) One's home planet, or the origin world of one's species. |
1928 | Psychophonic Nurse (from The Psychophonic Nurse by David H. Keller) A child-care robot - a nanny bot. |
1929 | Ray-Pistol (from The War of the Planets by Harl Vincent) An early version of the raygun. |
1929 | Moon Weaponized (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A military application of moons, planetoids and asteroids; dropping them from space. |
1929 | Transparent Aluminum (from The Space Hermit by E. Edsel Newton) Invisible light steel. |
1929 | Hyperstereoscope (from The Book of Worlds by Miles J. Breuer) A book of three-dimensional pages. |
1929 | Aircycle (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Motorcycle for the air with gravimetric coils instead of wheels. |
1929 | Predictograph (from Futility by S.P. Meek) Capable combining and projecting hundreds of complex curves into the future. |
1929 | Space Sailing (from The World, The Flesh And The Devil by J.D. Bernal) Using the solar wind to propel a space vessel. |
1929 | Rescue Nets (from Flight of the Eastern Star by Ed Earl Repp) Nets raised around the circumference of a vast air transport. |
1929 | Spinner Ship (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Pinwheel rockets created centrifugal forces like gravity. |
1929 | Space Craft (from Night-Thing by Wilford Allen) A ship that travels through the airless void of space. |
1929 | O-220 (from Tarzan at the Eath's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs) Ultralight zeppelin |
1929 | Harbenite (from Tarzan at the Eath's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs) Ultralight metal. |
1929 | Gyrocosmically Stabilized Interplanetary Rocket (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A mouthful, perfect for trips to the larger asteroids. |
1929 | Position Locator Display (from Flight of the Eastern Star by Ed Earl Repp) Screen shows the position of hundreds of aircraft; |
1929 | Metalloglass (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A transparent "glass" made of metal. |
1929 | Atmospheric Pressure Control Plane (from Around the World in 24 Hours by R.H. Romans) A vessel that flies by creating pockets of high and low pressure. |
1929 | Televisor (from The Phantom Teleview by Bob Olsen) A viewing screen. |
1929 | Suitcase Airplane (from Suitcase Airplanes by E.D. Skinner) A diminutive, collapsible, two-passenger biplane. |
1929 | Teleview (from The Phantom Teleview by Bob Olsen) A device for seeing at a distance. |
1929 | Electro-Culturer (from The Ancient Brain by A.G. Stangland) A device used to artificially stimulate cell growth and development. |
1929 | Personal Metallic Record Disc (from The Ancient Brain by A.G. Stangland) A stamped metal record that contains all of a person's data in a convenient form. |
1929 | Mechanical Men (from The Ancient Brain by A.G. Stangland) Remote controlled robots used to perform dangerous work. |
1929 | Air Tunnel (from Through the Air Tunnel by Harl Vincent) A means of sending trains through the air. |
1929 | Pocket Gravity Nullifier (from The Sky Maniac by Henri Dahl Juve) Personal device stops gravity's effect. |
1929 | Gravity Nullifier (from The Sky Maniac by Henri Dahl Juve) Shields a large object from the effect of gravity. |
1929 | Robot Control Board (from The Robot Master by O.L. Beckwith) Control panel with small screens showing the point of view of different robots. |
1929 | Shovel-Handed Digging Machines (from The Onslaught From Venus by Frank Phillips) Huge multi-legged machines used to dig and manipulate earth. |
1929 | Rocket Engine Moves Moon (from The Space Dwellers by Raymond Z. Gallun) Using the propulsive mechanism of a space ship to move a small moon or asteroid. |
1929 | Human Blood Chlorophyll (from The Murgatroyd Experiment by S.P. Meek) Replacement of elements of human blood with chlorophyll. |
1929 | Hypnotelevisor (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A device that displays memories directly on a helmet screen. |
1929 | Aerocab (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A floating taxicab. |
1929 | Ship Pushes Moon (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Altering the course of a small moon by pushing on it with a rocket motor. |
1929 | Force-Ray (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A large, hand-held spear of force. |
1929 | Reflectocosmic Spectrometer (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A device that detects and measures cosmic rays that reflect from different metals. |
1929 | Atomic Shell (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A nuclear munition, fired from a cannon. |
1929 | Ships With Legs (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Space ships with mechanical limbs for walking the Earth. |
1929 | Rocket Pistol (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) Using pistol rounds to maneuver in space. |
1929 | Ship's Artificial Gravity (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A very early mention of the term. |
1929 | Remote Telepresence Robot (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A very early depiction of this basic idea. |
1929 | Mechanical Hand (from Buck Rogers, 2430 AD by Philip Nowlan (w/D. Calkins)) A large robotic hand or claw, large enough to grasp a person. |
1929 | Sol (from Out of Void by L.F. Stone) Familiar name for our own sun. |
1929 | Air-Freighter Cargo Plane (from The Invisible Raiders by Ed Earl Repp) An enormous airplane used for transporting cargo across the country. |
1929 | Cubic City (from The Cubic City by Louis Tucker, D.D.) A city contained in a single, immense building. |
1929 | Massive Open Learning (from The Threat of the Robot by David H. Keller) Teach using standard videos prepared by the best teachers. |
1929 | Robots Take Human Jobs (from The Threat of the Robot by David H. Keller) Robots displace human beings in the workforce. |
1929 | Governing Keyboard (from The Threat of the Robot by David H. Keller) A remote-controlled robot responds to keyboard commands. |
1929 | Television Sheet (from The Threat of the Robot by David H. Keller) A large, flat screen television set. |
1929 | Space Travel (from A Baby on Neptune by Clare Winger Harris (w/MJ Breuer)) Human movement through outer space. |
1929 | Pay Per View TV (from The Threat of the Robot by David H. Keller) The broadcast of games and matches to private televisions for a fee. |
1929 | Fan Ray (from The Onslaught From Venus by Frank Phillips) A protective ray screen in the shape of a cone. |
1929 | Boring Heat Machine (from The Onslaught From Venus by Frank Phillips) Takes tunnel boring material and turns it into building material. |
1929 | Brain Placed In Metal Body (from The Comet Doom by Edmond Hamilton) A robotic body with a support system for a connected organic brain. |
1929 | Ships Propelled By Light Pressure (from The Comet Doom by Edmond Hamilton) Space ships that use light pressure from a distant source for propulsion |
1929 | Vibration Machine (from The Comet Doom by Edmond Hamilton) A device that neutralized the gravitational force of the sun on the earth. |
1929 | Helium Tubes (from The Cubic City by Louis Tucker, D.D.) Lighting that exactly mimics the frequencies of sunlight. |
1929 | Chemical Brain (from The Chemical Brain by Francis Flagg) A purely chemical artificial intelligence. |
1929 | Sunparlor (from The Cubic City by Louis Tucker, D.D.) A vast esplanade enclosed in glass, to permit sunbathing without leaving an immense building. |
1929 | Diagnostic Type Sense Transmitter (from The Sky Maniac by Henri Dahl Juve) Allows the doctor to directly feel the same sensations that the patient feels. |
1929 | Disrupter Ray (Molecule Disrupter) (from The Silent Destroyer by Henri Dahl Juve) Atoms of materials no longer adhere to each other. |
1929 | Life Chamber (from The Chamber of Life by G. Peyton Wertenbaker) A machine-mediated, fully immersive experiential environment. |
1929 | Anti-Fatigue Pill (from The Silent Destroyer by Henri Dahl Juve) A pill that counteracts the effects of fatigue and lack of sleep. |
1929 | Local Time Clock (from The Silent Destroyer by Henri Dahl Juve) A clock for use in airships that always indicates the time for the place they are flying over. |
1929 | Indirect Cold Light (from The Silent Destroyer by Henri Dahl Juve) Apparently source-less lighting, highly efficient, with no waste heat. |
1929 | Instant Photography (from The Silent Destroyer by Henri Dahl Juve) A photograph that develops immediately inside the camera. |
1929 | Flying Platform (from Locked Worlds by Edmond Hamilton) Simple black squares that fly and hover. |
1929 | Electric Kitchen (from The Shot Into Infinity by Otto Willi Gail) Food preparation in space requires safe equipment. |
1929 | Spacesuit Testing (from The Shot Into Infinity by Otto Willi Gail) A device and method for testing spacesuits. |
1929 | Pneumatic Suit (from The Shot Into Infinity by Otto Willi Gail) An airtight spacesuit. |
1929 | Magnetic Shoes (from The Silent Destroyer by Henri Dahl Juve) Footgear magnetized for working on steel hulls. |
1929 | Overmind (from The Chemical Brain by Francis Flagg) A consciousness that supersedes the minds of many individuals. |
1929 | Inurbanity (Inurbane) (from The Cubic City by Louis Tucker, D.D.) Criminal penalties for persons who are unable to behave properly in crowded cubic cities. |
1600-1899 1900-1949 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's
Technovelgy.com
is devoted to the creative inventions of science fiction authors and movie
makers. Look for the Science Fiction Invention
Category that interests you, the Dictionary
of Science Fiction Inventions, the Timeline
of Science Fiction Inventions, or see what's New.
Find new authors and technologies - Shop for yourself,
your library and your lab.
AI Welfare Position At Anthropic Filled By Human
re: Isaac Asimov
(11/15/2024)
Marslink Proposed By SpaceX
re: George O. Smith
(11/13/2024)
Simple Way To Defeat AI Face Recognition
re: Neal Stephenson
(11/11/2024)
Wood-Panelled LignoSat Launched
re: Dan Simmons
(11/9/2024)
Laser-Beam Welding In Orbital Factories
re: Jerry Pournelle
(11/7/2024)
'Iceberg House' Of Travis Kelce Reflects Science Fiction Of Past Century
re: Clifford Simak
(11/5/2024)
Mechazilla Arms Catch A Falling Starship, But Check Out SF Landing-ARMS
re: Edmond Hamilton
(11/3/2024)
A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
re: Neal Stephenson
(11/1/2024)
Robot Hand Separate From Robot
re: Philip K Dick
(10/29/2024)
Hybrid Wind Solar Devices
re: Simpson Stokes
(10/27/2024)
Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated?
re: AG Stangland
(10/25/2024)
Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way
re: AE van Vogt
(10/23/2024)
Solar-Powered Space Trains On The Moon
re: Arthur C. Clarke
(10/21/2024)
Drone Deliveries Instead Of Waiters In Restaurants?
re: H. Beam Piper
(10/19/2024)
Optimus Robot Can Charge Itself
re: William Morrison
(10/17/2024)
Skip Movewear Arc'teryx AI Pants
re: Edmond Hamilton
(10/17/2024)
'Robovan' Name Already Taken - Elon, Try These
re: Weinbaums
(10/15/2024)
How Old Are Tesla Designs?
re: Various
(10/13/2024)
Is Your Autonomous Tractor Safe?
re: Brian W. Aldiss
(10/11/2024)
Smart TVs Are Listening!
re: George Orwell
(10/9/2024)
Police Drones In China Would Like To Have A Word With You
re: James Blish
(10/7/2024)
Oh Great (Part 2), Fence-Climbing Robots
re: Michael Crichton
(10/5/2024)
Are The Thought Police Listening To Everyone All The Time?
re: George Orwell
(10/3/2024)
Finally, Robot Conductors On Autonomous Buses
re: Robert Silverberg
(10/1/2024)
RoboShiko! Sumo Exercises Still Good For Robots
re: Roger Zelazny
(9/29/2024)
Giant Robotic Hands At Gundam Next Future Science
re: Robert Heinlein
(9/27/2024)
JWST Finds Bucking Centaur 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
re: Jack Williamson
(9/25/2024)
BeamBike Solar Power Canopy For Electric Bikes
re: David Brin
(9/23/2024)
California Fireman Arrested For Starting Fires
re: Ray Bradbury
(9/21/2024)
Robots Need A Better Sense Of Touch
re: AE van Vogt
(9/19/2024)
MouthPad Supports Head And Tongue Tracking
re: Alfred Bester
(9/17/2024)
REALLY Remote Control Excavators
re: Pournelle and Niven
(9/15/2024)
(See More Science Fiction in the News)
Home | Dictionary
| Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact
Us | FAQ | Advertise | Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™ Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved. |
||