|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 21:16:56 GMT -5
As you all have picked up from previous posts, he and H.G. Wells are my favorite authors. This topic will focus on what Jules Verne predicted in his various written works, some of which I knoew already, and others I found out yesterday. Aquatic Travel-20,000 Leagues Under the Sea(known) Space Travel-From Earth to the Moon, Around the Moon(Known) Helicopters-Robur the Conquerer Here are those i recently discovered Gasoline Powered Automobiles-Paris in the Twentieth Century High-speed trains-PITTC Calculators-PITTC The Internet! PITTC Fax Machines PITTC Electric Chair-PITTC Terraforming(Changing the environment of a planet to suit our needs) This kind of thing makes me wonder, how could he predict these things? He describes the internet as a "a worldwide "telegraphic" communications network" Fax Machines as a "photographic telegraphy permitted transmission of the facsimile of any form of writing or illustration" And electric chairs as criminals "executed by electric charge" Source: Wikipedia.
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 21:35:53 GMT -5
Perhaps in his predictions, he essentially inveted those things. Someone else might have read the books and thought they could be useful and can be done and just developed it. Basically, he was the true inventor of these things.
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 21:41:14 GMT -5
That is what happened with a book written by H.G. Wells, The World Set Free, in which all of the world's major cities are destroyed by atomic bombs.
As fate or coincidence would have it, in reality the physicist Leó Szilárd read the book in 1932, conceived of the idea of nuclear chain reaction in 1933, and filed for patents on it in 1934. Wells did have some knowledge of actual atomic physics, Rutherford and Soddy's discovery of the disintegration of uranium. Soddy in a book called Wealth, Virtual Wealth and Debt praises The World Set Free.
From wiki
I just find it fascinating that he "invented these things at an age that the greatest technology like it was photography and the printing press!
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 21:49:55 GMT -5
Wow, their thoughts were really advanced then. I guess books by great authors created some of the greatest achievements to this date. I never thought that could happen on such a large scale.
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 21:56:56 GMT -5
The very first sci-fi books written were by such thinkers as Voltaire in his book MicromegasAnd Lucians book A True Story
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 22:10:44 GMT -5
I had no idea Voltaire had time to make a Sci Fi book! He made one of the first forms of media to strengthen the French Revolution but I had no idea he was an accual author. You have made it clear of the difference between fantasy and Sci Fi. Good finds.
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 22:11:41 GMT -5
Yes i was surprised that a man as busy as Voltaire would have had time to become one of the founding fathers of sci-fi.
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 22:15:57 GMT -5
That's what I was thinking, but I guess even giant historical figures need something to while they make history. I feel an odd urge to learn more of history today. I like to learn a lot but today the feeling is strong.
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 22:20:03 GMT -5
well hasten to devour the entire span of human history before the day ends!
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 22:21:41 GMT -5
That's what I should do. There is so much you can learn from history. Hitler might have been successful if he learned of Napoleon's mistake.
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 22:22:59 GMT -5
Im not sure about that but was it not trying to control the seas?
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 22:27:18 GMT -5
No. Napoleon in his arrogance decided to split his army into 2 fronts and fight divided and against several countries. Hitler had done the same, and his army was crippled because of hit. i assume you know how the Nazi's were defeated right?
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 22:35:23 GMT -5
It was mainly due to efforts by the USSR and their capture of Warsaw, and Hitler commited suicide in his bunker.
|
|
|
Post by Jarlaxle on Aug 18, 2006 22:38:30 GMT -5
That played a role, but I think the biggest factor was that the tanks fuel froze up durin Russia's winter. The machines froze and the troops were unable to make progress. Have you heard of the rumors about drug uses by Hitler and his soldiers? I personally don't beleive them.
|
|
|
Post by buttonpresser4815 on Aug 18, 2006 22:39:29 GMT -5
Well i have not been informed of those but a friend told me of alleged homosexuality among Hitler's closest circles.
|
|