Have you ever wondered what amazing technological marvels and wonders the future will hold?
We all see so much change and develop during our lifetimes, so it's pretty hard to imagine even if we stretch our minds, but that's exactly what French artists like Jean-Marc Côté did for their futuristic paper card series, "France in the Year 2000 (XXI century)," in which they imagine all of the new-fangled, life-altering contraptions future human geniuses would have came up with by the dawn of the 21st century.
These are at least 87 known cards in this series that were first produced for the 1900 World Exhibitions in Paris, and later distributed throughout France in the years 1901 and 1910, respectively.
What do YOU think the future holds? Please SHARE these mind-boggling depictions of 2000 from the past with all of your friends!
At School
While at first glance this might look like some crooked scientific experiment, I'm assuming those are supposed to be some kind of headphones that the students use to automatically absorb knowledge. Smart classrooms do exist, though we haven't gotten quite so advanced as to churn books into thoughts…or maybe we have?
Was it an early prediction for the Internet?
Aerial Fireman
Our firemen unfortunately do not yet have the ability to produce bat wings and soar to great heights…
...and rescuing people trapped in skyscrapers and tall buildings is still a challenge.
Divers on Horseback
I really want one of these trained (or perhaps mechanical) seahorses to ride, but….
...I'll just have to stick to submarines and regular old scuba diving, which did not exist until the early 20th century.
A Very Busy Farmer
The artist wasn't very far off with this prediction. Since the early 20th century, we have invented plenty of mechanical tools and vehicles to speed up the process of farming and harvesting, a far more "wireless" method as compared to this picture, if you will.
Factory farms dominate the Western food industry, and farms are no longer pastoral wonderlands of the past.
Aerial Police
People in the early 20th century seemed to truly want the ability to fly around like butterflies, and I still hope we invent something as amazing as that, like some kind of aerial Segway.
Then again, having the police able to just flap up to your helicopter at a moment's notice would be a bit anxiety-inducing...
A Tailor of the Latest Fashion
While textiles are now made in factories, having a contraption this cool for tailors to use would come in handy when getting fitted for a suit or dress…
However, we do have other awesome things now like body fat percentage scanners, MRIs machines, and full body scanners...so they weren't THAT far off.
Intensive Breeding
Probably for the best, we are still unable to instantly produce baby chicks, and hatching remains a slow natural process.
(The best part of this picture, however, is the outfit that woman is wearing; our machinery would apparently evolve beyond measure, but not our clothing).
However, factory farming is currently a hot button issue in the agricultural industry, as is mass breeding of animals for food.
A Well-Trained Orchestra
Recorded music and speakers has taken away any need for an invention like this, although it would be pretty cool to see in action!
No need for a crazy guy trying to play every instrument at once.
A House Rolling Through the Countryside
Well this sure looks familiar, as now we have mega tour buses with outdoor seating that can accommodate plenty of people…
...as well as mobile homes, of course.
A Race In the Pacific
These French artists certainly had a thing for riding flying animals underwater. We still have yet to colonize the world's oceans…
...though some researchers do live in underwater habitats while studying the sea.
Advance Sentinel in a Helicopter
This isn't too far off from our present search and rescue pilots, and although our current planes are quite a lot more advanced, it's a pretty clever idea for someone living in the 19th to early 20th century!
Flying just makes everything easier.
Electric Scrubbing
This prediction may have been a fantasy born out of a desire for convenience, but vacuum cleaners and Roombas really have become affordable cleaning staples in homes around the world.
Who could have predicted an image as amazing as this would have ever existed?
Yes, this is a cat dressed as a shark riding a Roomba. And a duckling.
Please SHARE these mind-boggling future predictions with all of your friends and family!
