There are tons of awesome inventions in sci fi movies and books. Things like faster than light travel, force fields and bionic implants. There are also some things that, on the surface, seem like they would make life easier and simpler. This is a list of sci fi inventions that seem great, but are really more trouble then they are worth.
10. Flying Cars
Imagine being stuck in traffic. It sucks right? Now imagine that you could flip a switch, and suddenly your car would begin to rise into the air. You fly over all those suckers stuck in traffic, gloating. Now that you’re flying, imagine running into a tree. Next, imagine getting into a fender bender with another flying car and plummeting toward your death in a flaming heap of twisted metal.
Flying cars would undoubtedly solve a number of problems. The only thing is, they would create a whole new world of problems. To keep from running into every single power line and radio tower we would need to create laws dictating where you could drive. Kind of like creating flying roads. Of course, as soon as you get enough flying cars, you get a traffic jam on the skyways, thus negating the purpose of having a flying car.
9. Cryogenic freezing
Cryogenic freezing actually exists today. Every year, dozens of people elect to be frozen in the hope that medical advances will progress to the point where they can be thawed and cured of their diseases. Despite obvious risks and expenses, this process has been around for decades.
Now, let’s assume that medical science advances to the point where it is possible to thaw the frozen bodies and heal any diseases which might have occurred. Suddenly, you can just go freeze yourself and thaw yourself at some point in the future. The question is then, what happens to the population when people who would have otherwise died, are brought to life in the future? Talk about overpopulation.
8. Artificial Intelligence
Movies and literature are chock full of robots. It’s quite possibly one of the most cliché objects in sci fi media. Despite this, robots are very real today and AI is not far off. Wouldn’t it be great though, to have a servant who will do anything you ask? Or perhaps a lover who never ages? What about a machine that completely supplants all menial laborers?
The answer is no, it would not be great. AI is a common theme in sci fi and usually it causes more problems than solutions. If you don’t believe me, think about the facts. The current trend is that every two years processors double in speed, halve in size and halve in price. Assuming this trend continues, in 20 years you’ll be able to purchase a computer the size of a postage stamp that’s smarter than the human brain, for about $1. Now who’s the superior species?
7. Prediction of the future
Wouldn’t it be great to stop murders before they happened? How about wars? What about knowing next week’s lotto numbers? Worthwhile goals, all of them. And entirely within reach with a time viewing machine. Imagine how many problems would be solved. No more war, famine or pestilence. The complete utilitarian society, right?
Wrong. So let’s say, hypothetically speaking, that the US has a time viewing machine; this machine then predicts that China is going to attack Los Angeles. To prevent this from happening, the US issues a preemptive strike, thus starting a war in which China launches a missile headed straight for California. Thus becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is true of any major man made catastrophe.
6. Teleportation Device
Imagine a world where you can travel to New Zealand on Saturday, then stop over in Denmark for quick visit on Sunday, before you have to be to work on Monday. No longer do we have to use precious fossil fuel to travel. Terrorism in travel is a thing of the past. Until a terrorist teleports a bomb into the White House.
First, let’s assume that there is some sort of safety protocol in place to prevent things like that from happening. Technically, a teleporter breaks down all of the atoms in your body and sends them to the destination, where they are then reconstructed. The only problem with this is the actual transmission of the atoms. That’s where information age comes in. It makes far more sense to just transmit the blueprints of your atomic structure to a reconstruction device. Essentially, a teleporter is just a fax machine. The problem arises in the early use of such devices. Have you ever made a copy of a copy of a copy? Even using the highest quality copy machine, the quality degenerates rapidly. At first, it might not be noticeable. What are a few atoms from a hair? Or a fingernail? Or your heart? We’re not sure what even the smallest change in your atomic structure would do.
5. Nanobots
Cancer has been cured! The human lifespan numbers in the centuries. All degenerative diseases have ceased to exist. Major injuries heal within seconds. Recreational drug use no longer has any negative effects. Hangovers are a thing of the past.
Nanobots have cured the world. These self replicating robots are now injected into everyone as a natural immunization. To describe the horrors of these machines, here’s a quote from Eric Drexler’s book Engines of Creation:
Imagine such a replicator floating in a bottle of chemicals, making copies of itself….the first replicator assembles a copy in one thousand seconds, the two replicators then build two more in the next thousand seconds, the four build another four, and the eight build another eight. At the end of ten hours, there are not thirty-six new replicators, but over 68 billion. In less than a day, they would weigh a ton; in less than two days, they would outweigh the Earth; in another four hours, they would exceed the mass of the Sun and all the planets combined – if the bottle of chemicals hadn’t run dry long before.
Part of the appeal of nanobots is that only a few need be injected and they can replicate in the human body. This also describes the danger. To put it succinctly: We are the Borg. Lower your shields. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance if futile!
4. Weather Control
Welcome to the future. Global hunger has been solved. The world community lives in utopian tranquility without hurricanes, tornadoes or floods. The human race can now turn its gaze to more worthwhile things like space travel and beer.
The problem with weather control arises when we unleash specific weather on delicate ecosystems which cannot exist except under certain conditions. If this hurdle is overcome there is no reason we shouldn’t have a weather control device. Until it breaks. Then a world lulled into complacency by good weather is suddenly thrown into a natural disaster. Or, in a worst case scenario, a hostile foreign power takes over our weather control devices and unleashes storms of unimaginable power and magnitude against us.
3. Genetic Engineering
Perfect humans. Engineered from before birth to be the best of the best. What could be better than having the perfect child, with no possible risk of inherited flaws? All without the use of those messy nanobots. I think the movie Gattaca (1997) says it best:
We want to give your child the best possible start. Believe me, we have enough imperfection built in already. Your child doesn’t need any more additional burdens. Keep in mind, this child is still you. Simply, the best, of you. You could conceive naturally a thousand times and never get such a result.
The danger arises not from any physical aspect of genetic engineering, but rather the social aspects. When you begin to breed perfect humans, you create an entirely new social class. Bringing discrimination to new levels, the class you belong to will not be determined by social status, income or the color of your skin, rather, the build of your genes.
2. Holodecks
After a stressful day at work, what could be more relaxing than coming home and relaxing in a nice peaceful meadow? Perhaps going for a relaxing drive in your flying car? With a holodeck, you can go anywhere, be anyone, or do anything. With the way videogames are heading, holodecks are not too far off. Imagine that you can have anything you want. Any fantasy you have is possible. And there is the danger.
It’s the perfect drug. Why would anyone bother going dealing with their crappy wife and kids when they have the perfect life in the holodeck? Why would anyone bother dealing with reality? You want to be Emperor of Rome? Sure! You want to be Blackbeard the Pirate? Why not? You want to have sex with Marilyn Monroe? Whatever you want is possible with the holodeck. It’s been jokingly put forth that the holodeck would be the world’s last invention. The thing is; it would be. Why bother inventing anything else when you’ve already invented the perfect world?
1. Replicators
Replicators are the solution to nearly every problem the world has. Imagine no more world hunger. No longer is there any energy crisis. Never again will there be a shortage of medical supplies. The perfect world where you can have anything you want.
Until the complete and utter collapse of society. You see, the replicator would make work obsolete. There would be no need for money. As a matter of fact, you would only need one large replicator and you could replicate another one. You could make anything from fresh pizza to a molecule-for-molecule exact reproduction of the Hope Diamond. The last day of the world will come when anybody can make anything.
Bonus: Time Travel
Though not actually possible, time travel would create incalculable problems. Imagine going back in time and you meet a nice girl and take her out and things happen and you go back to your time and nine months later, she gives birth to your father. You kind of have to ask yourself, “What?”
The slightest change in the past would create ripples into the future. Only you would know about those ripples, because to everyone else, that’s just the way history turned out. Then let’s say you go into the future and copy the blueprints for some fantastic machine like a replicator. You bring it back to your time and invent it and somewhere along the line some knave steals your blueprints. Oh wait! That knave was you! It just doesn’t work.
Contributor: Mystern
Being the complete Sci-Fi geek I am, I find myself disagreeing completely with any of these not being invented. Still, well written and a joy to read.
To Mystern : Please next time post an original list. Its nice that about half of it is yours.The rest…well its from Cracked.com, the articles are almost identical, except the fact that cracked tries to make it look funny.
Here, see how obvious it is :
http://www.cracked.com/article_15655_5-awesome-sci-fi-inventions-that-would-actually-suck.html
I’m all for most of those and think they would actually benefit mankind.
Especially cryogenic freezing, genetic engineering, and nano bots. Even ethical philosophers agree that the benefits of these outway the negatives.
And as for AI not being far off, you’re very wrong. Sci Fi is awesome, and I love it, but it has givin the impression that we will have fully self-aware and intelligent robots soon. It’s not going to happen soon. Not when we barely understand how the human mind works and while we’re still trying to grasp what conciousness is. It’s possible we’ll have very advanced scripts that mimic AI, but it’s still going to be scripted behavior.
I disagree only with the replicator and time travel. While it would seem to be the end of the world if people could have anything they want, it wouldn’t be. People will always find ways to adapt to new things.
As for time travel, it is possible, just not at our current level of technology, at least that’s what the ubiquitous “they” say…
Worst. List. Ever.
not to mention the terrorism that will come from a flying car.we have trouble dealing with terrorists on the ground as it is but then when you give them an extra dimension to use it will be almost impossible to deal with
scientists are already doing dodgy things with technology they dont really understand.for example some scientists are trying to make a bacteria that can break down plastic.if it gets released by accident it makes plastic a great deal more useless because the fact plastic cant be broken down makes it so usefull.then there is the fact we can recycle plastic quite easily and their is no need to break it down
we already know time travel is impossible because if it was we would meet people from the future
And how do you know that some people you have met were not from the future ??? You see.. we might as well been visited by futurepeople…no one can say for sure. Time travel is a Headache subject.
@ Mystern: Your vision and understanding of the future is limited at best. The social implications of life extending technologies are great, they would bring about population control discussions. Also bare in mind that the world of tomorrow is not the world of today. Future tech in the hands of present people is not a great idea. It is clear that humanity isn't ready for these kind of advancements. I respect your opinion but next time you want to form one…get more info on the subject at hand and make an EDUCATED guess.
actually time travel is currently possible just some are worring that when they turn it on they will recieve too many objects sent from the future and………well you get the idea.
You haven't met people from the future because we haven't invented Time machines here in the present yet. You can only travel back to when time travel was made possible.
King of the Horizon:
Ever heard of John Titor?
just sayin
I like this list; the only one that I disagree with is the Holodeck. Anyone with a good imagination can already go anywhere they want to, whenever they want!
Hey King, how do you know you never met anyone from the future?
I think Time Travel is possible and it’s been said so by people who have more brains then any of us have collectively. However, I don’t think future people can meet us here and now because that is assuming the future is already written. That what’s going to happen to me tomorrow is already predestined no matter what. However I think you can one day go to the past and that can screw up the present.
hey stacy.
in all honesty i think about subjects like these so much i change my view on them regulary.i mean theres a possiblity they end up in a parralel dimension.how can we control that we end up in our own dimension
Harshaw: Thanks for posting that. I simply felt that the list at Cracked was a bit wordy and could use some additional items.
Great List! I completely agree that the AI and the Time Machine are bad ideas, although I also do not believe that time travel is possible.
Best list I’ve ever read on this site.
PS. Does anyone know, if you’re able, how to submit a list?
Romero: Go here: http://listverse.com/contribute
In regards to the teleportation device, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle makes it physically impossible. So if you were ever able to get them to teleport, the chances of you ever reassembling them, are low. And the chances of them reassembling in the correct order to form a functioning human, are well, very slim.
“And the chances of them reassembling in the correct order to form a functioning human, are well, very slim.”
Yeah, we all saw The Fly.
Thanks Mystern.
Good List! It’s fun to think about some of this stuff. But I agree with Mathilda, if you have an imagination you can go anywhere, or be anyone you want.
The biggest problem with flying cars is accidents. Many people already cannot handle driving in two dimensions – the # of accidents that would occur adding a 3rd dimension (elevation) would be gigantic.
Replicators and holodecks – I don’t see it. somebody has to know how to make and repair these things, and the energy usage of these devices would be enormous – I don’t see society collapsing because of these devices.
King of the Horizon : Current speculations in time tavel indicate that tiem travel can only occur within the time that a time machine is created. Which since one hasnt been created yet, time travel doesnt exist yet. Explaining why we havent met anyone from the future. I personally dont think time travel will ever happen, not that i wouldnt like to see it but the complications and paradoxes it would create are just mind boggling to think about.
AI already exists maybe not to the extent that movies and science fiction make it out to be, but i see no reason why it wont. IMO it is the most possible and likely item on this list.
That list is not even original!! The original one on cracked.com is funnier. Whoever made this list sucks total ass!!
Eric: The idea is that the first replicator invented would signal the end of society as we know it. It may be true that society would not collapse completely, but certain things would no longer matter. The idea of labor would have to be completely redefined as well as copyright and wealth. I agree about the enormous power the replicator would take but the simple fix is to replicate more simple energy types, like hydrogen.
As far as holodecks go, they might not destroy society all together, some people might prefer the challenges of real life. Others might not.
Energy doesn't work that way. The very concept of a replicator would be that it would use energy to either 'create' matter (which would follow E=mc squared in terms of using energy to 'make' matter) or it would use up energy in converting matter from one form to another (fusion/fission, changing atoms into the right elements and then arranging those correctly, etc). Even assuming a perfect conversion rate (i.e. the machine doesn't lose energy in the form of heat, the interface doesn't use up any energy, etc) the ammount of hydrogen you create could be converted into just enough energy … to make up for the hydrogen you created. It would be impractical to "make" energy sources with a replicator, outside of converting excess energy into a form that is easier to transport/store.
The economy would be built around two elements at that point, energy production (harnessing solar energy, wind energy, etc … and possibly finding sources of existing fuel like oil, coal, etc) and also in terms of content generation. Someone needs to come up with the stuff you can replicate. Assuming there is no trasporter technology, you need to find out how to make something. And there can always be new things to make, which then needs to be produced. Once those things are taken into account, you also have other issues (A replicator alone doesn't solve issues of travel, vacations and the like. Service industries would still be possible).
The holodeck has a similar issue. It would require energy, and thus would be more like a subscription service than a one time payment (plus it doesn't solve your food problems). A holodeck and a replicator could end civilization … if you had some infinite source of energy that was not only limitless in terms of renewability, but also in terms of the ammount that can be used at any given time. And then you'd need to have every possible thing you could ever want programmed into the holodeck and the replicator. If civilization falls, no one would have ever designed those things. And to have all that information you'd also need an infinite ammount of memory to be able hold all those possibilities. And of course, to make the holodeck experience truly meaningful, you'd also need AI included otherwise it wouldn't be able to replace real companionship. Even in Star Trek: TNG, they had issues with the AI of the holodeck [the natural conclusion of sufficiently advanced AI being that it becomes effectively sentient and wanting to have, at the very least, the same rights as a human being).
Subliminal: Thanks for posting that again. Please read comment number 13.
@ – Eric
I suppose you could just replicate your own energy supply eh? But then I guess that turns into a chicken or the egg dilema.
As far as flying cars go though, yeah that would be a total s@#t storm.
Mystern: Sorry lol. XD Your version of the list wasn’t so bad either though.
we all think differently. when i read the title for this list, my first thought was “well, i bet holodecks and replicators aren’t on this list”. i see the conundrum that you present, mystern, however the holodeck has always been the most intriguing part of the Star Trek universe to me. and then once you get done, to be able to walk over to a machine and say “filet mignon, medium rare with mashed potatoes and a nice beverage” is just the cherry on top.
being that we are dealing with the fantasy world here, why not a list of the top 10 cool things to use a replicator/holodeck for.
leave all this realism at the door, of the holodeck that is.
DiscHuker: Yeah they’d be convenient, but the would also change nearly every aspect of society.
Re Mystern
Hyddrogen is not an energy source – it’s an energy carrier – some form of energy production be it fusion, solar, etc. is required to produce free hydrogen to use as an energy transport medium. The topic is things that shouldn’t be invented – I wouldn’t put replicators or holodecks in this category. Certainly they would dramatically change society, but so did many other inventions. That doesn’t mean they are/were bad. Plus any real replicator/holodeck will have limits and/or a price on it’s capabilities that will limit their impacts as well.
Eric: I concede those points. Well said. My intention was to present the dangers they might cause. I certainly don’t have a time viewing machine to tell you what would actually happen.
Thats like saying the danger of drinking a glass of water is that you might drowned
Real functioning holodecks and replicators would dramatically improve the ability of humans to travel in space. Rather than the Star Trek type uses though, imagine a spaceship that takes years to make a trip at non-relativistic speeds. Thing is, you can deal with this. A couple of replictors on board means you can make any spare parts/modifications, food etc. while on the trip. A large holodeck means that the human occupants can endure the trip by spending the time in an environment that won’t drive everybody insane.
Two thoughts.
Flying vehicles: Think about how much trouble we have traveling on a flat plane. Could you imagine really trying to navigate vertical as well?
Weather control: The worst aspect of weather control is that some of the natural weather phenomenon are good in a long term sort of way. The flooding of the Nile was how Egypt became an agricultural and world power. Hurricanes, while destructive to man, often work things out in a nature way. And while watering deserts sounds nice, the destruction to the eco-system would be vast.
im not that afraid of replicators.i mean they took care of them in stargate right?
LOL @ King of the Horizon
a thought about holodecks
spam.
imagine yourself walking across a long sandy beach.the day is beautiful,the sun is golden-hell you can even feel yourself tanning.you see a very scantily clad woman in the distance.hey she seems to be beckoning at you.you run over but you suddenly are rooted to the ground.then in a genric *****star voice she states why it would be practicly free to joing 14 sites all at once for only $8 dollars a month.
Point well made about weather control. -Cat Skyfire
Holodecks remind me of the machines in Pendragon, lifelight i think? Anyway it ruined their society
its not cool that you didnt even credit the website you copied exact text from, i had come to respect you and this website but you have lost a lot from me, not if it matters to you but at least post a source page
Besides the fact that I do think time travel will be possible, I thought this list was great… Most people only ever think about why something would great. Thank you Mystern for showing us the other side.
“From great power comes great responsibility.”
Butterfly: glad you enjoyed it.
Chris: Sorry to disappoint but I repeat my previous statement: Please see comment 13
butterfly: why do you think time travel will be possible?
Time travel to me doesn’t seem that farfetched. Going backwards in time, however, doesn’t make sense. Aside from the many paradoxes that you could create, how could you go back to a time BEFORE your time machine was even created?
DiscHuker: Honestly I have no technological or scientific theories to back my thoughts up. I am just a movie geek who would love for Doc Brown to be right.
“Oh wait! That knave was you!” Classic!! But what should be invented is the technology to erradicate useless media *****s like Paris HIlton or Britney Spears. It will happen. In due time. In due time.
-Andrea Carlena Beauman
awesome list.
to settle it once and for all time travel is possible and i have proof!!!
its called living.as we live we travel forward through time at a very slow rate.we can make time travel seem faster by doing enjoyable activities such as wactching tv or reading listverse(sucking up=])
I say we need a way to deactivate the “Bubble of Stupid” around minivans. Or a way to harness the Dryer Vortex. Free Energy by way of buttered toast and a cat. I could go on, but I think our heads would explode.
This was an entertaining list Mystern. Thanks for submitting it. I have actually thought about the practicality of many of these when I used to daydream in grade school… OK high school too…OK college also and I still do to this day. Are you satisfied now?
I am thinking about submitting a list in the future. I guess one has to be prepared to roll with the punches and defend and explain every word that is written. I guess that’s one of the things that makes this site so enjoyable.
Lots of food for thought there. However, I do like the holodeck idea. Although as a woman, I really don’t care to have ***** with Marilyn Monroe.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
This was just a great list and fun to read thanks hun
Mathilda – your comment reminded me of this article: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33642
Hah!
i hate to think about senior citizens driving flying cars. i doubt theyd drive fast enough to stay off teh ground
btw the 1 thing i want invented is a hoverboard like “back to the future”, it’d be sweeeet
Hmm…interesting idea, but poorly executed I think.
Besides, no Death Star?
i think that genetic engineering should be #1 for the same reasons you have already listed. social discrimination would be on an entirely different level. i’m pretty much repeating what you say but yeah it’s a pretty good list.
Could’ve sworn I same list on one of the hot link sites a while back.
I want all of these to happen. lol. it’ll be great!
Time travel has already arrived, it’s been here since the dawn of man. You simply turn off the lights, lay down on your bed, and close your eyes. Before you know it, it’s 8 hours later!!
I’ve always had a problem with time travel. You see, it implies space travel as well. Imagine I made a horrible mistake six months ago and to rectify the problem I build a time machine to go back to that fateful point to set things right. Unfortunately, when I turn it on I go back in time six months and realize I have travelled through time but not space. The Earth was on the opposite side of the Sun six months ago and now I’m approximately 180 million miles from my objective – and a nice source of oxygen. The mathematics and computing power involved in plotting the path of anything to a point where you could land safely is what will keep this idea purely on the fiction side of science fiction. Of course, one should never say never so perhaps the cosmos is filled with time machines – but they are all floating in the interstellar void and filled with people frozen in death with a look of “D’oh” on their faces. Come to think about it, maybe that’s where all the dark matter comes from…
“To put it succinctly: We are the Borg. Lower your shields. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance if futile!”
Start trek quote~!
What a bunch of nerds.