00:00Rumor had it that people would have no teeth by 2024.
00:04Thankfully, this century-old prediction about the future didn't come true.
00:08But others got a few things right about today's world.
00:11One professor was worried that horses would be on the brink of extinction by 2024.
00:17He thought that as cars and tractors became more common, horses wouldn't be needed anymore.
00:22Hence, the future generations would view them as something old-fashioned and not part of everyday life.
00:28Still, the depressing picture he painted couldn't be more different than reality.
00:34Switching gears to the bustling city streets,
00:37one Swedish architect envisioned a future where the U.S. would totally revamp its cities because of cars.
00:43He predicted that the old buildings would get torn down.
00:46Instead, three-level speedways would be built zooming right through the heart of town.
00:51The skyscrapers would have car entrances way up on the 15th floor.
00:56Moving sidewalks and underground systems would be used for moving goods around.
01:00This way, people would get rid of the big trucks clogging up the streets.
01:04Sure, cars are everywhere now, but such Blade Runner-like cities aren't quite the norm yet.
01:10And instead of building higher roads, we're trying to make our cities more walkable, breathable, and livable.
01:18Forget about cars.
01:19Back in the day, a New York City real estate specialist was pretty convinced that by 2024,
01:24we'd all be navigating the skies for our daily commutes.
01:28He even told people on the radio that the sky would be filled with personal planes
01:32and flying from home to the office would just be the regular way to start your day.
01:36There are indeed some people who get to enjoy the comfort of their private jets.
01:41Yet again, the skies aren't exactly black with aerial flyers, as he predicted.
01:47The closest us regular folks get to flying to work is hopping on a plane for a business trip.
01:52We're not jumping into a personal aircraft parked in the backyard of our suburban homes and flying to our downtown offices.
01:59By the way, not everyone pictures planes in the new century.
02:03A journal from 1900 predicted that the fastest one could get to Liverpool from New York would be in two days with electric ships.
02:12This next prediction probably sounded like pure science fiction back in the day.
02:17A British scientist imagined a world where technology would allow us to perform tasks,
02:22such as signing checks to sending out fingerprints for criminal investigations remotely.
02:28He imagined that people would be able to conduct their business without ever leaving their homes.
02:33His beliefs might have raised eyebrows back then, but today,
02:38they read like the description of modern life.
02:41He questioned why anyone would choose the hustle and bustle of city life when they could work from the comfort of their own home.
02:48Today, the Internet and digital technology have made it possible indeed and often preferred for people to work from home.
02:55So, 10 points to Lowe for his foresight.
02:58The accuracy is so jaw-dropping, it's almost as if he gazed into a crystal ball to peek into the future.
03:08A parental advice columnist was quite concerned about what our eating habits would do to us in a hundred years.
03:14He wondered if we'd all end up with no teeth, or if we'd just use paint for color on our faces.
03:20Sure, we've got some issues with junk food, and not everyone's eating their greens like they should.
03:25But it's not all doom and gloom like he thought.
03:28People are more into healthy eating than ever before, with lots of us trying out plant-based meals and getting into exercise.
03:35Teeth? Thanks to better dental care, most of us are keeping our smiles longer.
03:43Not everyone shared his disturbing beliefs though.
03:46A British politician was telling folks that by 2024, the average life expectancy would be at least 100 years old.
03:53Hitting 75 would be like being in your prime. Basically, the new young.
03:59He figured science would get us there, making sure our grandkids would outlive us by decades.
04:04Life expectancy hasn't quite hit the century mark for everyone.
04:08Yet, we're definitely living longer and stronger thanks to modern medicine and a bit more know-how about what to eat and how to live.
04:1675 isn't exactly the new 25, but there are people at that age out there running marathons, traveling the world, and living it up.
04:25That Sir Kingsley would be stoked to see.
04:28On the other hand, an article from 1900 predicted that the average American would be 1 to 2 inches taller, which turned out to be correct.
04:3721-year-old males are 1.5 inches taller than they were in 1912, while females are about half an inch taller.
04:47Some were concerned about our teeth. Some were concerned about what we would eat with them.
04:52A millionaire copper magnate worried in 100 years we'd all be rummaging for snacks with not enough to go around.
04:59That's why he set up a whole institute just to figure out how to grow food faster.
05:04His goal was to make sure we could feed a booming population without breaking a sweat.
05:09It's like he saw the future. We're all about that farm-to-table and vertical gardens life.
05:14There are not half a billion of us yet, and thanks to tech and smart farming, we're not exactly fighting over the last carrot.
05:22Thompson would be proud to see how his push for better farming is helping us keep our plates full.
05:30He wasn't the only one worried about food resources and population.
05:34A doctor was worried we'd all be squished together like sardines by 2024.
05:38He believed there would be too many of us to feed.
05:41He figured we would need to put a cap on how many kids people could have.
05:45Well, we're here now, and there are definitely a lot of us.
05:49Yet again, it's not quite the sardine situation he imagined.
05:52Despite some challenges, innovations in food production are helping us keep up,
05:57so no one's handing out tickets for baby-making just yet.
06:02Speaking of kids, in a letter to a New York newspaper, one reader pictured a 2024 where women lead the charge.
06:09He imagined a world with women holding all the power spots.
06:13Men, on the other hand, would be tackling home base, waiting on the babies, or taking care of the pets.
06:18Today, women are indeed smashing glass ceilings left and right.
06:22We've seen women rise to incredible heights in politics and business,
06:26but it's more about teamwork these days, with everyone contributing their strengths.
06:34Sticking to the kids theme here, a journalist back in 1924 imagined how the day of a student would look like in 100 years.
06:42Their story article suggested that beds will automatically fling kids out in the morning to wake them up.
06:48That's one idea that makes you appreciate your annoying morning alarm, huh?
06:52And to make things more dystopian, they imagined these beds would be operated from the schools,
06:57to make sure each student would be in the class right on time.
07:01The school uniforms would be replaced by onesies, and wouldn't be required to get washed.
07:06The breakfasts wouldn't involve a tabloid, and classroom seats would be electrically warmed.
07:11But the worst part is, if teachers realized a student was getting distracted,
07:15they would shock them with an operating switch on their desks.
07:18It's a relief this prediction didn't come true.
07:21Sounds like the same cruel inventor of population control.
07:27Venturing deeper into the steampunk-themed predictions, at the end of the 20th century,
07:32a group of visionary European artists illustrated some postcards about what the world would look like 100 years later.
07:39A few of them are surprisingly accurate in some aspects.
07:43For example, these postcards hit the nail on the head with the videophone concept.
07:48And those phone models look way more chic than a smartphone.
07:52However, other postcards are completely off the mark.
07:55Here's one that depicts a future with a weather-controlling machine,
07:59while another imagines we would have roofs over the cities to protect us from the weather.
08:04Claustrophobics can take a deep breath of relief.
08:07And check out this one that shows moving sidewalks.
08:10And this one, illustrating flying taxis.
08:13One postcard even suggests we would walk on water with the help of balloons.
08:18That would have been cool.
08:20That's it for today.
08:21So, hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
08:26Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
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