Pre-World War II science fiction made several significant predictions that eventually materialized, showcasing the genre’s remarkable foresight. Some of the most notable predictions include:

Space Travel: Jules Verne’s “From the Earth to the Moon” (1865) and H.G. Wells’ “The First Men in the Moon” (1901) imagined lunar exploration long before the actual moon landing in 1969. Verne’s novel, in particular, featured a space cannon and a capsule with astronauts, a precursor to the real methods used in space exploration.

Submarines: Jules Verne’s famous novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” (1870) depicted the Nautilus, a submarine that could travel the depths of the oceans. This was decades before the first functional military submarines were developed. Verne’s vision of undersea travel and exploration was remarkably prescient.

Atomic Power and Nuclear Weapons: H.G. Wells in “The World Set Free” (1914) predicted the development of atomic bombs. He wrote about a type of bomb that released energy slowly, over time, much like the real atomic bombs developed in the mid-20th century.

Video Surveillance: The concept of widespread surveillance and the use of ‘telescreens’ in George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (1949) closely mirrors modern surveillance technology and CCTV systems, although Orwell’s novel was published slightly post-WWII.

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence: Karel Čapek’s play “R.U.R.” (Rossum’s Universal Robots) (1920) not only introduced the word “robot” but also envisioned a future where these artificial beings performed labor and had significant implications for society. This foresight aligns with the modern development of robotics and AI.

Credit Cards: In Edward Bellamy’s “Looking Backward” (1888), a utopian novel, he described a card system for purchases, which is strikingly similar to modern credit cards and electronic financial transactions.

Television and Live Broadcasting: “In the Year 2889” (1889), often attributed to Jules Verne but actually written by his son Michel Verne, predicted the invention of the “phonotelephote” – a device that transmitted audio and video, allowing people to see and hear events globally, akin to modern television broadcasting.

Voice-Activated Technology: Hugo Gernsback’s “Ralph 124C 41+” (1911) featured various technological innovations, including something akin to voice-activated devices, which have become a reality in the form of digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri.

These predictions reflect the imaginative and often remarkably accurate visions of early science fiction writers, who not only foresaw technological advancements but also grappled with their potential societal impacts and ethical implications. Their works remain influential, not only as entertainment but as early explorations of themes that are relevant in modern technological and scientific discourse.