An Open Knowledge Foundation Site
logo Planet Open Knowledge

You are browsing the archive for retrofuture.

Octave Uzanne’s “The End of Books” (1894)

- September 2, 2019 in albert robida, best of sci-fi and future visions, future of books, historical predictions of the future, history of the future, Octave Uzanne, retrofuture, retrofuturism, The End of Books

Over a century before the invention of the e-reader, a French bibliophile imagines how advances in phonographic technology might spell the end of all printed text.

Comments Off on Octave Uzanne’s “The End of Books” (1894)

H. G. Wells and the Uncertainties of Progress

- June 27, 2019 in Books, Culture & History, future, future history, h. g. wells, Literature, progress, retrofuture, science fiction

In addition to the numerous pioneering works of science fiction by which he made his name, H. G. Wells also published a swathe of non-fiction meditations, mainly focused on themes explored in his stories — the effects of technology, human folly, and the idea of progress. As Peter J. Bowler explores, for Wells this notion of progression was far from simple.

Comments Off on H. G. Wells and the Uncertainties of Progress

The Library of the Future: A Vision of 1983 from 1883

- January 30, 2019 in future history, libraries, library, retrofuture, retrofuturism

The American librarian C.A. Cutter looks forward from 1883 to "the library of the future" in 1983.

Comments Off on The Library of the Future: A Vision of 1983 from 1883

1970: A Vision of the Coming Age (1870)

- June 14, 2018 in best of sci-fi and future visions, future history, future technologies, historical predictions of the future, quakerism, quakers, retro-future, retrofuture, retrofuturism, technology, utopia, utopias

A vision of the world hundred years in the future, in which societies have been transformed into Quakerly perfection.

Comments Off on 1970: A Vision of the Coming Age (1870)

1970: A Vision of the Coming Age (1870)

- June 14, 2018 in best of sci-fi and future visions, future history, future technologies, historical predictions of the future, quakerism, quakers, retro-future, retrofuture, retrofuturism, technology, utopia, utopias

A vision of the world hundred years in the future, in which societies have been transformed into Quakerly perfection.

Comments Off on 1970: A Vision of the Coming Age (1870)

1970: A Vision of the Coming Age (1870)

- June 14, 2018 in best of sci-fi and future visions, future history, future technologies, historical predictions of the future, quakerism, quakers, retro-future, retrofuture, retrofuturism, technology, utopia, utopias

A vision of the world hundred years in the future, in which societies have been transformed into Quakerly perfection.

Comments Off on 1970: A Vision of the Coming Age (1870)

Omega: The Last Days of the World (1894)

- January 25, 2018 in apocalypse, Camille Flammarion, early science fiction, future, nineteenth century science fiction, retrofuture, science fiction

Science fiction novel by astronomer Camille Flammarion, concerning a near comet miss and a vision of the earth's far distant future.

Comments Off on Omega: The Last Days of the World (1894)

Omega: The Last Days of the World (1894)

- January 25, 2018 in apocalypse, Camille Flammarion, early science fiction, future, nineteenth century science fiction, retrofuture, science fiction

Science fiction novel by astronomer Camille Flammarion, concerning a near comet miss and a vision of the earth's far distant future.

Comments Off on Omega: The Last Days of the World (1894)

Omega: The Last Days of the World (1894)

- January 25, 2018 in apocalypse, Camille Flammarion, early science fiction, future, nineteenth century science fiction, retrofuture, science fiction

Science fiction novel by astronomer Camille Flammarion, concerning a near comet miss and a vision of the earth's far distant future.

Comments Off on Omega: The Last Days of the World (1894)

To New Horizons (1940)

- July 14, 2016 in 1939-40 New York World's Fair, futurama, futurology, general motors, historical predictions of the future, history of the future, new york world's fair, retrofuture, technology, utopias

A vision of the future from General Motors created to champion their "Highways and Horizons" exhibit at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair.

Comments Off on To New Horizons (1940)