Matt Novak, Author at Gizmodo

Just Imagine (1930)

The 1930 film Just Imagine depicts the futuristic world of 1980. With flying cars, food pills, and a totalitarian government the world is orderly but not much fun. This scene depicts the meal of the future. The prohibition reference is particularly funny. Many thanks to Amy Macnamara for this paleo-futuristic classic that hasn’t yet been…

Tech News Matt Novak

Man and the Moon filmstrip (1970s)

The filmstrip Man and the Moon depicts moon colonization as something just around the corner. A video clip of the filmstrip is below and can be found in its entirety at Droppin’ Science. (On a sidenote, the Droppin’ Science website says that Man and the Moon was produced before the first moon landing, which isn’t…

Tech News Matt Novak

Looks for Era of Brotherhood (1923)

Winifred G. Hedenberg laments the brutality of WWI in the February 12, 1923 Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut) article “Thinking Men and Women Predict Problems of World Century Hence.” The year 2022 will see a world reverted back to barbarism if another war on the scale of the so-called World War takes place within the next…

Tech News Matt Novak

Pears Soap Flying Machine (1906)

This fanciful flying machine was used to sell Pears’ Soap in the July, 1906 issue of the Atlantic Monthly Advertiser. This image can be found in the Smithsonian Institution Images Catalog. See also: Futuristic Air Travel (circa 1900) Aerial Navigation Will Never Be Popular (1906) Paleo-Future Wallpaper

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Closer Than We Think! Headphone TV (1960)

Hacking the brain hasn’t caught on in consumer products quite yet, but we can see that it’s always been right around the corner. This Closer Than We Think! strip was found in the November 27, 1960 edition of the Chicago Tribune. Today’s television receivers may one day be replaced by devices that will “tickle” the…

Tech News Matt Novak

Work Days of Two Hours (1923)

Today’s section of the February 12, 1923 article, “Thinking Men and Women Predict Problems of World Century Hence,” was written by engineer Walter N. Polakov and predicts a future workday of just two hours. The engineer lives and works for tomorrow; today is but a stepping stone. The dreams of engineers – Frontinus, Da Vinci,…

Tech News Matt Novak

Futuristic Air Travel (circa 1900)

This painting by Harry Grant Dart is one of my favorite images of the paleo-future. According to the Library of Congress it was used as the cover for an issue of All Story magazine between 1900 and 1910. The most revolutionary aspect of this image may be the depiction of a woman at the wheel.…

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United States a British Colony (1923)

Author and critic Henry L. Mencken makes some pretty bold predictions in the February 12, 1923 article, “Thinking Men and Women Predict Problems of World Century Hence,” published in the Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut). A hundred years hence the United States will be a British colony, its chief function will be to supply imbeciles to…

Tech News Matt Novak

The Future of Real Estate (1953)

Steve over at Finkbuilt sent me a link to this great image of a couple buying a house in the (paleo)future. The publication appears to be from December, 1953. See also: Something must be wrong with its radar eye! (Chicago Tribune, 1959) Monsanto House of the Future (1957-1967) ‘Summer Terrace’ All Year Round (1960s)

Tech News Matt Novak

GM Car of the Future (1962)

The advertisement below ran in the Official Souvenir Program for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The ad proclaims that General Motors is, “setting a course for the future” by showcasing the “fully functional Firebird III space-age car.” The full text of the ad is transcribed below. Mobility – the easiest, fastest, surest kind possible –…

Tech News Matt Novak

Starfire (1994)

Today we have the 1994 Sun Microsystems concept video Starfire in its entirety. You can still access individual clips of the program from the links below or you can download the video here. See also: Starfire (Part 1, 1994) Starfire (Part 2, 1994) Starfire (Part 3, 1994) Starfire (Part 4, 1994) Starfire (Part 5, 1994)…

Tech News Matt Novak

New London in the Future (1909)

This 1909 illustration of New London in the future can be found in the Library of Congress collection.

Tech News Matt Novak

Thinks We’ll Do Our Reading on Screen (1923)

The second part of the February 12, 1923 article, “Thinking Men and Women Predict Problems of World Century Hence,” focuses on motion pictures. Written by David Wark Griffith (D.W. Griffith) the piece provides some great insight into the hopes and dreams for this new medium. While he has some spot-on predictions, Griffith couldn’t have been…

Tech News Matt Novak

Moving Sidewalk Mechanics (1900)

Edison’s film from the 1900 Paris Exposition is amazing, but it leaves you wondering how that moving sidewalk ….well, moves. Wonder no more. This French website answers a few questions via these great illustrations. See also: Moving Sidewalk (1900) Postcards Show the Year 2000 (circa 1900)

Tech News Matt Novak

Seattle World’s Fair Official Souvenir Program (1962)

The Seattle World’s Fair of 1962 brought us Seattle’s most iconic structure, the Space Needle. Also known as the Century 21 Exposition there is much to examine for those interested in the paleo-future. The image above is the cover to the Official Souvenir Program. We’ll be taking a peak inside over the next few weeks.…

Tech News Matt Novak

The Coming Ice Age (1982)

The 1982 book Fact or Fantasy (World of Tomorrow) by Neil Ardley contains the two-page spread below which illustrates domed cities of the future. The domes are necessary to protect humanity from the “savage cold” yet to come. What is our planet going to be like in the future? From the way in which the…

Tech News Matt Novak

Pictures Stately Edifices (1923)

As promised, we have the first in a long list of predictions found in the February 12, 1923 Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut). Today’s excerpt is from architect Thomas Hastings. It’s particularly unsettling to read someone from the 1920s writing about the possibility of another World War. I get such a feeling of detachment, as though…

Tech News Matt Novak

Monsanto House of the Future (1957)

This 1957 photo of the Monsanto House of the Future can be found in the Library of Congress collection. See also: Monsanto House of the Future (1957-1967)

Tech News Matt Novak

Paleo-Future Wallpaper

A few blogs mentioned that they liked “Going to the Opera in the Year 2000” so much that they were using it as their desktop wallpaper. With that in mind, I’ve uploaded 3 different wallpaper designs in a variety of sizes. I haven’t yet blogged about the first image but it may be one of…

Tech News Matt Novak

Future Plane Travel (1920)

This 1920 cartoon of future plane travel can be found in the Library of Congress collection.

Tech News Matt Novak

Matt Novak

Just Imagine (1930)

Man and the Moon filmstrip (1970s)

Looks for Era of Brotherhood (1923)

Pears Soap Flying Machine (1906)

Closer Than We Think! Headphone TV (1960)

Work Days of Two Hours (1923)

Futuristic Air Travel (circa 1900)

United States a British Colony (1923)

The Future of Real Estate (1953)

GM Car of the Future (1962)

Starfire (1994)

New London in the Future (1909)

Thinks We’ll Do Our Reading on Screen (1923)

Moving Sidewalk Mechanics (1900)

Seattle World’s Fair Official Souvenir Program (1962)

The Coming Ice Age (1982)

Pictures Stately Edifices (1923)

Monsanto House of the Future (1957)

Paleo-Future Wallpaper

Future Plane Travel (1920)

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