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Artists in 1899 imagine what travel would look like in the year 2000

It's hard to predict what travel would be like in 5 years, let alone 100 years from now, but artists in 1899 attempted just that. Spoiler: we didn't live up to expectations.

It’s hard to predict what travel would be like in 5 years, let alone 100 years from now, but artists in 1899 attempted just that. Spoiler: we didn’t live up to expectations.

In a world where we could have windowless plane walls made of OLED screens and commercial space travel being a very viable possibility in the next 10 years, it’s hard to imagine what travel would be like in the year 2115. I’m still holding out for my own personal flying car, come on scientists!

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In 1899 a group of French artists (including Jean-Marc Côté) put together a series of pictures for the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World Exhibition) in Paris, with their interpretation of what the world would be like in the year 2000.

 

Flying Carriages

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It seems they’ve imagined that everyone has flying carriages, or personal planes, however you want to look at it. I can see the wings causing problems though, especially with streets so narrow. It also looks like the wings flap like bird wings. In this drawing alone, I can already see a pending collision.

 

The Law

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With everyone on their personal planes, how will the police enforce traffic laws. With their own personal set of wings, it looks tiring work as there seems to be no propulsion mechanisms to help him fly. I guess people are just fitter in the future, or as I’d like to imagine – bionic.

 

Mobile Homes

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Sick of your neighbour’s kids screaming at each other at 7am on a Saturday morning while you’re trying to nurse a hangover? Drive your freakin’ house elsewhere. We do have versions of this concept and it is possible but it’s a lot less glamorous.

 

Under the Sea… and Animal Telepathy?

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There seems to be this whole obsession of living life under the sea, and artists seemed to believe that  we would not only be able to go about our business like ‘it ain’t no thing”, but also somehow get sea creatures to do our bidding. Yeah guys we’ll just Aquaman it.

 

Personal Helicopter

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I saved this till last because this is absolutely spot on. Why? Because the future is here boys and girls, so you can add this to your list if you made the cut into Santa’s nice list this Christmas. Soon, we’ll all be flying our way to work.

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What innovation would you like to see on your travels in the future?