"'A lot of engineering advance in our own history has been sheer accident. If the early researchers had investigated the Crookes tube more thoroughly, we might have had radio and radar before 1900.'"
-Poul Anderson, Planet Of No Return, Chapter 14, p. 98.
I am less sure of such retro-predictions after the comments to the previous post.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
But I can imagine SOME speculations about technological inventions and changes happening earlier than they did in our real history actually happening. People in the later 19th century (1870 onwards) in Europe and the US did know far more than past centuries had done and were making enormous technological advances. A greater interest in the Crookes tube might have led to radio and radar before 1900 (say by 1895).
Sean
Radar actually had a proof-of-concept demonstration by Hülsmeyer in 1903.
Dear Mr. Stirling,
And steam powered cars SHOULD have been in use by 1820 or 1830. I recall how you explained that stage coach companies using horses pressured Parliament in the UK to place crippling restrictions on certain ways of using steam powered technology.
Sean
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