Where are all the flying cars ?

[Wagenius]

Just read "2002 a space odyssey" here on hypography. I find it curious how we relate to technology and advances. When I read the Odyssey books from Arthur C Clarke I thought ... its not that far off ...we might have spacestations like that .. we will perhaps travel to jupiter. Of course ... that was a few years ago. When I also read about flying cars in science litterature, the cure for aids and cancer and how we would be able to grow new limbs and organs to replace the ones who were damaged.

 

Today I notice that technology is moving faster than ever. It is getting increasingly more difficult to keep up with all that is happening (and also more interresting =) ), and I ask myself ... where are all the flying cars, world peace, replacable arms, cybernetic eyes and the million dollar man.

 

I wonder if we are driving so fast forward these days to fully explore the possibilities in what we got. Or is it that we are exploring and that is why we still have to commute on the ground ? I also wonder when someone will first utter the phrase "beam me up, Scotty". It could happen you know =)

[Tormod]

Well, Wagenius, just think about the movie "The Fifth Element". Still want the flying cars?

 

Seriously, I think people like us who read SF get so "used" to over-the-top technology being readily available as it pops out of some protagonist's head. Like in Greg Bear's "Moving Mars", where the colonized Mars feels threatened by Earth and dreams up a way to move the entire planet to another solar system...

 

I am currently going through the 20-years special edition of Carl Sagan's television series "Cosmos", and it's marvellous how much has happened since then - while so much still remains the same.

 

Perhaps we just want things to happen TOO fast...but at least we've got AIBO the robot dog.

[Dethfire]

if we had flying cars, accident rates would fly more than the cars, think about suicide bombers

[Gieckboy]

Hi Tormod,

 

I saw the title of this tread and just had to stick my head in - my friends and I are always complaining about the decided lack of flying cars around these days. It's 2002!! Where are my flying cars!! I was promised flying cars!!!!

 

Seriously though, I have a site that I wanted to submit to your list of science/tech resources but I couldn't find where to do that. The site is http://www.twis.org and it's the online headquarters for our weekly science news radio show "This Week In Science". We've actually bitched about the lack of flying cars on the radio show before since Moller Engineering - one of the companies actually working on consumer flying cars is right here in Davis, California where we broadcast from.

 

Anyway - we'd love to be added to your list of resources if you're at all interested in the site.

 

Take Care,

 

Marshall "Gieckboy" Clark

Webmaster - This Week In Science

http://www.twis.org

[email protected]

[Tormod]

Hi!

 

For some reason the link to submit a link has disappeared...(no wonder nobody submitted links anymore)

 

But you will find it if you visit the links section or perform a search (locate the "submit a link" link).

 

Your site looks great, I'll make sure I take a closer look at it ASAP.

 

Tormod

[kilduh]

I don't think the world or a least it's people are ready for them yet.Seen the multipule pile ups

on the freeways? Can you imagine a three thousand pound vehicle landing on YOUR roof? I sure would like to have one though....

[wisdumn]

just to update this thread, i to would like to see the flying cars but i think possibly that hover cars would be the 1st step in the right direction, at least we could cut out the tire industry. (sorry michelin man but you could stand to lose some weight anyway) besides maybe with hover cars we could learn more about flying without as many accidents.