Welcome to CNET Top 5, where each time we meet, we count down another
hot CNET list. I'm Tom Merritt.
According to science fiction. The future is a wondrous place. A land
drenched with technology, where everyone dons their unitards to board a
Pan-Am flight to the Moon, to mingle with lizard or insect-like aliens
and all restaurants are Taco Bell.
Science Fiction is not so good with the predictions.
So...let's count down the top 5 worst scifi predictions.
At No. 5, atom-powered everything. As soon as humanity invented all
that destructive power, we figured we'd harness it in no time to have
atom-powered cars, atomic trains, or even atomic washing machines. Well
we do have atomic power. It's just not so portable.
Coming in at No. 4, Killer slash household robots. SciFi can't decide
if everyone will have a friendly robot pal in their home, or if the
pals will turn on us and try to kill us all. But we're all supposed to
have robots by now. Either serving us or chasing us.
Up to No. 3, a Moon Base. When Apollo 11 put man on the Moon in 1969,
we figured it wouldn't be long before there was a Moon hotel, and Moon
Casinos and whole moon cities under little glass bubbles. Or at the
very least we should have gotten Moon mines! Nothing. We haven't even
been back to the Moon since 1972!
Sliding in at No. 2, jet packs. Where are our jet packs science
fiction? Oh sure we see them at the Super Bowl or Olympics opening
ceremonies, but I want the personal jet pack that lets me cut down my
commute. You promised!
Before we get to No. 1, time for another lame prize question. One
scifi prediction that hasn't come true is the zombie invasion.
But the University of Ottwa recently did a study of what would happen
in a zombie invasion.
How long did they say it would take for zombies to conquer an average
city?
Go to blog.cnettv.com and answer the question for a chance to win, your
very own Pack of Zombies, courtesy of October Toys.
All right. Let's get to our No. 1. The worst prediction of Science
Fiction. The future we were promised that was alla lie
At No. 1, it's...
Flying Cars. Ok Moeller fans, I know they exist, but where are they. I
can't ride to work in one. I can't dump my son down a pneumatic tube
from one. I can't even find a dealer near me. Over and over again
science fiction has bet on the flying car and over and over again
science fiction loses. Someday? Maybe. My guess is all restaurants
will become TAco Bell before that happens.
Well That's it for this edition of CNET Top 5. Don't forget to answer
our lame prize question for the chance to win the decidedly not lame
pack o' zombies.
I'm Tom Merritt. See you next time.
