9 Little-Known Science Facts That Make Fallout Even Cooler

8. Synths - Robot Rights

As we get ever closer to it, the debate as to whether it is possible or even ethical to create an artificial consciousness creeps from the world of science fiction into science fact.

In terms of Fallout analogues, our current levels of artificial intelligence technology would probably already enable us to create Gen 1 and perhaps even Gen 2 synths. Much of our current AI would probably do a fairly good job of mimicking human behaviour, even if they weren't as utterly convincing at the Gen 3 synths.

The problem with Gen 3 synths, is that the process of creating an artificial living mind is as much an ethical problem as it is a technological one. Just as the Gen 3 synths in Fallout 4 insist that they should be afforded the same rights as humans, real life robotics experts are having the same debates - what rights would an artificial consciousness have? We have already created an emotional robot whose emotional status affords her the right to be protected from abuse and sexual exploitation (no, really).

Synths might seem like works of sci-fi, but they could become a reality much sooner than you might think.