5 Insane Sci-Fi Ideas Of The Space Age

For hundreds of years, humans have looked to the future, wondering what wonders and amazement it will bring us. Following World War II, a new age of optimism and dreams began afresh.

Jetpacks, robots, and so much more have all inspired countless pieces of entertainment. Though these ideas were mere fantasy to the science-fiction authors of the time, actual scientists were busily squirreling away on making them a reality.

What if instead of cleaning your home and baking your dinner, your friendly robot could handle it and all other household amenities? What if your car ran on nuclear energy and gas refills were a thing of the past? What if you left the Earth itself for your extravagant new home in outer space?

These were the questions that authors and scientists pondered in the golden age of futurism - the 1950s and '60s.

As the Cold War raged on, new world fairs showed the technology of the future - the so called "World of Tomorrow." Of course, these ideas ranged from prosaic and practical, to downright insane. Some came to fruition - many others remained a glint in the eye of a dreamer.

Today's methods of traveling are quicker, cheaper, and more comfortable than perhaps ever before, but they are largely similar to transportation of the past. Planes, trains, automobiles, and boats still dominate travel. In the 1950s, scientists and writers pictured numerous futuristic sources of movement. Monorails, rockets, and transcontinental trains were the image of the futuristic utopia that awaited humanity. However, none of these ideas are as crazy - or fun - as jetpacks.

Personal and fast, jetpacks enticed and excited tons of science fans who were eager to latch one on their backs and fly like Superman. Thoughts of personal human flight amazed millions and this new technology seemed closer than ever before.

The first jetpacks were developed in the 1950s, capable of heights of 33 feet and distances of 21 seconds. The US Military funded future projects and in 1961, the technology was shown before President Kennedy. While tests were successful, the US decided against continuing the program and the jetpack never developed further.

Today, jetpacks are mostly past ideals and plans that never came to be, much like other futurism ideas of the space age. However, there are a few attempts at this technology in the modern era, with the first modern jetpacks arriving on the market at the cost of $200,000 to $250,000.