7 Science Fiction Predictions That Came True

5. Light Sail

"...there will some day appear velocities far greater than these , of which light or electricity will probably be the mechanical agent ... we shall one day travel to the moon, the planets, and the stars."

- From the Earth to the Moon, Jules Verne, 1867

Considered the first science fiction mention of light propulsion, this came before it was theoretically proven that light could exert pressure.

Technically the very first mention of solar sails was way back in 1610, when Johannes Kepler wrote to Galileo "Provide ships or sails adapted to the heavenly breezes, and there will be some who will brave even that void.", possibly after observing that comet's tails always streamed away from the sun.

Considering this was written deep in the Victorian era, this passage from Jules Verne's is amazingly forward thinking.

Humanity has been toying with the idea of solar sails ever since, most recently in Stephen Hawking's announcement that he intends to use a light sail to send a probe to Alpha Centauri.