For
class this week, the main focus was on the Victorians and Science Fiction. In
lecture, we discussed how H. G. Wells and minds like him in the 19th
century began to envision a different world where the impossible was possible.
The Victorians began to think larger and stranger than the eras of the past had,
which led to the extremely successful genre of science fiction. We also talked
about how science fiction created a path to real science through imagination
and wonder. In order for a real scientific breakthrough to be discovered or
created, someone had to have an outrageous thought or idea that was worthy of
attempting to bring that idea to fruition. These ideas were often pulled from
science fiction or based off of an idea that was only crazy enough to be
thought of as science fiction at the time. A great example of this was explained
by the group who presented this week with the Argonauts of the Air and the “flying
machine” and the Wright Brothers creating the first successful airplane just a
few years later.
Because of this connection of real science with science fiction, it was interesting to wander about the Science Museum as part of the class this week. I went into the museum with this connection in mind, and it was hard to ignore how easily any discovery or invention in the museum could have once been considered only a reality in science fiction. Aside from the “flying machines,” I saw the Difference Engine that was discussed in class and thought about how we talked about how it was the origins for what we know as a computer. To go even further, I saw a very small display about the iPod. To think that the Difference Engine enabled the iPod through technological advances and discoveries that were at once perceived to be science fiction was mind blowing. I began trying to imagine how the Victorians would react to the idea of an automated handheld music device that contained over 1,000 songs on it (they would probably think that they were dreaming). These two devices/inventions on display at the Science Museum reinforced the idea behind Victorian fantasy and how it evolved into modern reality.
The crossover from science fiction to reality relied heavily on the Victorian era. I like how you point out that many scientific inventions were based off of a far-off idea that seemed impossible in imagination, but could be amended once science was brought into the picture. Some of the most significant inventions, such as the Difference Engine, which still influences technology today, was once a thought in someones mind and just a drawing on a piece of paper.
ReplyDeleteI had not visualized modern technology from a Victorian's perspective before this, but I think it is an interesting concept to consider. If they saw how their inventions transformed to be some of the most relevant technology of the 21st century, they would be amazed. One could say the same for us. It is hard to consider all of the technology that will surface within the next 200 years. With science becoming such a fundamental factor of our everyday lives, we should still consider the Victorian imagination, as this has allowed us to achieve the technological advances we see today.