According to the National Geographic Web site reported that February 11 is the great inventor Thomas - Edison's 164-year birthday anniversary, the day Google Web site to commemorate the king of this invention in the form of graffiti. In 1911, Edison in "Cosmopolitan" magazine published an article, made a series of predictions about how science and technology will change the world. 100 years later, some of these prophecies have been achieved, such as high-speed plane took off, the phone will be more intelligent and so on, but there are some predictions are wrong or temporarily not achieved, such as books will be made of nickel, the world will achieve peace, science and technology will overcome poverty. The following is the 11th largest Edison century predictions about how science and technology will change the world:

1. books will be made of nickel

Rutgers University "Thomas - Edison Archives" editor Paul - Israel believes Edison part of the prophecy has been achieved, such as high-speed aircraft, but there are some prophecies are "completely wrong." Edison errors prophecy, the book will be made of nickel is the most obvious one. Edison believes that compared with the paper, the nickel will make books cheaper, more robust pages, soft. Israel said, "Clearly, Edison never seem to anticipate would happen electronic ink - digital type books will replace paper books"

opinion in Israel, after the 1908 Edison semi-retirement, he seems to be the "National Invention philosopher "and his influence continues to this day. Israel believes, "Maybe we can not fully understand the Edison era of scientific progress made, but the United States as a symbol of Edison's inventions still have a profound impact." A12b34c53fg3p7

2. The machine will replace human labor

1911 years Edison has said that the future of the machine he uses the broader never doubted, "the machine will participate in a number of transactions, rather than rely on the human hand to complete." for example, the figure of automotive automatic welders, welding it to replace the human work responsibilities. At the time, Edison had predicted, "seamstress worked hard on the sewing machine will be a day to never comes." Israel believes that meaningful progress at the time, the machine will replace human labor point of view, the machine will eventually become the world Today's appearance.

3. Phone will be more intelligent

Edison had predicted in the article, the phone will one day become more intelligent, by telephone to say the proper name, even to get a quote from the drug market. Israel said, "With these smart phones, almost any conceivable thing can be achieved. Today, many advances in phone technology comes from Edison's phonograph." A12b34c53fg3p7

4. RC will dominate the world believe that Israel

construction of modern concrete building should be partially attributed to Edison. Edison designed to make long kiln cement industry to achieve a thorough change. In 1911, the King of the invention has said that without the reinforced concrete building, but with a brick and steel, the architect must be stupid. "RC actually represents forever." By 1941, Edison also predicted that "all the buildings will be completed with reinforced concrete." A12b34c53fg3p7

Israel pointed out that most of the 1920s skyscrapers are already reinforced concrete building. However, since the end of World War II, more architects began to use steel frame and glass material, rather than the use of reinforced concrete.

5. Wooden furniture will disappear

Edison predicted in the article, will completely replace steel furniture wooden furniture. Edison believes that "the next generation of children will sit on steel highchair, eating on the steel table. They will no longer understand what is wooden furniture. This is because the alloy than wood lighter, cheaper, and can be used to completely fake mahogany or other timber. "in the 1920s and 1930s, manufacturers began mass production of steel office furniture. However, even in the most modern families, wood furniture is still one of the main material or decoration.

6. electrified trains will replace the steam train

steam will exit the stage of history, electrified trains will rise, which is one of Edison's century prophecy. This figure was taken in a high-speed train in 2006 in Taiwan. Edison predicted to maintain railway run by waterwheel power generation in water-rich states (especially in New England), the railway system will be very well developed. "Millions of people will be blown steam last breath." Israel believes that, in densely populated urban areas, has been partially achieved this prophecy. "Edison spoke of the railway network is maintained by the water, in fact, is not entirely true." A12b34c53fg3p7

7. alchemy will be more perfect

Israel said, at least since the Renaissance, alchemist always dreamed produce artificial gold, Edison is no exception. In 1911, the inventor of the electric light had predicted that Americans will manufacture gold, it is only a matter of time. By then, the gold will become a commodity, no more tempting. modern times, Edison's prophecy is only partially correct. Scientists have used atoms in the laboratory to produce artificial gold, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ongoing in-depth research. Israel believes that "People say artificial gold is no longer surprised, because now we are manufacturing all kinds of weird things. We now manufacture compared with the various types of materials, artificial gold might just be the most common type."

8. Technology will overcome poverty

this is a beggar in Rome, Italy. This phenomenon refutes Edison a prophecy in 1911: "The hundred years later, the world will no longer poor." Edison that "only in a manual world poverty appear now humans have begun to use their brains, the poor. It will be reduced gradually. " Israel pointed out that" the typical business transformation ", the Edison like this technology-centric view is widespread. "In Edison as the representative of these people there is a belief that technological progress will create enormous wealth and rich product, which is sufficient to get rid of poverty. It is clear that this prediction did not materialize." A12b34c53fg3p7

9 big Science will promote a major agricultural

Edison predicted that "future farmers only need to sit the bench operation, press the button and joystick, can be achieved in agricultural production. battery-powered tractors and plows than the current horse-drawn plows faster, it will be a big step forward in agricultural mechanization. "rather, Edison also predicted," with the advent of the progress of science and big business, agriculture will experience a big shock. "Israel believes that "these have taken place in the field of agriculture. most smallholder production has been replaced by modern agriculture."

10. World peace

1911 distance Between the First World War as well as three years. At the time, Edison had in the article that "the accumulation of weapons, or bring the world revolution, or bring world peace can occur more than once a big war." Israel noted that Edison's prophecy about world peace did not happen, of course, the Soviet Union even still two atomic bomb manufacturing arms race in an impasse. "In a sense, also part of Edison's viewpoint is correct." This figure shows the air-raid shelter during 1960.

11. High speed takeoff

1911, the Wright brothers first flight is successful after eight years, Edison was still fairly limited understanding of the aircraft, but by observing the natural (especially noted Hornet agility), Edison recognized the possibility of future high-speed aircraft. In the 1911 article, Edison thought, "Imagine, if you have four million trained Bumblebee common pulling a rope fixed basketry, knitting basket sat a man. If you received Hornet Flight signal, whether they can pull this man? I believe that if a flight is equipped with mechanized Hornet, it should be able to fly directly to the machine. "in addition to mechanized Hornet, the Edison predicted can carry passengers can flying more than 100 miles (about 160 kilometers) flying machine.