Yesterday’s Tomorrows
They Had That Back Then? #2
Today's lesson: Musical Ring Tones.
(from the May 1956 issue of Popular Science)
Posted By: Salamander Sam - Tue May 12, 2009 -
Comments (4)
Category: Inventions, Music, Technology, 1950s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Times Have Changed #2
Today's episode: the Multimedia Notebook.
(from the November 1993 issue of Popular Science)
Posted By: Salamander Sam - Fri May 08, 2009 -
Comments (5)
Category: Products, Computers, 1990s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Times Have Changed #1
This new series will focus on what some of our most common tech phrases used to mean. Today's episode: the Desktop Computer.
(from the August 1959 issue of Popular Science)
Posted By: Salamander Sam - Thu May 07, 2009 -
Comments (1)
Category: Computers, 1950s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
What Were They Thinking? #1
Hi there! I'm Salamander Sam, and you may remember me from such comment sections as Follies of the Mad Men #33 and Follies of the Mad Men #31. As you may know from my comments, I like vintage technology, and so you can imagine my excitement when I found out that Google Books obtained the rights to every issue of Popular Science ever made. The good news for you is that you don't need to waste countless hours searching through the archives for hilarious articles, because I was already doing that anyways! This will be the first entry in my "What Were They Thinking" series, which will probably be the first of many series devoted to the weirdness that once was. And, like the Top Ten List, I will start out with the best example:One of Popular Science's longest running segment was called "I'd Like To See Them Make...", in which readers suggested ideas for new products. Many were quite brilliant, but there were some which can only be enjoyed with the benefit of hindsight...
(from the January 1956 issue of Popular Science)
Special Bonus Product:
(from the April 1953 issue of Popular Science)
Posted By: Salamander Sam - Wed May 06, 2009 -
Comments (6)
Category: Products, 1950s, Goofs and Screw-ups, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Transcendent Man
The Singularity: an indeterminate post-human future. Hooey, or prophecy? Perhaps the new movie Transcendent Man debuting at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival, will explain it all for us.
Posted By: Paul - Wed May 06, 2009 -
Comments (2)
Category: Movies, Documentaries, Technology, Computers, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Political Poster Dress
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 28, 2009 -
Comments (10)
Category: Fashion, Politics, 1960s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
Robo-mower!
"Go, Robo-mower, and bring me the shapely form of my next-door neighbor's sunbathing wife!"
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 21, 2009 -
Comments (9)
Category: Business, Advertising, Utilities, Landscaping, 1950s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
The New People
A TV series about plane-crash survivors on a weird island? Must be Lost, right?Well, not in 1969. Back then, it was THE NEW PEOPLE.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 10, 2009 -
Comments (1)
Category: Fads, Pop Culture, Television, 1960s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
More Soviet Space Stamps
Courtesy of my pal, Peter Danssaert, more heroic retro space imagery.Click to embiggen.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 03, 2009 -
Comments (7)
Category: Art, Space Travel, Russia, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
23 Skidoo
Civilization without any humans is pretty darn weird.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jan 29, 2009 -
Comments (13)
Category: Destruction, Disasters, Movies, Science Fiction, 1960s, Yesterday’s Tomorrows
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |