How close are we to the world of Star Trek? Not that far off, it seems

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Science fiction and pop culture have a long history of inspiring real-world innovations. From self-driving cars to robots and artificial intelligence, many fantastical ideas from books, movies, and TV shows have transcended the realm of imagination and become reality. Let’s dive into 10 fictional creations that became reality, proving that life doesn’t just inspire art—sometimes, it’s the other way around.

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In 1946, Chester Gould introduced the Two-Way Wrist Radio in Dick Tracy, allowing the detective to communicate instantly from his wrist. Decades later, smartwatches brought this comic book fantasy to life.

Modern smartwatches now offer voice calls, messaging, and even video chats—features once exclusive to Tracy’s gadget.

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The Jetsons showcased the future with a simple video call between family members.

Today, video calls are so ubiquitous that if we watched a rerun of the show, we would barely notice that it actually predicted the likes of Skype or FaceTime back in the 1960s.

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In Star Trek, the Replicator was a futuristic machine that could create anything—from food to complex machinery—on demand.

Today, 3D printing brings us closer to this sci-fi vision, producing everything from simple toys to advanced prosthetics. While food replication remains a challenge, researchers are already experimenting with 3D-printed meat and other edible materials.

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We haven’t yet mastered _The Jetsons_’ flying cars, but we’ve come closer in terms of effortless travel with autonomous vehicles, which are now being manufactured by many companies.

These vehicles use sensors and AI to navigate without human input, certainly paving the way for the future of transportation.

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In Star Trek, characters used Personal Access Display Devices (PADDs) to read, interact with, and analyze data, often through simple touchscreen interfaces. These futuristic devices could display information, manage communication, and even run complex applications.

Today, smartphones and tablets mirror the PADDs in almost every way, with advanced touchscreen capabilities, access to endless data, and the ability to connect to the whole world.

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In 2001: A Space Odyssey, one of the most intriguing characters wasn’t human but the rogue artificial intelligence HAL 9000—an all-purpose assistant that refuses to comply with its human masters. Its chilling autonomy and complex interactions with crew members captured the imagination of audiences.

Today, we’re closer to this vision—without the rogue part, thankfully—thanks to virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. These AI systems can understand voice commands, answer questions, and manage everything from entertainment to home automation.

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In The Six Million Dollar Man, the protagonist had a bionic arm and leg that gave him superhuman abilities. While we’re not quite there yet, the advancements in prosthetics have been nothing short of remarkable.

Today, prosthetic technology has evolved to the point where bionic limbs can restore a sense of touch, provide advanced mobility, and even be controlled directly by the brain.

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In The Matrix, humans exist within a simulated reality created by machines, raising questions about the nature of perception and existence. This concept, once purely science fiction, has started to take shape in the real world.

Virtual reality (VR) has now become a tangible experience thanks to the development of VR headsets by various companies. These devices immerse users in fully interactive, 3D digital environments, transforming industries such as gaming, education, and healthcare.

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Sci-fi shows and books have long envisioned humans traveling to space for leisure, sparking dreams of exploring the cosmos as casually as taking a vacation. Today, that dream is becoming more tangible, though it still comes with a hefty price tag.

Companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are making significant strides toward commercial space travel, offering civilians the opportunity to journey beyond Earth for the first time in history.

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Robots have long been a staple of science fiction, so how could we leave them out of this list? Today, robots are a part of everyday life, from autonomous vacuum cleaners to advanced machines used in healthcare, manufacturing, and even as personal assistants.

These innovations show how robotics has evolved from fictional creations to practical tools that enhance convenience, efficiency, and even safety across a variety of industries.

What’s in a name, anyway?

Few people know that these countries used to have other names. Do you?

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It is always a delicate matter when a country changes its name, as it signifies a shift not only for the geographical area but also for its inhabitants. The very identity of a nation is affected, which is why such changes are relatively rare. But they do happen. Did you know that Iran was once known as Persia? Or that Colombia was once called New Granada? Not many people remember the original names of these 12 countries. Do you?

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A well-known historic name, Persia was Iran’s official name in the West until 1935, when the new denomination was formally adopted by the government. This new name, Iran, was the name of the country in its own language, Persian.

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Until 1939, Thailand was known as Siam. The name was changed by the government following the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, as part of a broader effort to modernize the country and promote a unified national identity.

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In 1989, the military government of Burma officially changed the country’s name to Myanmar in English, stating it was intended to improve the nation's image and to "promote ethnic unity." In the Burmese language, Myanmar is a more formal, literary version of Burma, so the change did not affect the native name.

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If you remember calling the Netherlands Holland, you're not alone. However, in 2020, the Dutch government officially stopped using Holland as a promotional name for the country. This rebranding effort aimed to present a more unified national image and move away from recreational associations, factors that have long drawn tourists to the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, which is located in the province of North Holland.

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To distance itself from its colonial past, Sri Lanka changed its name from Ceylon, a name given during British rule, to Sri Lanka. The name Sri Lanka is derived from the Sinhalese language and means "resplendent land."

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The African country of Zimbabwe changed its name from Rhodesia after gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1980. The name Rhodesia came from Cecil Rhodes, the British imperialist who played a major role in the colonization of the region.

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After the fall of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two countries in 1993: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In 2016, the Czech government officially adopted Czechia as the country's short-form name, recommending its use in international contexts, so that it can expand on business by having an easier name.

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After gaining independence from the British Empire in 1922, the Irish Free State existed as a self-governing dominion within the British Commonwealth. In 1937, a new constitution was adopted, and the country officially changed its name to Ireland (Éire in Irish), signaling a move to assert greater national identity and distance itself from its colonial past.

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The country formerly known as East Pakistan changed its name to Bangladesh after separating from West Pakistan in 1971. This change reflected deep cultural, linguistic, and political differences between the two regions and marked the culmination of the Bangladesh Liberation War, which led to Bangladesh’s independence.

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The region now known as Ethiopia was historically referred to as Abyssinia, a name commonly used by foreigners for many centuries. The term Abyssinia broadly referred to the Ethiopian Empire, which was ruled by various dynasties dating back to at least the 13th century. The name Ethiopia has ancient roots and was officially adopted as the country’s name by Emperor Haile Selassie in the 20th century, emphasizing Ethiopia’s longstanding heritage and identity.

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Modern-day Colombia was once part of the territory known as New Granada during Spanish colonial rule. After independence, the country went through several name changes: it became the Republic of New Granada, then the United States of Colombia following a civil war, and finally the Republic of Colombia in 1886. The name Colombia is derived from the surname of Christopher Columbus.

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The country formerly known as Swaziland officially changed its name to eSwatini in 2018. The name change was intended to shed traces of its colonial past and to reduce confusion with Switzerland, a landlocked European country. Notably, eSwatini is one of the few country names that begins with a lowercase letter.