In the 17th century, Robert Boyle made a wish list. Because he didn’t ask for hover cars, most of his wishes have come true.
”The Prolongation of Life” – health improvements mean we are now living longer.
”The Recovery of Youth, or at least some of the Marks of it, as new Teeth, new Hair colour’d as in youth” – Botox, plastic surgery, teeth-capping, hair dye, transplants.
”The Art of Flying” – planes.
”The Art of Continuing long under water, and exercising functions freely” – submarines and scuba gear.
”The Cure of Diseases at a distance or at least by Transplantation” – transplants and keyhole surgery.
”The Emulating of Fish without Engines by Custome and Education” – free diving.
”Strength and Agility … exemplify’d by that of Frantick Epileptick and Hystericall persons” – steroids.
”The Acceleration of the Production of things out of Seed” – GM crops.
”The making of Parabolicall and Hyperbolicall Glasses” – spectacles and telescopes.
”Making Armor light and extremely hard” – Kevlar.
”The practicable and certain way of finding Longitudes” – satellite navigation.
”A ship to saile with All Winds” – boats with engines.
”Perpetuall Light” – bulbs.
”Varnishes perfumable by Rubbing” – scratch-and-sniff.
”Transmutation of Species in Mineralls, Animals, and Vegetables” – synthetic biology, genetic engineering.
My name is Jeff, and I write this blog. I work as an interface designer in Denver, CO. I am also an amateur musician and an atheist.