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Everyone knows Jules Verne. In his novels, he tried to predict ways of development of technology and society. Vern was not the only one tried to “look beyond the horizon.” At the same time he lived in Paris and created another science fiction writer – Albert Robida. Like an artist of the word he was much inferior to the master, his novels are not so fascinating: ordinary plot, weak intrigue, expressionless heroes. But here is what regarding the foresight of the future – here Robin left Vern far behind. In his novels, Paris turns into a city with a population of over 10 million inhabitants, built up with houses with a height of 20-30 floors. By the way houses are not built, but are cast directly from the foundation (Monolithic construction – this is the name of this technology today). Walls of houses giant photo panels adorn; plots on them are constantly changing (modern video billboards). Telegraph gave way “telephonoscope”, which allows not only to hear, but also see an interlocutor who is thousands of leagues (modern Webcam). Newspapers are a thing of the past. Just turn the knob a telephonoscope, and a speaker appears on the screen informing the last news (ordinary TV). Parisians do not run shopping. By telephone, you can order any purchase, lunch from a restaurant – and they will bring everything to your home (online store). The theater in the 20th century is no longer they go. On the “crystal screen” you can watch any performance, pre-selecting it at your discretion. Instead of letters now send sound messages (audio messages to a phone number). The printed books were replaced by sound ones (audio books really replaced the printed word. The man listening has changed man reading). The roads will go into the underground tunnels, where electric air trains will carry more than 1,000 in one trip passengers (metro). 
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No less interesting are his predictions about how to change society. Women will wear short skirts and trousers. (Recall this is the end of the 19th century when women’s dresses dragging around were the norm on the ground) The fair sex will be full use funds to rejuvenate the body and (who could think!) a smoking woman will become quite common. Parents pre-select a set of genes for their future offspring. 
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He also predicted distance learning, systems video surveillance, mass tourism, pipelines, drywall, trial marriages (cohabitation before marriage) and conception of children in test tube. Readers were especially amused by the “prediction” that in the 20th century the prime minister in England will be a woman (well, a dreamer!). Alas but Alber Robida’s future was least of all reminiscent of paradise. People of the future – creatures with atrophied muscles suffering from “factory diseases “(occupational diseases). Natural products gave way to ersatz obtained chemically from oil, coal and other minerals. Instead of dishes, concentrates are eaten in the form of tablets. Cities are filled with gas and smoke. The population mows the “plague of the XX century” (AIDS?), And an accident occurred at one of the most powerful power plants, causing a terrible natural disaster in Europe (Chernobyl). The 20th century will be shocked by war, in which everyone will take part civilized states. In the novels Robid described “underwater armadillos “(submarines),” moving bombards “(tanks), shells, stuffed with chemical poisons and pathogens (chemical and bacteriological weapons) and small, the size of a pea bomb capable of destroying an entire city. In one of the countries as a result of the coup, the Communists will take power. To govern the country will be the Central Committee they formed (!) and half the country’s population will be imprisoned (!). Amid all this prediction that in Russia after the terrible war in 1924 a revolution will happen, not at all surprising. Contemporaries laughed at his “predictions” until 1914, while the darkest of them did not start to come true. Albert Robida died in 1924 without seeing materialization of their most terrible prophecies. So what was that? Brilliant intuition? Foreboding? Or maybe Robid is incomprehensible looked into the future and tried to warn humanity about future dangers? But humanity did not hear him.
War Russia
