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25 Famous Predictions That Were Wrong 59

These 25 Famous

Predictions Couldn’t Have

Been More Wrong

Throughout history, there have been hundreds, if
not thousands, of predictions about the future
here on Earth. But what happens when these
predictions are wrong? Usually it’s a good thing,
but it is amazing how far off some of these
famous incorrect predictions actually were. And
it’s amazing how far we have come as a society!

1. “A rocket will never be able to leave the
Earth’s atmosphere” - The New York Times,
1936.

2. “There is not the slightest indication that
nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would
mean that the atom would have to be shattered at
will.” - Albert Einstein 1032.

3. “We don’t like their sound and guitar music is
on the way out.” - Decca Recording Company
on declining to sign The Beatles, 1962.
a 1977 World Future Society meeting in Boston. boys.” - Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer,
14. “If excessive smoking actually plays a role British Post Office, 1878.
4. “”This ‘telephone’ has too many
in the production of ling cancer it seems to be a
shortcomings to be seriously considered as a
minor one.” - W.C. Heuper National Cancer 23. “It’ll be gone by June.” - Variety Magazine
means of communication. The device is
Institute, 1954. on Rock n’ Roll, 1955.
inherently of no value to us.” - Western Union
internal memo, 1876.
15. “No, it will make war impossible.” - Hiram 24. “And for the tourist who really wants to get
Maxim, inventor of the machine gun in response away from it all, safaris in Vietnam.” -
5. “Reagan doesn’t have the presidential look.” -
to the question, “Will this gun not make war Newsweek, predicting popular holidays for the
United Artists executive after rejecting Reagan
more terrible?” from Havelock Ellis, an English late 1960s.
as lead in the 1964 film The Best Man.
Scientist 1893.
25. “When the Paris Exhibition [of 1878] closes,
6. “Rail travel at high speed is not possible
16. “The wireless music box has no imaginable electric light will close with it and no more will
because passengers, unable to breathe, would
commercial value. Who would pay for a it be heard of.” - Oxford professor Erasmus
die of asphyxia.” - Dr, Dionysius Lardner 1830.
message sent to no one in particular?” - Wilson. []
Associates of David Sarnoff responding to the
7. “I think there is a world market for maybe
latter’s call for investment in the radio in 1921.
five computers.” Thomas Watson, chairman of
IBM 1943.
17. “There will never be a bigger plane built.” -
A Boeing engineer after the first flight of the
8. “X-rays will prove to be a hoax.” - Lord
247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people.
Kelvin President of the Royal Society, 1883.
18. “How, sir would you make a ship sail against
9. Everyone acquainted with the subject will
the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under
recognize it as a conspicuous failure.” - Henry
her decks? I pray you, excuse me, I have not the
Morton president of the Stevens Institute of
time to listen to such nonsense.” - Napoleon
Technology, on Edison’s light bulb 1880.
Bonaparte, when told of Robert Fulton’s
steamboat, 1800s.
10. “The horse is here to stay but the automobile
is only a novelty - a fad.” - The president of the
19. “The idea that the cavalry will be replaced
Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford’s
by these iron coaches is absurd. It is little short
lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Company
of treasonous.” - Comment of Aide-de-camp to
1903.
Field Marshal Haig, at tank demonstration,
1916.
11. “Television won’t last because people will
soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every
20. “I must confess that my imagination refuses
night.” - Darryl Zanuck, movie producer, 20th
to see any sort of submarine doing anything but
Century Fox 1946.
suffocating its crew and floundering at sea.” -
HG Well, British novelist, in 1901.
12. “No one will pay good money to get from
Berlin to Potsdam in one hour when he can ridge
21. “The world potential market for copying
his horse there in one day for free.” - King
machines is 5,000 at most.” - IBM, to the Paranormal StakeOut
William I of Prussia, on trains 1864.
eventual founders of Xerox, saying the with Larry Lawson
photocopier had no market large enough to
13. “There is no reason for any individual to
justify production 1959. www.xzbn.net
have a computer in his home.” Ken Olson,
president chairman founder of Digital
22. “The Americans have need of the telephone,
Equipment Corporation (DEC) in a talk given to
but we do not. We have plenty of messenger