People have always been obsessed with their own future. The big question of what's going to happen next has always been at the back of every person's mind, regardless of their social status, whether they're a homeless person barely able to survive or a billionaire who has dedicated his life to acquiring wealth.
While many set aside time for building on the here and now, there are millions who invest efforts into predicting the future - whether out of fear of it or simply out of curiosity.
And because of this obsession, there are plenty of people around the world who try to predict the future for a living. The majority of these are mystics but there are also those who, after analyzing the present, without summoning spirits, manage to predict the future. Sometimes they manage to succeed out of pure luck, but often they do so due to a high level of professionalism and analysis of the factors that build the future.
The most famous prophecies that came true, even though few believed possible, you can see below.
1. Prophetic Anime
In 1999, a particularly popular anime about the far future, called Cowboy Bebop, aired an episode where an ancient space shuttle, named Columbia, was launched into space on a rescue mission. The shuttle looks very similar to the one used by NASA. In the episode, the shuttle is unable to complete its mission because its exterior surface is damaged during liftoff. In 2003, NASA launches the Columbia space shuttle. It blew up during reentry when hot atmospheric gases penetrated a section of the wing that had sustained damage during launch. Coincidence?
2. Back to the Future
Back to the Future is hands-down one of the most iconic movies of the 20th century. And not just because of its cinematography but also because it prophesied many of the technologies we actually use today. Well, we still don't have flying cars but if you remember, in the movie people had video conversations, biometric scanners, were able to pay for things digitally and remotely - things that were unthinkable 30 years ago that are part of our everyday lives today.
3. A Two-Century-Old Prediction of Facebook
In his novel The Year 4338, Russian writer Vladimir Odoyevsky described today's social media with striking accuracy. The book was published in 1835. The characters in it use blogs, update their status and even send instant messages. All this was detailed 2 decades before even the invention of the telegraph.
4. Prophecies by the Simpsons
The episode "Bart to the Future" from the hit TV show accurately described Donald Trump being elected president, something that brought plenty of laughter back in the year 2000 when the episode first aired. In another Simpsons episode - "Lisa's Wedding" - the writers predicted the invention of video games you could play by physically moving, 3D glasses and the health food craze.
5. Marshal Foch's Accurate Prediction
French marshal Ferdinand Foch played a key role in many army campaigns during WWI. When the war ended, he couldn't believe that this was really the end. He said, "This is not a peace. It is an armistice for twenty years." He turned out to be correct, as World War II broke out 20 years and 68 days later.
