Back To The Future - then versus now
We look at some of the predictions from the films
October 21st 2015 – the day Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) and Doctor Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) visited the future in Back To The Future 2.
Tributes have been paid to mark the film's 30th anniversary and 'Back To The Future Day', including a teaser clip where Doc and Marty re-unite.
But how different is fictional 2015 from the real 2015? We’ve taken a look at some of the technology that could exist, does exist and some that may stay imaginary.
Wearable technology
We might not be buying talking jackets like Marty’s just yet and nor are there coats which’ll dry us when we get wet. However we are wearing smart watches, which is close enough.
3D films
Holographic Jaws 19 may still a thing of the future (thankfully!) but we’re almost there with films in 3D and even 4D.
As part of the 30-year celebration of the film, Universal Pictures released a trailer for Jaws 19.
Watch it below.
Video calls
In Back To The Future 2 Marty makes a video call to the character Needles – which is just like how we’d use video chat, for example on Skype or Facetime.
Fingerprint recognition
In the film, fingerprints are used to open doors and as payment. That’s not too far from our technology now, which allows us to unlock our smart phones by pressing our finger to the screen. Plus we’re able to pay for taxis with the touch of a button – just like the movie.
There’s a lot of intelligent cars that can direct you, start without a key and even soon cars might drive themselves. As for flying cars though, that’s still the stuff of sci-fi. This idea isn’t taking off just yet!
Robotic petrol stations
Where do you fill up a flying car? At a robotic petrol station of course. Unfortunately for us, we’re still having to do it by hand.
Anti-ageing technology
Turning the clock back on our looks isn’t quite as easy as Doc’s ‘rejuvenation clinic’, but people are trying with the likes of plastic surgery, botox and chemical peels.
Camera drones
Flying camera drones are as much a part of 2015 as they were in fictional 2015! A ‘USA’ today drone comes in to record bad guy Biff getting arrested in one of the film’s sequences and we’re seeing them used in modern day too – but here they’ve caused a bit more trouble.
High – tech phone booths
Back to the past for this one as highly advanced phone booths probably won’t be a thing in the real world. Although the film sort of predicts the use of tablets (Marty has to sign one to save the clock tower, we presume it’s electronic) there were no mobile phones, which trumps phone booths.
Hover boards
Imagine a board like Marty’s, which skims freely over water and land. It’s probably not something you can easily get your hands on but it could be introduced in the not-so-distant future. It’s rumoured companies are working on some which rely on magnet based technology.
Self-tying shoes
Still a thing of the future! In the 1989 sci-fi film Marty’s pleasantly surprised when he tries on a pair of Nike trainers and they tie themselves. But there are rumours the worldwide company are working on the design and have apparently even filed a patent!
Litter Bugs
In the fictional world, Litter Bugs roam the streets and rubbish is even used to power cars with the Mr Fusion energy converter. Back in the real world we’ve seen buses run on sewage and waste food and although it’s not widespread yet, we could see more of it in the future.
(Picture above, Britain's first bus to run on household and human waste)