Turn Back the Tech: The Year is 1900

Thanks to our friends over at The Big Lead for the plug in today's roundup!

Welcome to another installment of Turn Back the Tech, the series in which we look at old media or technologies with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight.

We go back to December 1, 1900 and look at predictions for the 20th Century. What's incredible about this document is how accurate some of these are.

Best prediction? Lots of good ones here -- air conditioning, airplane travel, instant access to news of events around the world. My favorite, though, has got to be the one that predicts the rise of pre-cooked meals. Love those frozen pizza rolls.

Worst prediction? No cars in large cities. Apparently, we were supposed to be using subways that were "well-lit" and "well-ventilated." Ever try waiting for the subway in the summer? Well-ventilated is not the way I would choose to describe it. Well-done is more like it.

Worse prediction II? Rats were supposed to be extinct. I only mention this because the last prediction was about the subway and those two things go together like ham and sandwich.

Most fun prediction that didn't come true? Pneumatic tubes (you know, the ones used for mail in old school offices) being used for home delivery of products. The Internet's got nothing on that.