Frank R. Paul was an illustrator who was an expert in future speculation in the 1920s and 1930s. His illustrations were so influential as to define the looks of science fiction illustrations for decades to come. In particular, his imagined creatures from other planets illuminated the imaginations of Earthlings.

Taking into account the little knowledge that we had about the other planets in our solar system in that time, Paul dreamed up what alien creatures might look like.

Creatures from Mercury (pictured at top of the page) would be insect-like thanks to their close proximity to the sun. Jupiter residents would have no legs thanks to the very strong gravity there; rather, they would slither around like enormous slugs.

Strangely, Paul’s imagined creatures from Io, one of Jupiter’s moons, look the most like something you might see on Earth. Decades later, Io would be considered as potentially being able to support life.

We’ve since learned so much more about our solar system that we know these life forms don’t actually exist. Still, Paul’s imagination illustrated for us the vast possibilities that exist out there in space.

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Power stations and transmission towers have never been the most appealing structures, but in the 1960s United States Steel had the inclination to change that. The company commissioned Henry Dreyfuss and Associates to create alternative designs for future power stations, and these futuristic concepts were the result.

Far removed from the plain, industrial, rather ugly power stations we all know and mostly despise, these concepts are sleek and lovely. They share many of the same sensibilities applied to other future-living concepts of the mid-to-late 1960s, with some of the buildings looking far more like UFOs than power stations.

The book is called Power Styling, but it’s not quite clear just who was responsible for the illustrations. Grain Edit confirmed that it wasn’t the work of Syd Mead – the artist behind the distinctive looks of Blade Runner and TRON – but it’s not clear who did create this classic corporate art.

The designs in Power Styling were meant to bolster public acceptance and approval of power stations and transmission lines. Although they are necessary for our modern lifestyle, no one wants to have to live near them or even see them. These “modern” designs would have offered a slightly more stylish landscape.

Who knows why these designs were never put into practice? Maybe they were too far ahead of their time, or maybe the people in charge of actually designing power stations realized that people are going to hate the structures no matter what they look like and realized that it was best to keep them simple.

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At the dawn of the 20th century, technology was booming and it seemed that anything was possible for the future. Outlandish contraptions featured in just about every prediction of what the future would bring. These postcards were produced by German chocolate company Hildebrands in the beginning of the 20th century and pictured what life would be like in the year 2000.

The moving sidewalk is one of those predictions that actually did come true, though not many of us ride them for leisure as the people in this picture seem to be doing. The good-weather machine has also come to pass in a way: we’re now able to shoo away rain in advance of important outdoor events (like the 2008 Olympics in Beijing).

Travel was a frequent subject of futuristic predictions, as people at the turn of the century believed that the way we got from one place to the next would drastically change by the year 2000. From amphibious ship trains to underwater tour buses, water-based transportation was clearly thought of as the way of the future.

People of the early 20th century predicted that we would no longer need to deal with inclement days since major cities would feature roofs to keep out the elements. If you consider shopping complexes to be similar to indoor cities, this prediction has indeed come true. Sadly, we’re still waiting for our own personal airships, though based on the lack of safety features in this picture we’re kind of glad for that.

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When past generations thought about the future, their predictions often centered on making home life easier. And where was there more room for improvement than in the kitchen? Before dishwashers, microwave ovens and garbage disposals, moms of the past (and, rarely, dads) spent a large amount of time in the kitchen preparing meals and cleaning up. So naturally, the perception of the future kitchen was one of convenience and automation.

This future kitchen concept from 1943 predicted that we’d do away with pots, pans and serving dishes in favor of recessed vessels that would do it all. These chambers, made of a futuristic material called Therm-X, were set into the cooking surface and made the kitchen into a buffet. Rather than carrying serving dishes to the table, mom could simply dish up portions from right there in the kitchen.

The unit’s refrigerator was an amazing chamber set into the surface of the cooking area, with a glass door to let mom know what was inside and two openings so that items could be retrieved from the kitchen or from the adjoining dining alcove. The cooker likewise featured a glass door and state-of-the-art temperature regulation. It featured a motor-driven spit so that mom could keep an eye on the rotating roast from every angle. Even the toaster was set into the countertop surface, giving even more functionality to the all-in-one space.

When the integrated sliding cover was pulled over the cooking/food prep surface, the entire setup would become a desk or bar surface. The original article, which was run in the Uniontown, PA Morning Herald, claimed that washing dishes would be a thing of the past, and that the majority of the cook’s work could be done sitting down. That’s one improvement that actually has come to pass, though today the cook is often sitting in the other room watching TV while our amazing appliances take care of nearly everything.

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Back before cars became our preferred mode of transport and the train was the king of commuting, there were all sorts of wacky (and not-so-wacky) ideas for the future of the locomotive. It was easy to imagine that trains would always be our primary form of transportation, and that they would evolve into super-futuristic machines.

From trains with radio tubes to jet-powered trains, concept artists seemed to have limitless ideas. A recurring theme was, predictably, speed. Passengers wanted to get to their destinations faster, so train designers began thinking of ways to achieve that.

And so were born these trains with the power of jet engines. The top is a Russian train with twin engines from a Yakovlev Yak-40 plane, while the bottom image is an American creation featuring engines from a B-36 Peacemaker bomber. Obviously the combination worked for increasing the trains’ speed; the Russian version was able to get up to 180 MPH, while the American version, the “Black Beetle,” set the American rail speed record of 183.85 MPH.

These odd visions of the future are brought to us by the past. Around the beginning of the 20th century, German chocolate manufacturer Hildebrands released a series of cards showing what they thought life would be like in one hundred years. These train concepts are laughably far from where we actually are, but they show just how much faith was placed in the train’s staying power.

Some unusual train ideas were actually produced. The Hiawatha Olympian Sky Top cars gave riders an unparalleled view as they rode in the train’s glassed-in top. The cars ran on the Milwaukee Road between Chicago and Tacoma from 1948 to 1961 before being purchased by the Canadian National Railway.

(all images via: WebUrbanist)

While train use dropped off in many parts of the world for many years, it’s enjoying a resurgence with rising environmental concerns. One country that never saw a dramatic drop in train usage is China. Today, the Shanghai Maglev Train is the world’s fastest commercial train, capable of speeds up to 267 MPH. Its futuristic technology allows it to glide along the rails through the modern marvel of magnetic levitation. As modern and techy as the design sounds, the first patent for a maglev train was awarded in 1902; transportation futurists saw this coming from nearly a century away.

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