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The 20 Worst Science Predictions
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC), maker of big business mainframe computers, arguing against the PC in 1977.
"We will never make a 32 bit operating system."
-Bill Gates.
"To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth - all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances."
-Lee DeForest, American radio pioneer and inventor of the vacuum tube, in 1926.
"A rocket will never be able to leave the earth's atmosphere."
-New York Times, 1936.
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
-Lord Kelvin, president of the British Royal Society, 1895.
"There will never be a bigger plane built."
-A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people.
"Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality in 10 years."
-Alex Lewyt, president of vacuum cleaner company Lweyt Corp., in the New York Times, 1955.
"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, 1932.
"The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. What audiences really want to see is flesh and blood on the stage."
-Charlie Chaplin, 1916.
"The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty - a fad."
-The president of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford's lawyer, Horace Rackham, not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903.
"The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys."
-Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer, British Post Office, 1878.
"The world potential market for copying machines is 5000 at most."
-IBM, to the eventual founders of Xerox, saying the photocopier had no market large enough to justify production, 1959.
"I must confess that my imagination refuses to see any sort of submarine doing anything but suffocating its crew an floundering at sea."
-HG Wells, British novelist, 1901.
"The idea that cavalry will be replaced by these iron coaches is absurd. It is little short of treasonous."
-Comment of Aide-de-camp to Field Marshal Haig, at tank demonstration, 1916.
"How, sir, would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I, pray you, excuse me, I have not the time to listen to such nonsense."
-Napoleon Bonaparte, when told of Robert Fulton's steamboat, 1800s.
"Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night."
-Darryl Zanuck, movie producer, 20th Century Fox, 1946.
"When the Paris Exhibition [of 1878] closes, electric light will close with it and no more will be heard of it."
-Oxford professor Erasmus Wilson.
"Rail travel at high speed is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia."
-Dr Dionysys Larder (1793-1859), professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, University College, London.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to no one in particular?"
-Associates of David Sarnoff responding to the latter's call for investment in the radio in 1921.
^^i actually agree with this last one i hardly ever listen to the radio.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
-Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC), maker of big business mainframe computers, arguing against the PC in 1977.
"We will never make a 32 bit operating system."
-Bill Gates.
"To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth - all that constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances."
-Lee DeForest, American radio pioneer and inventor of the vacuum tube, in 1926.
"A rocket will never be able to leave the earth's atmosphere."
-New York Times, 1936.
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
-Lord Kelvin, president of the British Royal Society, 1895.
"There will never be a bigger plane built."
-A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people.
"Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality in 10 years."
-Alex Lewyt, president of vacuum cleaner company Lweyt Corp., in the New York Times, 1955.
"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, 1932.
"The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. What audiences really want to see is flesh and blood on the stage."
-Charlie Chaplin, 1916.
"The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty - a fad."
-The president of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford's lawyer, Horace Rackham, not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903.
"The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys."
-Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer, British Post Office, 1878.
"The world potential market for copying machines is 5000 at most."
-IBM, to the eventual founders of Xerox, saying the photocopier had no market large enough to justify production, 1959.
"I must confess that my imagination refuses to see any sort of submarine doing anything but suffocating its crew an floundering at sea."
-HG Wells, British novelist, 1901.
"The idea that cavalry will be replaced by these iron coaches is absurd. It is little short of treasonous."
-Comment of Aide-de-camp to Field Marshal Haig, at tank demonstration, 1916.
"How, sir, would you make a ship sail against the wind and currents by lighting a bonfire under her deck? I, pray you, excuse me, I have not the time to listen to such nonsense."
-Napoleon Bonaparte, when told of Robert Fulton's steamboat, 1800s.
"Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night."
-Darryl Zanuck, movie producer, 20th Century Fox, 1946.
"When the Paris Exhibition [of 1878] closes, electric light will close with it and no more will be heard of it."
-Oxford professor Erasmus Wilson.
"Rail travel at high speed is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia."
-Dr Dionysys Larder (1793-1859), professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, University College, London.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to no one in particular?"
-Associates of David Sarnoff responding to the latter's call for investment in the radio in 1921.
^^i actually agree with this last one i hardly ever listen to the radio.
-Tallahassee 
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