View of Earth taken from Apollo 8 in December 1968.
View of Earth taken from Apollo 8 in December 1968.
Science fiction from the past described electric and solar cars, diving and living under the ocean, traveling through and colonizing space, and teleports that could whisk a person from one spot to another in a matter of moments. Many of these ideas have been developed and are used today. Some continue to be researched by scientists and engineers. Other remain ideas still waiting to be pursued. Perhaps by you?
Bullet trains in Japan can move people nearly 200 miles per hour. Scientists and engineers are researching ways to bring this type of transportation to the United States. A proposed train called a hyperloop could propel passengers at speeds up to 670 miles per hour.
Where would you travel to on a hyperloop train?
The Eurotunnel, or Chunnel, goes beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. It is the longest undersea tunnel in the world at 23.5 miles. In total, it is 31.3 miles long and takes approximately 35 minutes to travel.
Would you like to travel through the Chunnel? If so, where in England or Europe would you like to visit? What other tunnels have you traveled through?
The depths of the ocean, which are deeper than the height of the tallest mountains, are still dangerous for humans, because of the immense pressure exerted by the water. Engineers and inventors are researching ways for this part of our world to be explored.
What do you think we will find when we explore the deepest and darkest parts of the ocean? What do you imagine an underwater community would be like?
Although the universe is unimaginably vast, many humans are eager to venture into outer space. What do you think it would be like to be a space explorer?
What do you think it would be like to be an ocean explorer?
What type of transportation do you find most interesting and would like to research in more detail?
What inventor, explorer, or engineer do you find most intriguing and would like to investigate more?
In her lifetime, Margaret witnessed many transportation marvels that took humans around the world and into outer space. What innovations in transportation do you think you might see in your lifetime?
Design a futuristic type of transportation or improve on a current type .