Science fiction in real life was discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA

The meeting "Literary Club. Paradoxes of the Fantastic and the Real," dedicated to science fiction, was held on February 20 at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of a new educational project. The lecture became part of the large-scale program of the International Symposium "Inventing the Future," which will take place at the National Centre RUSSIA in October. Yevgeny Kharitonov, head of the Centre for Humanitarian Projects and Research at the Russian State Library for Young Adults and chairman of the Council for Science Fiction and Adventure Literature of the Union of Writers of Russia, spoke about iconic books and films of the genre, as well as the influence of science fiction on modern science.

The speaker reflected on the paradoxes of the film industry, how Soviet cinema once surpassed Hollywood, and how science fiction serves as inspiration for modern scientists and researchers, including Elon Musk.

In a dialogue format, participants discussed how real life shapes fantastic plots and how science fiction influences our reality. According to Yevgeny Kharitonov, the predictions of science fiction writers are not prophecies but rather the result of broad observation and extensive reading.

"Science fiction writers are people who follow the development of scientific thought a little more closely than others. Scientists are also dreamers, but they are sometimes limited by their field of responsibility. However, those who feel constrained within real science expand its boundaries by turning to science fiction," noted Yevgeny Kharitonov. 

Photo: Sergey Baranov / Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

The writer emphasized that many technologies, which are now an integral part of modern life, were first described in science fiction. These include wireless phones and headphones, video communication, social networks, and much more. Sometimes even children's literature is ahead of its time.

"Lewis Carroll, who wrote many fairy tales, in his work "Sylvie and Bruno" described the thing that is now an integral part of our lives. One of the characters in the book says that letters lack special symbols to express laughter, anger, or a smile. In this way, the writer predicted the appearance of emojis," said Yevgeny Kharitonov.

Another striking example is Nikolai Nosov’s fairy tale novel "Neznaika in the Sun City" ("Dunno in the Sun City" in some translations.)

"A unique prediction that cannot be overlooked. The writer could have patented the invention he described. In the story, Neznaika encounters an unfamiliar small machine that moves around the room from wall to wall, buzzing continuously. This was a description of a robotic vacuum cleaner, which is now found in almost every home," noted the writer.

Yevgeny Kharitonov also spoke about Soviet cinema, which not only inspired Hollywood but also influenced modern inventors. For example, Elon Musk admitted that the idea for the two-stage Falcon 1 light launch vehicle came to him after watching the 1959 Soviet film "The Sky Calls."