Retrospective: What a 1976 Washington Post prediction got right about life in 2026
By
Juliet Eilperin
Summary
A retrospective look at a 1976 Washington Post article by science editor Thomas O'Toole, who attempted to predict life in 2026 for America's bicentennial. The piece highlights O'Toole's forecasts, which included gene editing, deep-sea mining, and nuclear-powered artificial hearts, noting what he got right about the future.
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Key quotes
· 3 pulledFrom its inception, America has forged toward the future.
The possibility of what could be different has powered many of its inventions and helped define its national identity.
But predicting how things will change decades from now is a more daunting task than embracing a gauzy promise.
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