On sci-fi and technology

Dr. Joline Zepcevski, a sci/tech history researcher, quoted by Jeremy Hsu on why much science fiction is as interesting for the technologies abandoned as those newly invented: "Technology is not pre-determined as 'better'—it becomes better when a society deems it to be better or more advanced. With respect to "The Hunger Games," there is no reason why a new society, rising from the ashes of an old society, would necessarily re-invent the same technologies." [Discovery Channel]

A decade ago, you could fly London to New York in a couple of hours. A year ago, America had a reusable spacecraft.