35 Future Predictions That Aged So Poorly, They’re Almost Comical

The future is unpredictable, but that hasn’t stopped people from making bold claims about what’s to come. From failed technology predictions to outrageous statements about culture and society, some of these guesses aged so poorly, they’re laughable today.

Today, the We team scoured the internet to find exactly that. Whether it’s outdated scientific forecasts or overconfident business takes, these moments prove that even the smartest minds can get it wrong. Keep reading to see some of the worst predictions that didn’t stand the test of time!

#1 Found This In The Supply Closet(It’s A Box Of Plastic Bags)

#2 Google In 1999 And Today Its Completely Opposite

#3 Kevin…you Sweet, Sweet Summer Child

While many of us joke about what the future holds, there are people who take it very seriously—and even make a career out of it. Whether it’s astrologers, fortune tellers, or numerologists, predicting the future has fascinated humanity for centuries.

Some people swear by it, while others remain skeptical, but there’s no denying that astrology has remained a part of cultures worldwide.

#4 Classic Daily Mail

#5 This Old Cartoon About Transportation

#6 Lady Gaga Had A Hater Group

Astrology is based on the belief that planetary movements and positions influence human behavior and events on Earth. It’s a practice that has been studied and refined over thousands of years, with different schools of thought emerging across the world. While some see it as a science of the stars, others view it as a guiding tool for self-awareness and decision-making.

#7 The Last Page Of This Book From 1981…

#8 Happy New Year!

#9 “There Is No Reason Anyone Would Want A Computer In Their Home.” –Ken Olson, President, Chain-Nan And Founder Of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

To gain a deeper understanding, We spoke with Acharya Anju Agarwal, a MahaVastu consultant and expert in Vaastu & Astrology, who provides both home and online consultations from Mumbai, India.

With years of experience, she helps people understand how astrology influences various aspects of their lives—from relationships to career choices.

#10 50 Years Isn’t That Long

#11 ‘King Charles & Queen Diana’ – Well This One Tops The Cake

A prediction of the future about Prince Charles and Lady Diana from a 1992 royal magazine.

#12 Well This Didn’t Age Well

“An astrological chart is a wheel divided into 12 zodiac signs, which correspond to 12 different houses—each representing a specific area of life,” Acharya Anju explained.

“These houses are influenced by planetary placements, and the interactions between these planets shape a person’s unique astrological profile.”

#13 An Old “Helpful” Tip In A Magazine

#14 “If excessive smoking actually plays a role in the production of lung cancer, it seems to be a minor one.” – W.C. Heuper, National Cancer Institute, 1954

#15 “Everything That Can Be Invented Has Been Invented.” – Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office Of Patents, 1899

Over the centuries, astrologers have studied these planetary movements and developed interpretations that range from understanding individual personalities to analyzing world events. “There are different branches of astrology,” she shared.

“Like the branches of a tree, they all stem from the same core but take different directions—some focus on personal traits, while others predict larger events in politics, economics, or natural disasters.”

#16 “A Rocket Will Never Be Able To Leave The Earth’s Atmosphere.” New York Times, 1936

#17 “This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” – A memo at Western Union, 1878 (or 1876).

#18 Not Sure Why He Deleted This Comment From November?

So how does astrology actually work? “It’s all about the alignment of celestial bodies at a given time,” she explained. “Your birth chart, for instance, is a snapshot of the sky at the exact moment and location of your birth. It’s like your cosmic blueprint, revealing your strengths, challenges, and tendencies.”

Astrology isn’t one-size-fits-all—there are different types, each offering a unique perspective. Some focus on personal insight, while others examine broader societal changes. “For example, mundane astrology is used to predict global events, while medical astrology looks at health patterns based on planetary alignments,” she added.

#19 Welp, This Aged Like Milk Now, Didn’t It?

#20 This Meme I Sent To A Friend On 21/12/19

#21 Found This In My Photos Recently

One of the most common types is natal astrology, which revolves around an individual’s birth chart. “It highlights everything from career tendencies to relationship dynamics,” Acharya Anju said. “Then there’s relationship astrology, which compares two or more birth charts to analyze compatibility and connection between individuals.”

Of course, astrology has its fair share of critics. “Some people believe in it deeply, while others dismiss it as pure superstition,” she admitted. “And that’s completely fine—everyone has the right to their own beliefs.”

#22 Sorry Man

#23 They Had To End Him In The End

#24 There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. Steve Ballmer, USA Today, April 30, 2007.

“We don’t claim to be God,” she emphasized. “Astrology isn’t about controlling fate, but rather understanding patterns and tendencies. It’s meant to offer guidance, not definitive answers.”

Regardless of where you stand on the subject, there’s no denying that astrology continues to intrigue millions of people. Whether you check your horoscope daily or roll your eyes at the idea of Mercury Retrograde ruining your week, it’s a practice that’s deeply rooted in history and human curiosity.

#25 “Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” – Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

#26 Found In A Local Thrift Shop

#27 “Movies are a fad. Audiences really want to see live actors on a stage.” – Charlie Chaplin

While the people in these posts aren’t professional astrologers, they certainly made some bold predictions—some eerily accurate, others wildly off the mark.

Whether you’re a believer in the stars or just enjoy a good laugh at how things turn out, these predictions prove that the future is always full of surprises. Which one did you find the most peculiar? Let us know!

#28 Quote From Ellen In A Book My Daughter Is Reading

#29 It will be gone by June.- Variety, passing judgement on rock ‘n roll in 1955

#30 An Old Memory Of Mine… Don’t Ask Me For Any Future Advice

#31 Comments About Computers From Long Ago

#32 Rapture Faster

#33 Guy Regrets A Financial Decision

#34 “There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now; All that remains is more and more precise measurement.” – Lord Kelvin, speaking to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1900

#35 Prediction From 1913

#36 “Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy.” – Associates of Edwin L. Drake refusing his suggestion to drill for oil in 1859

#37 “Who the hell wants to hear actors talk ?” – Harry M. Warner, Warner Bros, 1927

#38 Never Say Or Type It Out Loud

#39 “There Will Never Be A Bigger Plane Built.” Allegedly A Boeing Engineer, After The First Flight Of The 247, A Plane That Held Ten People

#40 “X-Rays will prove to be a hoax.” – Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society, 1883

#41 That the automobile has practically reached the limit of its development is suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced. Scientific American, Jan. 2 edition, 1909.

#42 Experts Predicting Future In 1964

#43 Mmmmmm, Radium

#44 Reddit Comments After First iPhone Was Announced 14 Years Ago

#45 “We are probably nearing the limit of all we can know about astronomy.” – Simon Newcomb, Canadian-born American astronomer, 1888.

#46 “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.

#47 Umm Guess We Aren’t Going

#48 “You Could Think Of Them As The Sixth Basic Food Group”

#49 He’s Gonna Miss It

#50 “Television won’t last. It’s a flash in the pan.” – Mary Somerville, pioneer of radio educational broadcasts, 1948

#51 Democracy will be dead by 1950. – John Langdon-Davies, A Short History of The Future, 1936

#52 2020 Showed Them

#53 Oops…

#54 French Artists View On How 21st Century Would Look Like [1962]

#55 Boycott? Boycott

#56 Luther, a German priest and professor of theology, predicted the end of the world would occur no later than 1600, Martin Luther

#57 Someone Wrote This Article In 1982. Gaming Has Come A Long Way!

#58 Yeah…

#59 Did Anyone Get Raptured Recently?

#60 ~100 Year Old Milk: Then Prince Edward Talking About His Future In A Book Printed During His Father’s Reign

#61 Every Past Rapture Claim

#62 A 4 Month Old Comment By Me

#63 Very Old Graffiti In The Boys Locker Room Of My School

#64 Forgot The iPhone…

#65 This early French bishop announced the end of the world would happen during this year, 365 CE, Hilary of Poitiers

#66 Fasted Aged Like Milk In The West

#67 Spoke Wayyyy Too Soon

#68 Never Obsolete

#69 What I Found On Linkedin The Other Day

#70 “Law will be simplified (over the next century). Lawyers will have diminished, and their fees will have been vastly curtailed.”- journalist Junius Henri Browne, 1893

#71 Illustrations Of Miller’s Views Of The End Of The World In 1843

#72 Newspapers

#73 Aged Like Curdled Cheese

#74 🙁

#75 One Day We’ll Be Laughing At The Paperhands Too

#76 It Was Already “Aged Like Milk” In 2011, But Now It’s Aged X1662 Better Since Current Bitcoin Price Is $13,300

#77 I’m So Sorry Guys, I Was Only Joking. It Was 2016 And Trump Had Just Won, I Was Trying To Think Of Something Even More Ridiculous

#78 Hopefully No One Listened

#79 Facebook Memories Reminding Me Of This L From 2014

#80 “Nuclear-Powered Vacuum Cleaners Will Probably Be A Reality In 10 Years.” – Alex Lewyt, President Of Vacuum Cleaner Company Lewyt Corp., In The New York Times In 1955

#81 “Stocks Have Reached What Looks Like A Permanently High Plateau.” – Irving Fisher, Professor Of Economics, Yale University, 1929, Right Before The 1929 Stock Market Crash

#82 What can be more palpably absurd than the prospect held out of locomotives traveling twice as fast as stagecoaches? The Quarterly Review, March, 1825.