Imagine stepping into a time machine and bringing someone from the 1800s to our present day. The world we live in would seem like pure magic to them! Our everyday gadgets and technologies, which we often take for granted, would blow their minds. Some might even scare them silly! From glowing screens to flying machines, our modern world is full of wonders that would seem like witchcraft or alien technology to our ancestors.
Smartphones
Picture showing a small rectangle to someone from the 1800s and telling them it can access all the world’s knowledge, talk to people across the globe, and even see their faces in real-time. They’d probably think it was some kind of demon-summoning device! The idea of carrying around a pocket-sized computer with more power than the machines that sent humans to the moon would be mind-boggling to our ancestors.
Airplanes
Humans have dreamed of flying for centuries, but imagine telling someone from the past that we regularly soar through the sky in giant metal birds. The sight of a massive aircraft zooming overhead would likely cause panic and disbelief. The thought of willingly getting inside one of these flying machines would seem absolutely insane to them.
Microwave Ovens
A box that heats food with invisible waves? That’s surely witchcraft! The concept of radiation was unknown to most people in the past, so the idea of using it to cook food would be terrifying. They might worry about the food being poisoned or their souls being stolen by this mysterious heating device.
Automatic Sliding Doors
Doors that open by themselves would seem like pure magic to people from the past. They might think ghosts or invisible servants were operating them. The sudden movement of these doors opening without any visible human touch would likely startle and confuse our time-traveling visitors.
Electric Lights
Imagine the shock of seeing a room instantly illuminate with the flick of a switch. People from the past might think we’ve harnessed lightning or trapped tiny suns in glass bulbs. The ability to banish darkness at will would seem like a godly power to those accustomed to candles and oil lamps.
Television
A box with moving, talking pictures? Surely it must be filled with tiny people or controlled by evil spirits! The concept of broadcasting images and sound through the air would be completely alien to people from the past. They might think we’ve found a way to trap souls inside these glowing rectangles.
Escalators
Moving stairs would be a terrifying sight for time travelers. They might see them as some kind of monstrous, mechanical beast trying to eat people. The idea of willingly stepping onto these moving platforms would seem incredibly dangerous and foolish to them.
Alexa and Smart Home Devices
Talking to an invisible entity that controls your home would seem like communing with spirits to people from the past. They might think our homes are haunted by obedient ghosts. The idea of willingly inviting these “spirits” into our homes would be shocking to them.
Cars
Horseless carriages that move at incredible speeds would be both amazing and terrifying to our ancestors. The noise, speed, and seemingly magical propulsion of these vehicles would be overwhelming. They might see cars as dangerous metal beasts that we’ve somehow tamed.
Elevators
Stepping into a small room and being whisked up or down many stories would feel like a death-defying act to people from the past. They might think it’s some kind of elaborate gallows or a device for communicating with the underworld. The trust we place in these machines would seem foolish to them.
Vacuum Cleaners
A noisy machine that sucks up dirt like a hungry monster would be a frightening sight. People from the past might think it’s some kind of mechanical beast that we’ve enslaved to do our bidding. The idea of willingly bringing such a loud, scary device into our homes would baffle them.
Refrigerators
A magical box that keeps food cold without ice? Impossible! The concept of artificial cooling would be completely foreign to our time travelers. They might worry that the food inside is cursed or that the cold box is stealing the warmth from the world around it.
Flush Toilets
While indoor plumbing would be a welcome advancement, the loud whoosh of a flushing toilet might startle our visitors. They could worry about where the waste goes and might even fear being sucked down themselves. The idea of having a water-filled bowl inside the house might seem unsanitary and strange to them.
Drones
Flying machines controlled by a person on the ground would be mind-boggling to our time travelers. They might see drones as evil spirits or mechanical birds sent to spy on people. The buzzing sound and the ability to hover in place would be unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. Our casual use of these flying devices for fun or work would seem incredibly strange and possibly threatening to them.
Biometric Security
Unlocking devices or doors with a fingerprint or facial recognition would seem like dark magic to people from the past. The idea that a machine could identify you by your unique physical features would be both fascinating and terrifying. They might worry about their soul being captured or their identity being stolen by these mysterious devices. The concept of trusting a machine to recognize and authenticate a person would seem incredibly risky and unnatural to our ancestors.
Katy Willis is a writer, master herbalist, master gardener, and certified canine nutritionist who has been writing since 2002. She’s finds joy in learning new and interesting things, and finds history, science, and nature endlessly fascinating.
