The Long History of the Future

In The Long History of the Future, acclaimed technology journalist Nicole Kobie uncovers the fascinating stories behind the innovations that promised to change the world. Through the lives of visionary scientists, pioneering engineers and bold inventors, she reveals why even the most brilliant ideas often take decades or centuries to become practical, affordable and widely adopted.

Blending the history of technology, science, engineering and innovation with compelling storytelling, Kobie explores how ambitious inventions evolve through countless setbacks, breakthroughs and unexpected twists. From autonomous vehicles and urban innovation to high-speed transport, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, she explains why the future rarely arrives exactly as imagined and why reality is often even more transformative.

Insightful, entertaining and deeply researched, The Long History of the Future challenges our assumptions about technological progress and offers a fresh perspective on the inventions shaping the twenty-first century. It is an essential read for anyone curious about how innovation happens, why technological revolutions take time and what the future may truly hold.