The British series Black Mirror became a true revelation in the television world. Soon, it transitioned from cable channels to Netflix, and the streaming service continues to take pride in this hit, with no plans to cancel it.
In 2011, viewers were shocked by the technologies showcased by the directors in this anthology project. But it turned out that the creators of Black Mirror were able to predict the future — as some of the events and objects described in the episodes are now on the verge of becoming a reality.
Artificial Bees
The sixth episode of season three addressed issues with the insect population. As a result, scientists began developing mechanical substitutes for bees. These robots not only pollinated plants but could also be used as weapons.In real life, there are indeed serious concerns with bee populations. Research institutions in many countries are now developing robotic bees.
Deepfakes
The first episode of the sixth season was about how digital copies of people allow for the filming of series or movies without their participation. The heroine was left horrified by what her clone was doing on-screen, as she had no power to change the situation.
In reality, deepfake technology has already been used in the film industry for some time. Hollywood actors sell the rights to use their likenesses, and neural networks have "resurrected" Russian actors Vladislav Galkin and Yuri Nikulin for films. However, debates continue about the ethics of such methods.
Memory Recording
Special implants helped the characters in the third episode of the first season to remember and then reproduce any moment of their lives. For example, one could reveal infidelity that a person preferred to forget.
This technology is now being developed in real life. Popular companies are creating contact lenses that capture everything happening in real-time and transmit content to a cloud storage, where it can be reviewed later.
Charging Phones from the Body
This method was demonstrated in the second episode of the first season. People became essentially batteries, sources of electricity, and were forced to keep moving.
Scientists are now close to releasing a small compact device that reads the body's electrical potential and charges from human movement. The energy generated would be enough to "power up" a mobile phone.
