Doctor Who has long been considered a fertile playground for speculative tech, most of which has remained something only for sci-fi. But over the years, some of those tech concepts have undergone testing & development and are now closer to reality, in their own ways. From the sonic screwdriver concept to physical teleportation, these “myths” now exist in a stretch of reality. To that end, we’re not leaving anything to the imagination. Read on as we expose just how these technologies have edged closer to reality.
Regeneration and stem cell medicine
Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist – “We’re living in a time when science fiction is becoming science fact faster than ever.”
It was all drama and thrill when the Doctor hit the reset button when critically injured or was at the end of his life. It’s probably not so dramatic knowing that the real science behind this move is making steady progress. Regeneration; tissue engineering, stem-cell therapy and artificially-nurtured organs are more of a reality than many regular folks understand.
Researchers have harnessed the utility of stem cells to repair damaged tissues thus far. Also, scientists have recorded decent progress in using bio-materials to develop semi-functional organs. In all, if we’re looking at the very units of regeneration, humankind has made decent enough progress.
Fun Fact: Regeneration mimics real biology. Certain animals like axolotls can regrow limbs, which is a natural inspiration for modern regenerative abilities featured in the show.
The Sonic Screwdriver – multipurpose diagnostic tool
We all took notice of the tiny, handheld device the Doctor uses to unlock doors, control electronics and scan alien lifeforms. Well, the real-life concept of that screwdriver doesn’t do nearly the things the Doctor could do, but it is all the more progressive. Today, we have multi-tools that are compact and combine remote control, diagnostics and non-contact sensors.
Also, some ultrasonic devices and spectrometers can now analyse material and read environmental data. Some can even interface with smart locks. Of course, they won’t dissolve a lock from a distance, but these technologies have the same design impulse.
Fun Fact: The sonic screwdriver debuted in 1968, long before portable multipurpose tools were common and now engineers actually build “sonic” devices for non-contact sensing and surgery.
Cybernetic augmentation – Robotics and AI
Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction writer and futurist – “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
Doctor Who came with its legion of augmented beings, including the Cybermen, who showed us a spectacle of human-machine fusion. On the scientific side, we now have neural implants and AI-driven exoskeletons. Some research labs have even enabled amputees to control their robotic limbs with neural signals. Also, AI and tech giants have done some amazing work that allows humans to operate devices using thought patterns.
Teleportation – Quantum teleportation and relativistic science
Most of us who fancied the TARDIS, which takes the Doctor across space and time, may be a little disappointed that physical time travel is still a fantasy. Quantum teleportation, on the other hand, which is the transfer of states between particles, is very much in motion. Very recently, scientists have succeeded in transporting quantum information between satellites and across laboratories.
In the same vein, time dilation is now properly understood and measured. None of these developments brings us close to physical teleportation, but they’re still playing a role in scientific progress.
Ultimate significance; side notes on gambling tech
We can all agree that science fiction does more than entertain, it fosters creative pressure in areas like medicine, science, technology and even entertainment. Casino gaming entertainment, for instance, has also absorbed this influence in many ways. These include Blockchain-based provably fair systems, virtual and augmented reality, and AI personalisation.
Today’s casino players value the transparency and performance these features afford the casinos. For instance, many users now prefer to seek out casino sites known for leading payout performance to others, for obvious reasons. This trend is constantly analysed by iGaming experts like Gerda Grinova, as the sector keeps evolving.
Technologies that still exist in fancy
Alas, to the dismay of some fans, many if not most of the technologies featured in Doctor Who remain fantasies. There’s a good number of them, but we’ll go ahead and list the fans’ favourites;
- Physical time travel
- Instant matter conversion
- Full organ replication
- Consciousness transfer without biological scaffolding
Closing
Every follower knows Doctor Who is a show about possibilities. As such, the featured technologies it served us were more farfetched ideas than reality. Nevertheless, some of those ideas are closer to reality than most realise. For instance, while physical teleportation is still a myth, quantum teleportation is developing and still in motion.
Factually speaking, the developments we’ve discussed so far are all real-world echoes of the Doctor Who’s proactive ideas. In the end, humanity can say that the line between fantasy and reality isn’t as thick as it used to be.