9 things that would've been seen as conspiracy theories 20 years ago but are real today

Conspiracy theories can be fun for a trip down the rabbit hole or try and debunk. But what about the conspiracy theories that turn out to be true, or, in this case, turn out to be visions of what was coming in the future? Before technology advanced, people had ideas about the future that seemed so far-fetched they could easily be dismissed as conspiracy theories.

Some conspiracy theories were so pervasive that they made the news, like Y2K, where seemingly everyone believed the world was going to end on December 31, 1999. People made bunkers in their basements and unplugged all of their electronics in hopes of stopping the inevitable end of the world because computers couldn't handle switching into the new millennium. It was certainly a time to be alive.

Clearly, the world didn't end in December of 1999, but there are plenty of wilder-than-fiction conspiracy theories and ideas that turned into reality. What was once only reserved for science fiction movies has now made its way to everyday life.

1. Communicating like a secret spy

In the 1970s, James Bond might have had people shaking their heads when his watch received a message from his handler. That was something unheard of; even Charlie's Angels still had to use a landline phone to receive instructions. Seeing someone carrying on a conversation with someone no one else could see, or watching someone talk and listen to their watch, would've resulted in a trip to a mental institution. The idea was laughable until recently, when smartphones received their companion–Bluetooth devices.

Security guard on duty with earpiece and cap.Photo credit: Canva

2. The government is listening to our private conversations

Millennials like to joke that they have an FBI agent assigned to secretly spy on them, but it's not far off from the truth. We may not each have our own private FBI or CIA agent assigned to monitor our late-night Amazon shopping sprees, but there have been several times in history when the United States government was caught secretly listening in on citizens' conversations. It happened during the Vietnam Era, which was uncovered during the Watergate scandal, with the most recent discovery being post 9/11, when it was discovered that the National Security Administration was collecting the call information of Verizon phone users.

Confused by the phone, she searches for answers.Photo credit: Canva

According to the ACLU, "the government reported that in 2011, Section 702 surveillance resulted in the retention of more than 250 million internet communications (a number that does not reflect the far larger quantity of communications whose contents the NSA searched before discarding them). Given the rate at which the number of Section 702 targets is growing, it’s likely that the government today collects over a billion communications under Section 702 each year. But these statistics tell only part of the story. The government has never provided data on the number of Americans who are surveilled under PRISM and Upstream, a number that is surely also increasing."

3. Things in our house can hear our thoughts

When you say it like that, it sounds pretty kooky, but it's not far-fetched...anymore. Most Americans are wiretapping themselves by having smart devices throughout their homes: smartphones, watches, and computers primed to listen, prompted or not. So while your computer can't read your mind, the devices around you are designed to listen and share targeted ads. These can be based on things you've looked up or chatted about with a friend. Since your contacts are stored in your smartphone, you're also creating a sort of web of interest from the locations you both visit, even if you're not visiting them together.

Kids exploring renewable energy with a solar panel and wind turbine model.Photo credit: Canva

So, no, you're not losing your mind when you talk to your friend about this new shirt at Express, only for a model wearing the same shirt in an Express ad later that night on your social media feed. Cox Media Group secretly admitted to utilizing the microphones of people's devices to target ads, according to 404 Media. The media group in question had big tech clients like Facebook and Google, so this conspiracy theory wasn't all that crazy. These permissions can be tucked into the "Terms & Agreements" that people don't often read.

4. Robots and computers are taking over the world

When computers first became a household item, people started to become suspicious of these new devices. They went from taking up an entire room to being small enough to fit on desks in offices before eventually making their way into classrooms and homes across the globe. Jobs started to become automated, which caused manufacturing workers to need to learn new skills. While things were stable for decades as computer science careers boomed, technology is now in nearly every aspect of daily life, even mixing baby formula can be automated.

There are now robots that deliver food through busy city streets. Robots can even sweep and mop your floor every night so you don't have to. If you don't have hard floors, no worries, those little robots have amazing suction power and will vacuum carpets as well as a full-sized vacuum being pushed around by a human.

Of course, computers and robots could never technically take over the world because they need humans to maintain and update them. But automation and artificial intelligence are squeezing white collar workers out of jobs as companies look for other areas they can cut people in exchange for AI or a robot for higher profit margins.

5. There are flying cars

Truly, what a time to be alive. Cartoons like The Jetsons, Speed Racer, and Inspector Gadget all had some form of flying cars, whether it was because the car was a spaceship of sorts or if it was due to a secret gadget propelling it into the air. These cartoons were onto something. While a person speculating about having flying cars in the future would've been laughed out of their local barber shop, they're now a thing.

Futuristic flying car soaring in a clear blue sky.Photo credit: Canva

Adam Goldstein, the CEO of Archer Aviation is ready for the infrastructure that will support his new vehicle. The company is based out of California and produces electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts, otherwise known as flying cars. The aircraft holds passengers and while it can be compared to a helicopter, it's extremely quiet and looks more like a huge drone. Newsweek reports that these flying cars are best for moving quickly around congested cities, like the 405 in Los Angeles during rush hour.

6. Cars drive all by themselves

Yep. Even two decade ago people would've thought you had been smoking the devil's lettuce if you claimed to see a car riding around without a driver. Sure, you saw things like that in movies, but the idea was so preposterous that it only worked in the movies. It was something that couldn't be imagined, but it's now a reality. Waymo offered its first passenger a ride in its driverless car in 2015, and, in 2020, it was offering the public driverless rides without someone behind the wheel in case something went wrong.

Scenic road trip past wind turbines in driverless carPhoto credit: Canva

Tesla also offers a version of this for personal vehicles. The feature is called Full Self-Driving (FSD), which allows the driver of the vehicle to engage the self-driving feature while they supervise. Eyes still must be on the road as the self-driving mode is not fully autonomous like Waymo cars. These features are not without fault, though. One man became stuck in a Waymo as it spun in circles in a parking lot instead of taking him to the airport as requested. The dizzy man had to call Waymo support to get the car to stop.

7. Computer chips are being implanted in people's brains

Yes, this still sounds made up. No, it's not a joke. Scientists have found a way to implant computer chips into the brains of humans, but it's not for some weird government mind control. Elon Musk's company Neuralink successfully implanted a thin computer chip into the brain of Noland Arbaugh, a 30-year-old from Arizona who became paralyzed from the shoulders down after a diving accident, according to the BBC. The chip in his brain helps him control the computer with his mind.

Merging minds and machines: the future of brain-computer interfaces.Photo credit: Canva

"It is what is known as a brain computer interface (BCI) - which works by detecting the tiny electrical impulses generated when humans think about moving, and translating these into digital command, such as moving a cursor on a screen," the BBC writes.

Neuralink is not the first or only computer chip implanted in someone's brain. Elon Musk is more well known, but he and his company are not the pioneers to this technology. In 2010, NeuroLife implanted a chip in Ian Burkhart's brain that helped him regain movement and independence after hitting his head on a sandbar in the Atlantic Ocean. The field is crowded with scientists racing to be the one to solve serious mobility, mental, and physical health conditions with the right tweaks to a computer chip.

8. Someone can clone you without your knowledge

This one may seem a bit out there, but with the rise of AI, people can take a photo or video of other people and put them in precarious situations. The new software technology may seem fun, but there have already been instances where it was used to create inappropriate images and videos of celebrities.

Double take: Two beanie-wearing men point at each other.Photo credit: Canva

Now that it's as simple as uploading a picture and typing a prompt, people can find themselves throwing a tantrum in a grocery store they've never actually visited. Video of someone going on a racist tirade or committing a crime can also be easily conjured up on a computer with a few clicks without consideration of the consequences if the AI image is taken seriously. While Sora is currently most popularly used app for this sort of AI spoofing, it's User Agreement says to only use photos you have consent to use. But ill intention can override the intended purpose of the app as some people have found.

9. Aliens are real, and the government has been hiding them

Well, are there aliens? There may never be a true answer on this one, but an ex-NASA employee spoke to media confirming the existence of aliens. People have suspected for decades that the United States government has been hiding aliens in Roswell, New Mexico. There was even a television show all about aliens who looked like every day teenagers called Roswell. Americans are invested in the little green men...or grey men? Or maybe aliens that look just like humans? Was Men in Black a documentary?

Dr. Gregory Rogers, former NASA Chief Flight Surgeon and a U.S. Air Force major, told Newsweek that he saw a "flying saucer" in a Cape Canaveral hanger in 1993. During a congressional hearing in 2023, former Defense Department employee David Grusch claimed to have seen remains of pilots inside of an unidentified flying object that were non-human. NASA disputes this claim by pointing to the lack of evidence.