Sci-fi has shaped the direction of real-life science – so what happens now reality is catching up with fiction?

It's no understatement to say that the science fiction stories that we've told ourselves in well-thumbed paperbacks, cult movies and beloved TV series have changed the world. For years they've led the way for real scientific advances, providing the creative vision that has inspired engineers and scientists. But in an age where reality is starting to catch up with fiction… well, what happens next? "We're really starting to catch up with those ideas now in the real world," says futurologist and artificial intelligence (AI) expert Dr Ian Pearson. And it's true, science is making fiction a reality.