Kids In 1966 Predicted Life In The 2000s, And Some Got It Shockingly Right
The threat of the atomic bomb and concerns about rising populations...
In 1966, kids were asked to predict what life would look like decades later, and some of them basically called it. Not in a vague “technology will change everything” way, but in the oddly specific way that makes you stop scrolling and stare at the screen.
One kid imagined sheep and cows locked up in buildings, “kept in batteries,” with no pastures left for grazing. Another worried that the future would be “all machines everywhere,” with everyone doing everything for you until you got bored. And while those predictions sound like schoolyard speculation, they line up uncomfortably well with what the world became.
Here’s the twist, the predictions weren’t just about gadgets, they were about what we would lose when the machines took over.
Kids were tasked with predicting the future, and some were eerily accurate
(BBC Archive/YouTube)
That sheep-and-cows prediction from the 1966 interview hangs in the air right as the article points out cage-free shifts, like 40 percent of U.S. egg-laying hens now living without cages.
The Rise of Factory Farming
One child predicted a future where livestock would no longer roam free but instead be confined indoors: “Sheep and cows and livestock, they will be kept in batteries; they won’t be allowed to graze on pastures; they’ll be kept in buildings all together,” they said.
Decades later, that vision has largely come true. The idea of animals living in tightly confined spaces has sparked growing concern among consumers and animal welfare advocates.
But there are some encouraging signs of change. Humane World for Animals reported that as of last year, 40 percent of egg-laying hens in the U.S. are now cage-free—a significant step toward more humane farming practices.
A Life Run by Machines
Another child expressed skepticism about a tech-driven future, saying, “I don’t think it’s going to be so nice, all machines everywhere; everyone doing everything for you; you’ll get all bored.”
Since 1966, technological advancement has accelerated at a breathtaking pace. We now live in a world of smartphones, smart homes, streaming services, and cloud computing—all powered in part by the lithium-ion battery, invented in the 1980s. While these innovations have transformed how we work, play, and connect, they've also raised questions about the cost of constant digital engagement.
A report from Save the Children UK highlights a potential downside. Today’s youth are 62 percent less likely to climb trees or play outside compared to their grandparents, suggesting that the shift toward screen-based entertainment has also led to a growing disconnect from the natural world.
Even more concerning is the growing age gap between children and the outdoors.
Then the boy’s “all machines everywhere” worry takes over, especially once the story starts listing today’s constant tech buzz, smartphones, smart homes, and streaming.
Children's Creativity and Future Predictions
This is similar to the coworker who admitted stealing lunch after being confronted.
Watch the video:
The article gets even more pointed when it brings in the youth outdoor drop, because the real concern is what happens to kids when the screen becomes the default playground.
Automation and Population Growth: A Child’s Concern That Still Resonates
During the 1966 BBC interviews, one thoughtful boy voiced his concerns not about war but about the future of work and the challenges of a growing population.
“I don’t think there is going to be atomic warfare,” he said, “but I think there is going to be all this automation. People are going to be out of work and a great population, and I think something has to be done about it. If I weren’t a biologist, that’s what I’d like to do—try to do something about the population problem, temper it somehow. I don’t know how.”
More than half a century later, his concerns feel strikingly relevant. Research from the London School of Economics further suggests that nearly 47 percent of existing careers may eventually be automated.
On the population front, the numbers tell a dramatic story. In 1966, the U.S. population was estimated at around 196 million. Today, that number has grown to approximately 347 million—a significant increase by any measure.
Yet globally, the population curve is beginning to flatten. In fact, the current global fertility rate is less than half of what it was in 1963, signaling a significant demographic shift that future generations will continue to navigate.
And right when you think it’s only about animals and devices, the unfinished “future of work” thread from that 1966 BBC interview makes it feel like the kids were warning about people too.
A Shift to Apartment Living
One girl predicted that by the 2000s, traditional two-up-two-down houses would no longer be the norm. Due to limited space, she imagined people would be "piled on top of one another" in tall apartment blocks instead of living in standalone homes.
In some places, her prediction has proven to be remarkably accurate. In New York City, for example, only 9.2% of homes are detached single-unit houses. In contrast, nearly half (48.4%) of the city's residential buildings consist of 20 or more units. And for that little girl in 1966, her vision of the future wasn’t too far off the mark.
The predictions made by children in 1966 reveal a remarkable blend of imagination and insight that still resonates today.
Those kids didn’t just predict the 2000s, they predicted the trade-offs nobody wanted to admit they were making.
Want another tense money moment? See what happened when a sibling asked their brother or sister to repay “basic living expenses”.
Damjan
