Gen X teens in 1986 predicted what life would be like today. Here’s what they got right.

Can kids predict the future?

By Annie Reneau

In 1966, the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World asked a group of 13-year-olds to share their predictions about what life in the year 2000 would be like. As you might expect, it was fascinating.

Two decades later, the showrunners did the same thing again. Only this time, they asked the young teens of 1986 what they thought life in 2020 would be like. How did Gen X’s answers about the future differ from those of their Baby Boomer predecessors?

The 1966 cohort’s predictions dealt with space travel, robots, and computers. They were concerned about overpopulation and nuclear war.

The science behind ‘soft socializing’: Why Gen Z is ditching bars

Imagine a puzzle competition held at a friend’s house, jigsaw pieces flying in a flurry.

By Kat Hong

Or a beautiful Saturday morning flower-arranging class, the air fragrant with seasonal blooms, with no pressure to make small talk. What about a nature walk through local woods, where chatting with new people can happen naturally—or not?

These enticing options are part of a growing trend: “soft socializing.” It represents a significant cultural shift in how we connect, prioritizing shared activities over forced conversation and social performance.

Their special moment. 🥹 ⁠

Expatriate reveals 8 words and phrases that mean the opposite to Brits and Americans

The English language is full of idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies that can drive English learners batty.

By Annie Reneau

Even for native English speakers, some words and phrases can cause confusion in ways they may not expect.

For instance, not only are there English words that mean opposite things depending on how they are used (called contronyms), but there are also words and phrases that have opposite meanings depending on where they are used.

Evan Edinger moved to the United Kingdom 13 years ago. He shares videos on YouTube about his experience as an American living in the U.K., including linguistic differences. For instance, saying the food in London is “quite good” may sound like a compliment, but it would likely be received as a bit of an insult by Londoners.

Woman explains ‘Millennial teaching’ to her Boomer teacher mom and it backfires hilariously

As Millennials entered adulthood, they ushered in an ideology that was pretty much the antithesis of their Baby Boomer parents’ views in every way, shape, and form.

By Heather Wake

Now, with yet a few more years under our belt, many Millennials are starting to see that maybe, just maybe, the Boomers were reasonable with a few things. 

That was certainly the sentiment shared by those who watched a video posted by educator Angie Williams (@the.teacher.chic), as she jokingly tried to school her mother Chris Andresen (who also happened to be a retired teacher) about how to approach the “Millennial teaching” method. All to no avail. 

For instance, Williams tries to explain that teachers don’t use terms like “boys and girls” to get students’ attention, but instead incorporate “inclusive” language, like “team” or friends.”