At one time there was a difference between extrapolating from existing technology to create future models, and modelling in the future itself. While the former used to be a routine application of science, the latter was reserved strictly for science fiction. No longer. It’s now perfectly legitimate to try and reverse-engineer artifacts and processes that only exist as phantasms of speculation. Some results will perhaps be doomed and some only partially successful, but some will definitely see the light of years to come. Here’s a cross selection of all three in no particular order of credibility or accomplishment.