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What will your city look like 100 years from now? It might be hard to imagine. Perhaps future generations will live in utopia. Or maybe the earth will turn into one big disaster.

What we do know is that the world looked completely different a century ago. Things seemed quieter. Skyscrapers, and buzzing traffic weren't the order of the day. Some cities didn't even exist yet. While others have since grown beyond recognition, shaped by wars, waves of migration, modernization, and technological revolution.

Bored Panda has put together a fascinating list of photographs that show just how much things have changed. Whether you're a history lover, an architecture enthusiast, or purely curious about places, prepare yourself for a visual journey of a different kind. Keep scrolling to see how time has transformed the places we call home, and don't forget to upvote your favorites.

We also explore what people back then believed the world would like today, and some of the beliefs were quite interesting. You'll find that info between the images.

#1

Lively Street In Tokyo Around 1900-1920

Crowded street scene with trams, pedestrians, and carts in a historical photograph showing the world 100 years ago.

Keystone-France / Contributor Report

Ravenkbh
Community Member
4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Godzilla will get rid of all that congestion

When asked what the world would look like in 200 years time, some Cambridge scientists of 1923 said that children will be grown in laboratories and not in their mother’s womb.

“The citizen of the future may quite possibly start life in a laboratory test-tube, be reared in a specially prepared serum and at the proper time be put on a diet of artificially created milk,” reads an article published in the Warsaw Daily Times in August that year.

It goes on to say that “Not only will the body grow in the laboratory, but also the character, skills and functions will be determined by cleverly made incisions, excisions, injections and so on.”

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    #2

    Interior Of Casa Rosada Of Buenos Aires, 1923

    Interior view of a historical government building with ornate furniture and plants in a photograph from 100 years ago.

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    #3

    1922 North Brabant, Netherlands

    Historical photograph of a medieval gate in a cobblestone street showing what the world looked like 100 years ago.

    Steenbergh, CJ (Cornelis) Report

    Andrew Burke
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not much has changed (except the house on the left is gone): https://maps.app.goo.gl/NoxFfNwhDfZwT2v17

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    Another somewhat amusing prediction was that humans would consume their food in capsule form. English writer, Walter Lionel George penned a full front-page article in The New York Herald in 1922 called “What the World Will Be Like in a Hundred Years."

    George believed that people would continue to eat "corned beef, hash, and pumpkin," but most of the meal would be synthetic. All the ingredients would be contained in pills.

    #4

    Military School Cadets Marching Down Parodos Street, 1920, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Historical photographs showing a group of soldiers marching on a rural road surrounded by trees and fences.

    Goharskiy Report

    Pyla
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Give me cavalry photos!

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    #5

    Plaza De Mayo 1920 , Argentina

    Vintage street scene with early 20th-century vehicles and a bus, showcasing historical photographs from 100 years ago.

    serg145 Report

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    #6

    King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia 1923

    Busy city street scene with early 20th-century cars, trams, and pedestrians, historical photographs showing the world 100 years ago

    State Library of South Australia Report

    howdylee
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/King+William+St+Pharmacy/@-34.9234547,138.5996964,3a,75y,212.83h,98.1t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sg0ftBP3Md-Ntkz1Ry4NTzQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-8.104683252021914%26panoid%3Dg0ftBP3Md-Ntkz1Ry4NTzQ%26yaw%3D212.8289297289281!7i16384!8i8192!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x6ab0ced5e4de0227:0x3861ca244eaa06ed!2sKing+William+St,+Adelaide+SA+5000,+Australia!3b1!8m2!3d-34.924334!4d138.599725!16s%2Fg%2F121rvjhg!3m5!1s0x6ab0ced7c9b51307:0x5dbfc5275fa1a5be!8m2!3d-34.9247952!4d138.5999724!16s%2Fg%2F11dfttyrvp!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDcwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

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    The future of food was a big talking point in the 1920s. A 1927 article in The Grape Belt noted that American scientists found that the world’s population would increase so significantly that there would not be enough food to go around.

    “Cheap, synthetic food is a dream or a nightmare, depending on how you feel about the population,” they said. Although it's unclear if they had a vision of drive-throughs and fast food chains taking over cities around the globe.

    #7

    St. Faith's Church 1900 – 1920 , New Zealand, Bay Of Plenty

    Black and white historical photograph of a church with a tall steeple and gated entrance from 100 years ago.

    Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries Report

    Andrew Burke
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Still there :) :https://maps.app.goo.gl/PWhS7pTGXqzGHrWh9

    #8

    1920 Nuremberg , Germany, Bavaria, Middle Franconia, Nuremberg

    Black and white historical photograph of a city street with horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles from 100 years ago.

    plnkr Report

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    #9

    Ballroom At Flinders Street Station 1920 – 1940 , Australia, Victoria

    Black and white historical photograph of young girls practicing gymnastics in a large hall from 100 years ago.

    imgur.com Report

    Zero Costa
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    TIL there's a ballroom at Flinders Street station...?? or used to be

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    George, quite ironically, saw a world free of pollution. “Through the disappearance of coal in all places where electricity is not made there will be no more smoke, perhaps not even that of tobacco,” he predicted. And he wasn't the only one...

    “The smoke and the dust of our cities will be gone forever,” reads an article published in 1908 in the Sunday Vindicator, adding that “Coal will be superseded by electricity driven from natural forces such as the tide and the sun.”

    #10

    Inner Courtyard Of A Madrasah With A Flower Garden, 1925, Yerevan

    Black and white historical photograph showing a traditional courtyard and architecture from 100 years ago.

    Zasypkin B.N. Report

    #11

    Langenberg. Gasthof 1920 – 1930 , Poland

    Black and white historical photograph of men with bicycles outside a building depicting the world 100 years ago.

    Mariusz Brzeziński Report

    HardBoiledBlonde
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This was Germany at the time, not Poland. .

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    #12

    Loaded Freight Barge Passing The Russian Consulate, Huangpu, Shanghai, 1919

    Black and white historical photograph showing river life and buildings from 100 years ago with boats and a distant bridge.

    Hutchinson Family Report

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    George also believed that by 2022, there would be a limit on how many children a family can have. He also, quite rightly, stated the following: “their status as heads of the household will change significantly, when women develop a career and enter the labor market.”

    “Marriage will still exist much as it is today," he added. "For mankind has an inveterate taste for this institution, but divorce will probably be as easy everywhere.”

    #13

    City Hall 1920 , Canada, Ontario

    Historic photograph showing a cityscape with a prominent clock tower and surrounding buildings from 100 years ago.

    Archives of Ontario Report

    #14

    1921 , France, Metropolitan France, Île-De-France, Paris, 6th Arrondissement (Luxembourg), Notre-Dame-Des-Champs

    Historic black and white photograph showing a large arched wooden gate in a cobblestone courtyard from 100 years ago.

    pospelov Report

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    #15

    1920 , Germany, Berlin

    Black and white historical photograph of a 100-year-old city bridge and riverside buildings from the past.

    maxuju1 Report

    #16

    1921 Brazil, Southeast Region, State Of Rio De Janeiro

    Historical photographs show a seaside promenade with people, horse-drawn carriages, and waves crashing along the shore.

    Ilya Report

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    #17

    Tram Stop In Brussels, October 1922

    Black and white historical photographs showing a street scene with people and a kiosk from 100 years ago.

    tockholm Transport Museum Report

    #18

    Handloom Weaver At Work In The Street, Shanghai, 1920

    Black and white historical photograph showing street life and traditional activities from 100 years ago.

    Hutchinson Family Report

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    #19

    View Of Nihonbashi Bridge With Boats Underneath 1911 – 1920 , Japan, Tokyo

    Black and white historical photograph of a stone bridge with ornate lampposts over a river, showing the world 100 years ago.

    George Rinhart / Contributor Report

    oktopus
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Post-war they built a freeway over the river, which is now being replaced by a tunnel under the river at great expense.

    #20

    Main Building, Armour Institute Of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, CA 1920s

    Historical photographs showing a street with vintage cars parked alongside a large, ornate brick building from 100 years ago.

    Illinois Institute of Technology Report

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    #21

    Birmingham. Ward End Park 1900 – 1920 , United Kingdom

    Black and white historical photograph of a large mansion surrounded by trees and benches, showing the world 100 years ago.

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    Tim Gibbs
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Still looks like that except in colour 🤣

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    #22

    1920, Perfume Store, Riga, Latvia

    Early 20th-century street scene with men walking on cobblestone road in historical photographs showing the world 100 years ago.

    ihs Report

    #23

    1925-1935, Czech Republic, Prague

    Historical photograph showing a street scene with vintage tram and classical buildings from 100 years ago.

    alexstone Report

    #24

    1920, Switzerland, Canton Of Zürich

    Vintage historical photograph showing a residential street scene with houses and trees from 100 years ago.

    Fotograf_in unbekannt Report

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    #25

    View Of Canberra 1920 – 1940 , Australia

    Historic black and white photograph of a large government building with open fields, showing the world 100 years ago.

    serg145 Report

    Tim Gibbs
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Many people wish it still looked like this

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    #26

    Imperial Theatre In Marunouchi, Tokyo, 1924

    Historic black and white photo showing a grand building and street scene from historical photographs 100 years ago.

    Meiji and Taisho Postcards Report

    #27

    1920, Tirana, Albania

    Children standing near vintage cars in a historical photograph showing what the world looked like 100 years ago.

    kosta korçari Report

    Bardhi's Dad
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You should see Tirana today. A true European metropolis.

    #28

    1930 Stari Grad Urban Municipality (Belgrad) , Serbia

    Black and white historical photograph of a city street with early 20th-century architecture and few pedestrians 100 years ago

    Old Belgrade Report

    OneHappyPuppy
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Still looks the same, add a few concrete-glass monstrosities here and there and voila!

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    #29

    1920, USA, Texas, Mclennan County, Waco

    Historic photograph of a 100-year-old Behrens D**g Co. building with people standing outside on a city street.

    Baylor University Libraries: The Texas Collection Report

    Lee Gilliland
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like the Book Depository in Dallas.

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    #30

    Tampere Girls' School 1924, Finland

    Historic black and white photograph of a large brick building showcasing architecture from 100 years ago.

    Vapriikki Photo Archive Report