In 1970, Life magazine published an article about the environmental movement that had shocking predictions that proved wildly inaccurate–at least so far. An excerpt:

“Unless something is done to reverse environmental deterioration, say many experts, horrors lie in wait. Others disagree, but scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support each of the following predictions–

• In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution

• In the early 1980s air pollution combined with a temperature inversion will kill thousands in some U.S. city

• By 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half

• In the 1980s a major ecological system–soil or water–will break down somewhere in the U.S.

• New diseases that humans cannot resist will reach plague proportions

• Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will affect the earth’s temperatures, leading to mass flooding or a new ice age

• Rising noise levels will cause more heart disease and hearing loss. Sonic booms from SSTs will damage children before birth

• Residual DDT collecting in the human liver will make use of certain common drugs dangerous and increase liver cancer