9. The Jet Pack, "Lost in Space" (1965 - 1968)

It's summer. You're stuck in gridlocked traffic on FDR Drive. Suddenly, the car's air conditioner dies. Minutes pass. A bead of sweat trickles down your nose and you can't breath. As you suppress burning road rage, you remember "Lost in Space" and John Robinson taking to the skies in a jet pack. "Whatever happened to that idea?," you wonder.

But daddy, I want one! Here's the thing, junior: the jet pack is a real device. Its origins can be traced back to World War II-era Germany, but it wasn't until the 1960s, when Bell Aerosystems created their version, the Flying Belt, that Hollywood took notice. So why aren't we piloting them to work? Well, the hydrogen peroxide-fueled rockets had a thrust-life of about a minute. Find yourself distracted by a gorgeous sunset and EMTs would be carting away your pancaked remains with a spatula. Infuriating as it is, we'll take gridlock.