Ray Bradbury once said, “I don’t try to describe the future. I try to prevent it.” Bradbury’s bent for creative destruction through literature gave the world not only a fun read but ideas for what the future should be.

Most detractors of ideas seem less interested in preventing a future than underestimating the capabilities of people. As proof, check out the blog Thought Mechanics offers some of history’s more egregious prognostications. Some favorites:

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.”

Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

“The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives.”

Admiral William Leahy, US Atomic Bomb Project.

Here at Footnote we enjoy reading about history. Here’s what’s been on our reading table:

• 1776 by David McCullough
• Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
• Don’t Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis

Each of these books reveals the history of something we all thought we knew in a fresh way leaving us hungry to learn more.

For example, 1776 tells the dramatic story about the start of the Revolutionary War richly detailed with all of the Colonists missteps, bravery, luck and perseverance.

It was the detail that brought the story to life, a result of tremendous amounts of research.

Inspired, I found myself searching for supporting documents and historic characters on Footnote. For instance, you can find several letters and writings from Nathaniel Greene, Henry Knox, and many others from that era. Jake, our IT guy, created a review of 1776 with some documents he found in the Letters from General George Washington supporting the book.

Because we like to read about history we also encourage people to write about history. And it doesn’t have to be some monumental event.

There is always a story to tell when looking back, whether it be about your own family, a time period, or particular interest you might have.

Try starting a Story Page today and add your footnote to history.