Forget Stairway to Heaven: Japanese firm plans Elevator to Space

From teleportation tubes to flying cars, getting from A to B looks like it will be more fun in the future, if science fiction films are to be believed.
And some of these futuristic visions are expected to become reality within our lifetimes.
To shed light on how we might get around in the year 2050, electronics firm RS Components has created an interactive module that showcases some of the most exciting predictions.
Users can input their current age to see in how many years they might be able to travel in a next-generation airliner with panoramic windows, or even take a high speed monorail to work – if all the jobs have not been taken by robots.
By 2020, car journeys could be a lot quicker and less frustrating thanks to the use of augmented reality technology in cars, according to the interactive graphic.
It’s hoped vehicles will be able to pass information to the driver about traffic conditions, real-time accident alerts and tourist attractions in a less distracting way than present.
Information could be beamed onto a windscreen, for example, instead of displayed on a small sat-nav screen.
There are also high hopes that modern trains could be replaced by a supersonic Hyperloop in some places.
These would comprise pods travelling through tubes at over 700 miles per hour (1,100 kph), making journeys incredibly fast for passengers and freight.
In 2025 commuters may be able to catch a hovering Skytran pod to work.