William Gibson is not one of the authors that spits out novels like a machine – in his long and fruitful career he has only published 11 novels andof short stories and articles in the tens each. Still his impact on modern literature was huge – the “noir prophet” of the cyberpunk subgenre (that he was one of the pioneers of) has predicted the rise of reality television, virtual reality, video games and the internet. He is a Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction writer, with a special eye for what the future might bring.

This year's Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention both saw passionate delegates in outrageous costumes – but that's where the similarities mostly end. Reuters photographer Jim Young gives a look at what it's like to be on the convention floor and talks to the delegates who make the conventions memorable. (Photo by Jim Young/Reuters)

Demonstrators throw fire bombs to riot police during violent protests in central Athens February 12, 2012. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

An old toilet is displayed during the “Toilet!? Human Waste and Earth's Future” exhibition at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation – Miraikan on July 1, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. The exhibition focuses on how the toilet has changed our daily lives and discovers what the most environment-friendly and ideal toilet is. (Photo by Keith Tsuji/Getty Images)

At this year’s Venice Bienniale in Italy, the Korean pavilion has a curious exhibit called “Commissions for Utopia”. It includes renderings from North Korea’s top architects and artists (all anonymous), many of whom studied at the Paekho Institute of Architecture, North Korea’s state-run architectural college, and none of whom have ever left the country. They were asked to create a vision of North Korea’s future sustainable architecture for its expanding tourism industry. Their final products are a glimpse into what it would be like to envision the future after being entirely cut off from the present for almost 70 years. (Photo by Nick Bonner/Kyle Vanhemert/Venice Architecture Biennale)

A model presents the Flesby, a one-seater mobility concept car, during a media preview of the 45th Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan on October 25, 2017. Japan's flagship automakers present their futuristic visions for the post-fossil fuel era at the Tokyo Motor Show that kicks off Wednesday. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

Girls practice sit-ups during gymnastics lessons at the Shanghai Yangpu Youth Amateur Athletic School in Shanghai, China, on May 4, 2016. China's sports system has been enormously successful since the country returned to the Olympic fold in 1980, culminating with the host nation topping the medals' table at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. And yet, with the Rio de Janeiro Games less than three months away, the system is beginning to break down due to the shifting demographics of a more prosperous nation. (Photo by Aly Song/Reuters)

American film star Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean Mortenson or Norma Jean Baker). (Photo by Keystone Features/Getty Images). 1952