​​45 Things in Other Countries That the US Doesn’t Have That Prove Everyone Else Is Living in the Future

We all absolutely hate having to stand in line for Space Mountain, or It’s a Small World for hours on end, right? While lines at the Disney Parks are always going to be long and annoying, one park has found a way to make waiting slightly better.

That’s right — the clever Imagineers of Disneyland Hong Kong came up with the genius idea of installing folding seats straight into the handrails of the line. This way, you can rest your tired feet while waiting to get on your favorite ride.

People constantly looking down at their phones isn’t just a social faux pas anymore. Nowadays, it’s very much become a pretty serious safety concern — especially when it happens to coincide with road safety. Luckily, South Koreans have already found a clever solution.

Korean road crossings now come equipped with lights not just up in the street, but down by the sidewalk. This way, pedestrians don’t have to lift their heads up; they just need to look at the colors on the curb.

Don’t you just hate it when you’re at the supermarket, and you just can’t find the aisle with the stuff you’re looking for, no matter how many instructions the disgruntled employees have given you? Looks like France has the solution to this problem!

That’s right — no more having to ask for directions as each shopping cart comes equipped with a handy dandy map of the store. How convenient is that for introverts? What a great way to find what you’re looking for without having to interact with people.

Sure, riding the train through the Swiss countryside is definitely a pastoral experience. But, not as much if you’re traveling with children. In fact, for kids, it can get pretty boring pretty fast. Thankfully, the Swiss have thought of everything.

Their trains feature “family-friendly” cars where not only can the kids make as much noise as they want, but they also have this amazingly cool and fun in-car playground! This sure beats those traditional restaurant cars, doesn’t it?

Believe it or not, this McDonald’s in Australia (or Macca, as the locals down under call it) has a built-in library! This way, not only are you filling your stomach, but you’re also enriching your mind at the very same time.

Honestly, though, this is a great way to keep books and reading accessible to everyone — after all, enjoying a good story should be open to everyone. Just do your best to keep your favorite burger toppings off the pages.

Science fiction has been telling us for decades that robots were eventually going to take over our jobs (for good or bad, you decide). This high-tech nation, however, has definitely already begun to make it a reality.

Just check out this human-less serving cart driving around the streets of Tokyo, Japan, making sure that no one goes without their afternoon tea. So, what do you think — is this leap into the future kind of cute or somewhat creepy?

What better way is there to spend a day with nice weather than out in nature? The beautiful clouds above, the soft grass beneath, and the shade of a towering tree. Wait a minute! That’s not a tree!

It looks like Portugal has found the perfect way to hide their eye-sore cellphone towers in plain sight by camouflaging them as trees. We just hope birds don’t get as bamboozled as we did by this clever disguise.

On the one hand, every country wants to conserve as much of its wildlife and green spaces as possible. On the other hand, nothing can stop human progress and our endless desire to want to get everywhere with a highway.

Luckily, very smart and compassionate people came up with the genius idea of creating wildlife crossings (or bridges) that allow animals to have an undisturbed crossing over large and busy roads. This particular green bridge was built in Canada.

It’s not surprising that so often when it comes to being innovative, countries get their best minds together to make life just a little easier and safer for everyone using the road. In Singapore, that includes accommodating those that need a bit of help when crossing the street.

Elderly and disabled citizens of Singapore can simply swipe their ID cards at the crossroad. This tells the stop light to stay on for a few moments longer. This allows them to move across the street at their own pace while staying safe.

In Turkey, a few dedicated animal lovers started a clever little project — both to keep their cities clean and to feed stray cats and dogs. They’re called Pugedon, and they created a smart vending machine.

All you need to do is throw away your single-use plastic bottles at the top. Thanks to your generous recycling, the machine then pays it forward by dispensing pet food at the bottom, feeding all those hungry strays.

We have to say — we really think that frozen food has a bad reputation. Sure, once upon a time, it was warranted because the way most foods were frozen wasn’t all that healthy. Times have changed, though, and frozen food is pretty darn great nowadays.

That’s probably why France has entire supermarkets dedicated to just frozen foods. It’s not just frozen pizza and ice cream! They have entire gourmet meals just ready to be plucked out of your freezer at a moment’s notice.

Ever wanted to feel like you’re in a video game? Well, look no further than Burnley Tunnel in Melbourne, Australia. This genius tunnel has lights projected on the sides of it. But, that’s obviously not the best part.

Amazingly, the lights move through the tunnel at exactly the speed limit! This way, instead of speeding through, drivers are encouraged to join the fun and do everything in their power to match the lights — thus driving at just the right speed.

Sure, escalators are techy and efficient at getting us between mall floors, but they’re also pretty darn boring to go on. It’s just not all that fun or interesting to be standing on moving stairs as they take you up or down.

This mall in Prague, though, decided to make at least one part of the journey more enticing — while you still have to go up on the escalator, when you want to go back down, you can simply take this loopy slide!

Car seats for kids are nothing new — after all, every safety-minded parent has at least one lying around for when you need to drive anywhere with a baby. But, have you ever considered having a car seat like that on public transportation?

Well, this bus company in Madrid, Spain, certainly did. They made sure to install in some of their buses a built-in car seat for toddlers to use so they can use the public bus safely and in style.

European countries are known for their unfailing manners, but with this little invention, we think that Finland might have won the trophy for being the most courteous country in the world. They’ve decided that everyone should get a little “Thank you” — especially bus drivers.

While most buses only have a “Stop” button, Finish buses have a “Good Job Bus Driver” button! How absolutely adorable is that? Is there no end to how kind these people can be?

We’re often told to stop and smell the flowers. Farmers in the Netherlands, though, decided to make it a whole lot easier to appreciate the beautiful nature around us. Instead of just growing edible crops, farmers there plant flowers at the edge of a field.

These flowers are grown to promote the biodiversity of plants in the area, although they do have the added benefit of attracting pollinators (like bees) and other helpful insects. What’s more, the owners of the fields put up a QR code where you can go to pay for any flowers you decide to pick and take home.

Who said that a library was just for dusty old books? Libraries in the United Kingdom have become hubs of activity by creating a community space that can help people in all sorts of fun and creative ways, and not just by doing a storytime.

This library (and others like it) have a borrowing area for tools — looking for a sturdy drill or a power washer for some DIY home project? They’ve got you covered. The librarians here will also give you a quick tutorial on how to use each tool if you need it.

For quite some time now, people have been saying that because of streaming the cinema-going experience is dead. Well, looks like China has found a way to revive it by making the whole experience so much more luxurious.

Every seat in this Chinese movie theater doubles as a massage chair, so you can enjoy your movie while being in the lap of luxury. As an added bonus, the chair also comes equipped with a phone charger.

A stay at a hospital (no matter how short) can be quite a gloomy experience — which really doesn’t help us feel any better when we think about it. Thankfully, this clever hospital in England has found a way to add a little sunshine to that cloudy feeling.

Instead of having another plain, boring light in the ceiling, this hospital’s rooms were designed with a built-in “skylight.” This fake window allows the patients to feel like they’re just a little bit closer to the healing power of nature.

To be honest — we can no longer remember what life was like before we had endless technological power at our fingertips in the form of our beloved phones. But, that also comes with the endless race against the battery.

The clever people of Tel Aviv, Israel haven’t only found a handy solution for us to charge our phones in the middle of the street, but they’ve also done so by harnessing the power of the strong Mediterranean sun by making this public charger solar.

Traveling in a new country can often be daunting, especially when you suddenly can’t rely on your phone to help you out with GPS or tourist information. This hotel in Hong Kong has gone above and beyond to solve that issue for its guests.

Each guest receives a courtesy smartphone that they can use while traveling around the high-tech city. Not only is it completely free for guests to use on its own, but they can also use it as a hotspot to keep using their private devices.

How great is it getting to Target, grabbing a delicious caramel frap from Starbucks, and going about your shopping in style? Alas, there’s no comfortable place to put your drink, so you have to hold it as you make your way up and down the aisles.

Obviously, Australia found the perfect solution long ago — putting a cup holder on your shopping cart. Thankfully, some Targets around the US have now begun to add this amazing feature, but the Aussies definitely get the credit for this one.

Having a Wake-Up service at hotels is nothing new, mostly stemming from the days before people were traveling everywhere with their pocket alarm clocks (aka their smartphones). Iceland, however, has found a unique use for this feature.

That’s right — if you stay in Iceland, with just a push of this button, you can have your hotel wake you up in case the northern lights decide to make an appearance. Now, we kind of want to see every country have a button like that for their own natural wonder.

Obviously, public drinking fountains are nothing new, as just about every park has at least one. After all, access to water while being outside is a basic necessity. But, Italy has taken that need to a whole new level.

Sure, they’ve got basic drinking water out on the street. But, for those with a more discerning palette, some Italian villages also have a tap for chilled water or water with gas — and it’s all free to use!

We have to say, this simple little invention is probably the coolest, smartest, and most futuristic thing on this list (seriously, this is genius). You see, those extremely clever laundry experts in Spain saw a need and found a way to fill it.

After looking at the local cuisine, this incredible washing machine was created with a setting for the most common stains in Spain — plump tomato, rich olive oil, and some aromatic vino (doesn’t that sound like an excellent meal?). Anyway, where can we get this?!

How annoying is it when you’ve opened a drink bottle, placed the cap somewhere, then immediately forgot where, and now there’s no way to close the bottle? Okay, that’s probably not the biggest issue in the world.

But, it’s still bothersome enough that Greece has decided to manufacture bottles where the cap stays connected to the bottle, even after it’s open. No more flat sodas or lost caps for the Greeks.

When it comes to the comfort of their pets, the people of Copenhagen, Denmark don’t mess around. These little doggy boxes that you can rent are placed outside supermarkets around the capital city so you can shop in peace while your pet gets to chill.

Yes, actually chill, because not only are these dens comfy and lit, but they also have a built-in air conditioning unit so your beloved pup won’t get too hot or too cold. This is just so much better than having to tie them outside the store!

Love seeing the world but hate having to deal with flights, layovers, and hours at endless airports? While we’ve yet to create a way to teleport from one point to another, the airport in Beijing, China might have the next best thing.

It might not look like it, but these futuristic compartments are actually rentable sleeping pods right in Beijing Airport. Whether you have an hour or a day to spend waiting for your flight, you can spend it by taking a nice, relaxing nap in one of these.

It looks like quite a few countries have found ways to make grocery shopping not only more enjoyable but also efficient. Thanks to this cool invention, we think Toronto, Canada might have taken the lead for the coolest shopping cart.

This cart actually scans your groceries as you shop so that as soon as you’ve picked up the last thing on your list, you can just pay and leave the store right away! No more waiting in an endless line for the cashier.

When it comes to futuristic toilets, we all know that Japan takes the gold medal. But, it looks like Sweden might be trying to give the Land of the Rising Sun a run for its money with this awesome public washroom.

These high-tech facilities have found a clever way to avoid the whole embarrassing knocking on the stall door to see if it’s free by having lights that show if a stall is in use or not. Incredibly efficient and aesthetically pleasing, those Swedes know what they’re doing.

This might not be much of an issue for city dwellers, but for those who live in more rural areas getting to see a brand-new film at the movie theater isn’t always available. Scotland came up with a genius solution.

You’re not seeing things — it really is a collapsible moving cinema on the flatbed of a truck! According to people who’ve actually been to one of these, it’s just as comfy as your local movie theater.

France is known for not always being the most accommodating language-wise toward tourists who have to try communicating in rudimentary, broken French. This Parisian hotel, however, decided to help their international guests out.

This list showcases exactly what languages each person who works the front desk of the hotel speaks. This is sure to make asking for instructions to the Louvre a whole lot easier for anyone traveling from abroad.

Denmark is known for its robust cycling culture — practically everyone owns a bike and uses it on a daily basis to get anywhere and everywhere. So, it won’t come as much of a surprise that Copenhagen has quite a few cool inventions for cyclists.

This handy rail is installed near red lights so that while cyclists wait for the light to change, they can give themselves a bit of a rest by leaning their bike on the rail. There’s also a comfy little ledge to put your foot on.

Incheon Airport in South Korea has found an amazingly adorable way to help out struggling fliers — by getting these cutie patooties to render their assistance. These doe-eyed robots can tell you whatever information you need about your flight.

But, the futuristic tech doesn’t stop there! If you need to get somewhere in the airport and ask for help, the sweet robot will lead you to your destination. Plus, if you stand next to it to take a selfie, it’ll smile at you!

Feeling like single-use plastic has put a strain on your attempts to become more eco-friendly? Thankfully, Prague, Czech has a pretty cool solution for you — refillable stations for detergent at the supermarket.

You still need to get a container (at least the first time). But, when you want to get more, you just bring the same bottle and fill it up at this handy station. How smart is that?

One of the best things about traveling somewhere by train is looking out the window at the unique view rushing past. Japanese train designers, of course, found a way to fully utilize this unique and calming experience.

They’ve created train seats that can be angled to face the large windows — allowing passengers to look at the view. Some trains also have seats that are so modular that with a simple move, you can change which way your seat is facing.

Let’s face it, the best part about going to McDonald’s is getting one of their delicious desserts. After all, nothing beats a cool McFlurry on a hot day.

But, alas, that stupid machine is always broken at our local branch. But if you go to South America, you’re in for a treat — they have a spot just for McDonald’s desserts, where we bet the machine always works!

Today’s kids won’t know, but once upon a time, it was super common to greet someone who’s just landed at the airport with a large sign. Traveling business people still get those, so they know who their driver or point of contact is.

But, those banners are a dying art form for us common folk. It looks, however, like the airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is looking to bring it back! They have a machine at the airport that’ll help you print a custom greeting banner just in time to surprise your visiting loved one!

Japan is known for being one of the most technologically-advanced countries in the world (and some of its entries on this list prove this). But, while we might think of giant robotic inventions, the Japanese also take the time to think of the little details.

For example, in some buildings, you might find this strange little light in the elevator. Cleverly, the light turns on every time it rains outside, letting people know to get their umbrellas. Clearly, no rain is going to catch you by surprise in Osaka, Japan!

Outside this door at a post office in Vancouver, Canada, there’s a curious little sign that reads: “Try it on here. Is your online purchase right for you? If not, we can help you return it. Ask the clerk for the key to the fitting room.”

That’s right! Those clever Canadians have a changing room right at the post office so you can check out your clothes order right on the spot. This is sure to make all those online shopping sprees a whole lot easier.

What’s the big deal, you might say as you look at this picture, it’s just a small and impractical bus. But, that’s where you’d be wrong. You see, while public transportation infrastructure is nothing new around the world, this cute thing is.

This little German bus is actually a self-driving minibus. That means that there’s no more need for a seat for the bus driver, leaving a lot more space for passengers that can now zip around the city of Berlin in style!

If there’s one thing Iceland is known for, it’s the cold (after all, it’s right there in the country’s name). That has led to the Icelandic people becoming incredibly proficient at finding new ways to combat the freezing winters there.

In this case, to stop the need to shovel endless amounts of snow in the winter, modern houses in Iceland come built with geothermally heated water pipes under their sidewalks. Beyond being super practical, these pipes also produce some interesting thawing patterns in the snow.

It’s undeniable that the architecture around Europe is absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, with so many buildings being quite old by now, there’s a need to fix them up so that their charm can be enjoyed by us for years to come.

That’s why many countries in Europe utilize a unique method to camouflage buildings that are undergoing repairs — by placing fabric with a printer replica of the building around the scaffolding! This specific building was shot in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

It’s no secret that Mexicans enjoy avocado… a lot of avocados. In fact, not only is Mexico the largest producer and exporter of avocados in the world, but it’s also the biggest consumer of the delicious veg (alongside the US). So, is it any wonder that they’ve found a super smart way to sell avocados, too?

This local supermarket has decided that instead of people having to squeeze each one to see which would be best to eat that day, they’d just separate them to those ready to eat that day and those good for tomorrow. There’s also no price difference, which is pretty cool.

As much as we hate it, every once in a while, we all have to make our way to our bank to take care of all sorts of stuff. But, don’t you just hate that no matter when you go, it’s always super busy?

Looks like China found a solution — this bank displays in a simple diagram the average of how busy it is on average during its working hours. This way, you can make sure to only come when it’s three-people busy!