Exploring the Cosmos through a Science Fiction Perspective.
CAUSES LEADING TO THE CRUSADES. Epochs of Modern History: The Crusades - G.W. Cox THE Crusades were a series of popular wars, waged by men who wore on their garments the badge of the Cross as a pledge binding them to rescue the Holy Land, and the Sepulchre of Christ from the grasp of the … Continue reading The Crusades (Chapter 1)
Finance For many readers, the field of economics might seem like dry, analytical territory, a realm of graphs, supply curves, and impenetrable jargon. And let’s be honest: most literary enthusiasts, and even a fair number of science fiction fans, probably tune out at the mention of GDPs or fiscal policy. Yet, when wielded thoughtfully, economics … Continue reading Panology of Science Fiction: F
Engineering A good science fiction story should be able to predict not the automobile but the traffic jamFrederik Pohl Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com It was stories about the ‘mad scientist’ that kicked off genre literature, ever since Daedalus fabricated wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son Icarus. Invention is the heart of … Continue reading Panology of Science Fiction: E
Stand on Zanzibar is a sci-fi novel by John Brunner known for its predictions about the future, despite being written several decades ago.
Disease (Pathology) Whether it's curing existing diseases or encountering new ones, a bit or a lot of pathology doesn’t hurt a story or make for a bad plot device. Injecting fear and dread into any scenario can be as easy as prescribing an epidemiologist or two. The scope in speculating future diseases can again be endless, e.g. microbial, … Continue reading Panology of Science Fiction: D
Cliodynamics (psychohistory) Cliodynamics is a field of research that tries to apply scientific methods and mathematical models to the study of history and its patterns. It aims to explain and predict historical phenomena such as the rise and fall of empires, the cycles of war and peace, the dynamics of social movements, and the effects … Continue reading Panology of Science Fiction: C
I bought a novel, Robopocalypse (2011) by Daniel H. Wilson, at an airport bookstore for a fast, time-killing read and while I wasn't totally disappointed with it, it left me once again tackling the question about this 'robocalypse' that everyone is fearful about. As for the book itself... It's about robots taking over the world. A good … Continue reading The Robocaust
Biology Biology is a fascinating and diverse field of science that explores the living world and its interactions. Science fiction is a genre that uses biological concepts, themes, or elements to create imaginative stories, worlds, and creatures. Some aspects of biology that are commonly found in science fiction include evolution, disease, genetics, physiology, parasitism, and symbiosis. … Continue reading Panology of Science Fiction: B
The early eighties were remarkable, to me anyhow. Not only did my fascination with science fiction grind into high gear, but there was an explosion of new and modern genre films that hit the scene at around that time, in particular, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner many having been influenced by film-makers from a bygone era, … Continue reading PKD
An A to Z science fiction study guide