Exploring the Cosmos through a Science Fiction Perspective.
Science matters
When science fiction attempts to get serious about how to best represent the human colonisation of the solar system, films like Ad Astra (2019) establish free enterprise as the plot devises for the story. With commercial flights to the moon, a Luna base that looks like an airport on Earth, fast food facilities, piracy, and … Continue reading Space Treaty
Geography Nothing builds intricate worlds like the attention to detail given to the story’s geography. What makes a setting compelling is the effort that goes into creating elaborate planets that are logical and familiar in terms of geology, history, climate and all that encompasses the geographical nature of the fictional world. The more variety and … Continue reading Panology of Science Fiction: G
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
Now that this sad shit-show of a saga is over, the only thing we have left, is the thought, 'What if they did a decent sequel trilogy with a coherent story without the political rape that Disney inflicted upon this series?' How hard was it to produce something that remotely resembles a Star Wars story? … Continue reading Star Wars: A Lost Hope
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
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
An A to Z science fiction study guide
It's not every night you stumble across something on the internet that is as bizarre as being officially acknowledged for helping to find an exoplanet. I enrolled with Planet Hunter years ago (around 2011), and dabbled for fun picking out images that may indicate the presence of a planet orbiting a star. The process was both challenging … Continue reading First Planet Candidates Discovered by Planet Hunters