Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Futurism.
Aviation Museum Guide
In the short span of aviation history, a legacy of machines and accomplishments has developed. Much of this information exists in the museums of America. Some museums attempt to portray the whole history of aviation; others convey only various aspects of it. For anyone with even the mildest curiosity regarding rockets, airplanes, and flying, aviation museums hold a ticket that will satisfy even the greatest of air travel enthusiasts.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Best Vintage Astronomy Books
The 20th century was an amazing time for space exploration. Astronomers were learning more about our solar system every day, while the manned missions to space were revealing galaxies of information. From this great age of exploration came some of the best books about astronomy. Now deemed vintage, these books are chock full of predictions, fears, facts, and failures from the astronomers and authors of the time. Ranging from literature about our home planet in Heinz Haber's Our Blue Planet, to predictions by Reginald Turnhill for space exploration in the 80s and 90s in Space Age, there is a great deal of material to be examined. People were talking about colonies in space in the 80s, and this idea may be found in James Trefil's Living in Space. From astronomy books for beginners to volumes for experts to pour over, the best vintage astronomy books should be on everyone's bookshelves.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Morris Kline Interview
Morris Kline was a slender man, soft-spoken, polite, cultured. For most of his lifetime he was a mathematician, in pursuit of what Alfred North Whitehead called "a divine madness of the human spirit." Yet Kline did not display the madness so often paraded by his fellow mathematicians. He was a champion of common sense, but, as Lord Kelvin put it, "Mathematics is merely the etherealization of common sense." That connection eluded many of Kline's colleagues.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Predictions from Sci-Fi Authors
Science fiction authors are modern-day prophets. Many of the predictions from the great writers like Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick came to fruition at the turn of the 21st century. Writer Michael Banks closely followed the growth of online web services and the evolution of the internet from the early 1980s onward. His perception on the predictive nature of science fiction can be proven through a study of the the great sci-fi author's ability to blur the lines between speculation and fact are often the catalyst for authentic advance in tech. His books, including Crosley: Two Brothers and a Business Empire That Transformed the NationandOn the Way to the Web: The Secret History of the Internet and Its Foundersdelve into the results of this chain of predictions. His perceptions will continue to drive further authors to continue to essentially create the future. Many of his theories were captured in a 1978 article from vintage sci-fi magazine Starlog.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Best Sci-Fi Movie Soundtracks
While music in cinema is new in comparison to the age-old practice of music composition, the process of composing movie soundtracks isn't much different than any other composition project. The clear predecessor of music as a soundtrack to acting is opera, with its fusion of the arts of music and acting. While the methods of transmitting visual information have changed since opera ruled the acting world (the set made of cardboard has become one of digital backdrops and green screens), and sound effects were added (synthesizers, samplers, and various ethnic instruments), there isn’t much difference, in regards to musical needs. The goal of a sci-fi movie soundtrack the same as the music behind an opera: set the atmosphere, enhance the drama of what’s happening on stage, and highlight the specific features of the characters.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Liu Cixin’s 'The Three-Body Problem'
Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body trilogy became one of the most popular science fiction series in China rapidly after its publication. Starting in 2015, English-speaking audiences were finally given the opportunity to see what China had been buzzing about since 2008, when Tor Books published an English translation of the series. The Three-Body Problem is a promising start to a science fiction series: A brilliant plot unfolds against a tightly composed background that binds together physics, philosophy, and history. It is a novel that takes time to read because the philosophical positions of each character have to be carefully considered. The back and forth between the book’s factions shows that the author carefully considered the pressing issues at hand: humanity's place in the world, the value of human civilization, and the repercussions of extraterrestrial contact. The lively translation accomplished by Ken Liu in the English version brings all these elements to life on the page for English-speaking audiences.
By Michael Gold8 years ago in Futurism
Crops in Space
"The world hunger problem is getting worse rather than better," said a Presidential Commission report on World Hunger from 1980. "A major crisis of global food supply—of even more serious dimensions than the present energy crisis—appears likely... unless steps are taken now... Moral obligation alone would justify giving highest priority to the task of overcoming hunger."
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Campfire Story
The following article was originally published on The Free Advice Man's website here. I am going to tell you a story. Come sit down here by my side, and enjoy the warmth of an imaginary Campfire. The flames light up the darkness around us. The warmth of the crackling embers of burning wood keep us cozy. It is a controlled fire, and one that we started. Unlike the fires that come from above!
By Jean-Pierre Fenyo8 years ago in Futurism
Best Actors for a Dune Reboot
Frank Herbert’s Dune is one of the most celebrated science fiction novels of all time. A novel of dense political intrigue, plus giant space worms, Herbert’s vision has stumbled in the attempts to bring it to the big screen. After many attempts to adapt the book stalled, including on from post-modern director Alejandro Jodorowsky, Dune was finally adapted by Blue Velvet director David Lynch. The film did poorly, receiving savage reviews and pitiful takings at the box office, with noted film critic Roger Ebery giving the film an embarrassing Dune one star out of four stating, "This movie is a real mess, an incomprehensible, ugly, unstructured, pointless excursion into the murkier realms of one of the most confusing screenplays of all time.” The casting choices were iffy at best with the bewildering choice of Sting as The na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen as the peak of its failure. There is little question that modern technology and directors could make a far better adaptation of Dune, but who are the best actors for a Dune reboot?
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Is Luck Real?
Luck. It blunders in and out of our lives, unbidden, unexpected, sometimes welcome and sometimes not. It is the supreme insult to human reason: You can't ignore it, yet you can’t plan for it. No matter how carefully you design your career, you cannot know how the design will be changed by the workings of random events. You can only know that the events will occur. You can only wait for them, and hope that they're in your favor.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Evolution of Sci-Fi Women
In September 1992, Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman to launch into orbit upon the Space Shuttle Endeavour. When asked of the role models that helped her achieve this amazing feat, none other than Starfleet’s main lady, Lieutenant Uhura was at the top of the list.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Best Hard Sci-Fi Books
Fans of the sci-fi genre have been known to be… picky. Sure, we want our trail mix of starships, androids, cleverly disguised social commentary, “big thought-provoking ideas,” and snappy banter from severely conflicted cyborg characters. We also want, somewhere in the middle, an enormous, spacey McGuffin to keep the plot moving at warp speed. But all that’s a given; That’s the minimum essential goods. What most discerning fans demand is a level of authenticity; We want to know exactly “how” that tractor beam works, “how” that near-light speed engine runs, “how” that police telephone booth is really bigger on the inside. In other words, we want an author who knows what they’re talking about when it comes to the techy stuff—even if that stuff is totally imaginary! And not just Wookiepedia-level knowledge, either. Basically we want a genuine physicist like Michio Kaku whispering into the writer’s ear, telling them how all this stuff could, theoretically, work. Hard sci-fi answers these questions with its emphasis on technical accuracy and scientific detail.
By Matt Cates8 years ago in Futurism