Science + Tech
Advances that redefine reality. Welcome to the future.
Gypsy Moth Invasion
The caterpillars were everywhere—in the pool, on the side of the house, in the eaves, in your hair. Where there were large infestations, you could hear them at night. Their droppings, or frass, sounded like a light rain. Perfectly sane people went about protected beneath umbrellas on sunny days.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
History of Halley's Comet
It was August in 1682 when the faint gleam first appeared in the night sky. From one night to the next, it grew slightly brighter and changed position among the background stars. The pioneers of astronomy peered at it through that new-fangled invention, the telescope, and watched it begin to sprout a tail. Among the majority of people, however, the instinctive reaction was fear. “A comet,” they whispered. “A comet has appeared! And plague, famine, and war will surely follow.”
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Arthur C. Clarke Interview
In 1945, a young English technical officer, who had spent World War II helping to develop radar systems for the Royal Air Force, published a remarkably prescient article in the British journal Wireless World. The article showed, in detail, how artificial satellites could be used to relay electronic communications around the world. The writer was Arthur C. Clarke.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Stargate's Pauline Gedge
"Ixelion stepped under the archway of his Gate, the box clutched tightly in his hand, and the guards with their silver wands and stiff capes of scales greeted him with soft, deferential voices." So begins Pauline Gedge's unparalleled exploration of the creators of the universe in 1982's Stargate. At the dawn of time, the universe is overseen by the Worldmaker, who rules over each sun lord in the solar systems of his creation. Until, ruled by unexpected malice, he becomes the Unmaker.
By Natasha Sydor8 years ago in Futurism
Ultimate 'Battlestar Galactica' Guide
Glen Larson—musician, screenwriter, producer—had wanted to do something like Galactica, he told us, long before he saw Star Wars. That Lucas blockbuster, though, gave Larson’s idea “legs”—as they say in showbiz—made Galactica seem a profitable notion that could stand on its own and walk away with a bundle.
By Futurism Staff8 years ago in Futurism
Greatest Sci-Fi Protagonists
The literary multiverse has no shortage of would-be “heroes,” to use the term quite loosely. And when it comes to the wild and wooly genre of science fiction, it is practically a given that every story will feature some form of hero, antihero, or hero by default. Indeed, due to the flexibility of the genre, they literally come in all shapes, sizes, color, and species. Some are born of intergalactic royal blood; Others are constructed in cold laboratories out of wires, circuits, and steel. We’re going to attempt to pin down a list of the most compelling, original, and impactful protagonists the sci-fi world has ever known! Some you’ll see coming a light year away; others, hopefully, not so much… for where’s the fun in reading a list of names you already know? Enjoy!
By Matt Cates8 years ago in Futurism