Using Science Fiction As a Lens on Today’s Events
Science fiction is a genre of literature, film and television that combines elements of fantasy with future technology. It is often considered a subculture of its own.
The first science fiction magazine was Amazing Stories, founded in 1926 by Hugo Gernsback. It was the precursor of a number of other digest magazines in formats ranging from bedsheet to paperback.
Science News Explores
Science fiction is not just about alien planets and warp drives – it can also be used as a lens on today’s events. As the world becomes more technologically advanced, it’s no longer as easy to draw a line between the realms of real and imagined.
In the film “The Abyss,” a rescue team dives deep into unexplored ocean depths to find a missing submarine. The expedition is similar to what scientists are doing in the Antarctica, where they’re studying the impact of climate change on deep sea reefs.
Science fiction magazines have a long history in the United States and elsewhere, beginning in 1926 with Amazing Stories. The magazine was founded by Hugo Gernsback, who is credited with coining the term “science fiction.” He later established the Hugo Awards, annual achievement awards for SF writers and editors. The circulation of many digest science fiction magazines has declined in recent decades. However, a few semi-professional magazines still publish regularly.
Star Trek: Picard
After the success of Star Trek: The Next Generation, creator Gene Roddenberry wanted to explore a new direction for the franchise. He modeled the series after Old West dramas, which were popular at the time. Each episode was designed as a self-contained adventure.
In the series, retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard is thrust back into action. His crew faces a new threat to the galaxy and must battle for their lives.
The Enterprise-D crew is reunited when Q traps the former captain and his friends in an alternate timeline. They find themselves in a xenophobic Confederation of Earth that systematically destroys or enslaves alien races. Guinan uses astral projection to warn the group. Meanwhile, FBI agent Martin Wells interrogates Picard and Guinan at a bar. Tallinn enters Picard’s subconscious mind to help him awaken from a coma and confront his deepest secrets.
Cybersecurity
Cyber attacks have exploded in number and sophistication, and experts predict that they won’t slow down anytime soon. Businesses and governments are on high alert, putting policies in place to protect sensitive information from hackers. Whether they’re concerned about financial data, healthcare records or national security, organizations are investing more time and money in defending against cyber threats.
Science fiction has been good at predicting distant futures, but it can also provide a lens for current events. The third season of “Star Trek: Picard” explores cybersecurity, a topic that’s top of mind for everyone from consumers to government agencies.
A science fiction magazine is a periodical publication that features speculative fiction in short story, novelette or novella form, but may also contain editorials, book reviews and articles. The magazine genre was popularized in the 1950s by pulp magazines like Amazing Stories, Asimov’s Science Fiction and Galaxy. Since then, the number of SF magazines has steadily declined; however, there are a few that still publish important fiction, including New Worlds and Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine.
Governments Use Science Fiction
Although much has been written about science fiction’s sometimes torturous relationship with politics, less attention has been given to how governments use the genre. As a popular form of entertainment, science fiction is arguably the most visible medium for exploring social issues and policy concerns.
From space travel to super soldiers, science fiction can predict future technologies and scenarios that could potentially threaten society. Governments are using sci-fi to prepare for potential threats and prevent them from happening.
For example, sci-fi writers have preempted many recent technological developments, from credit cards and mobile phones to military tanks and antidepressants. And they have helped the UK Ministry of Defence envision how developing technologies will shape warfare in 2035. These stories help the military develop strategies to overcome the threat of future adversaries. They can also inspire scientists to create new technology or even invent real-life solutions. Moreover, SF can explore themes such as neo-colonialism and decolonialism through stories that portray humans meeting other races at different stages of technology development.